{"id":36950,"date":"2012-10-18T08:17:32","date_gmt":"2012-10-18T15:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/?p=36950"},"modified":"2012-10-18T11:29:09","modified_gmt":"2012-10-18T18:29:09","slug":"portugal-waves-goodbye-to-kelly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/?p=36950","title":{"rendered":"Portugal Waves Goodbye To Kelly"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Slater6629Portugal12Kirstin\"<\/a><\/p>\n

It was a sad day for Kelly Slater<\/strong> fans at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal <\/a><\/strong>as he was eliminated from the competition by Raoni Monteiro<\/strong> in nearly unsurfable waves that one heat later caused a two-hour hold.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard out there today,\u201d Slater said. \u201cI surfed for 15 minutes after my heat and still didn\u2019t get any good waves. I don\u2019t know what to say, it\u2019s just luck of the draw sometimes. If you get in the right sort of current, or out of the wrong current, and you find a little corner that\u2019s not really a set, maybe you can do something with it. It\u2019s tough, but Julian (Wilson) just got a 10 so say what you want. In 45 minutes (30 minute heat and 15 minutes after), I didn\u2019t score over 3. I\u2019m just a little upset at myself for even bothering. I shouldn\u2019t even have paddled out to be honest. I should have said it\u2019s so bad we couldn\u2019t surf, but Joel (Parkinson) was getting 6s and 7s and they\u2019re probably looking at the clock saying we have to get this thing done. I didn\u2019t talk to Damien (Hardman) before the heat, and I didn\u2019t really talk to any of the surfers. I just sort of walked out and said I guess we\u2019re surfing\u2026my bad.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Monteiro, however, got a couple waves so it was possible. For the official word from Kelly and the QF match-ups, follow the jump.SUPERTUBOS, Peniche\/Portugal (Thursday, October 18, 2012) \u2013 Kelly Slater (USA), 40, reigning 11-time ASP World Champion and current ASP WCT No. 2, was eliminated in Round 3 of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal today by current ASP WCT No. 32 Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 30, in challenging three-to-five foot (1 \u2013 1.5 metro) waves at Supertubos.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard out there today,\u201d Slater said. \u201cI surfed for 15 minutes after my heat and still didn\u2019t get any good waves. I don\u2019t know what to say, it\u2019s just luck of the draw sometimes. If you get in the right sort of current, or out of the wrong current, and you find a little corner that\u2019s not really a set, maybe you can do something with it. It\u2019s tough, but Julian (Wilson) just got a 10 so say what you want. In 45 minutes (30 minute heat and 15 minutes after), I didn\u2019t score over 3. I\u2019m just a little upset at myself for even bothering. I shouldn\u2019t even have paddled out to be honest. I should have said it\u2019s so bad we couldn\u2019t surf, but Joel (Parkinson) was getting 6s and 7s and they\u2019re probably looking at the clock saying we have to get this thing done. I didn\u2019t talk to Damien (Hardman) before the heat, and I didn\u2019t really talk to any of the surfers. I just sort of walked out and said I guess we\u2019re surfing\u2026my bad.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s surprise elimination opens up the 2012 ASP World Title Race for fellow frontrunners Joel Parkinson (AUS), 31, Mick Fanning (AUS), 31, and John John Florence (HAW), 20, currently sitting at 1st, 3rd and 4th respectively on the ASP WCT rankings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was a key heat,\u201d Slater said. \u201cIt\u2019s that round you really want to get through because there are so many more points on offer for the next round. It\u2019s just making one more heat and you get two opportunities in the next one. If that were a three-man round heat and it was that bad, you\u2019d say it doesn\u2019t matter because you don\u2019t lose. It\u2019s frustrating to go down without being able to get out-surfed or get the chances to out-surf someone else. Joel (Parkinson), Mick (Fanning) and John John (Florence) are really good in these conditions. John John is super sneaky in these kind of waves, and I expect Mick to find his waves also.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 2012 ASP World Title will be awarded to the surfer with the best eight out of 10 ASP WCT results by year\u2019s end. Slater currently carries three event wins (Fiji, Trestles and France), but also a 25th for an absence in Brazil and now two 13ths (Tahiti, Portugal) \u2013 today\u2019s result will hamper his campaign for the ASP World Title.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you start throwing stuff away, the problem is that I\u2019m going to be carrying a 13th now,\u201d Slater said. \u201cIt\u2019s really minimum points, and it opens up 8,000 points or something for someone to get ahead of me now. It\u2019s just the way it is, and maybe it will make it for a better finish to the year. It could become exciting. I\u2019m kind of sneakily up there at the top with the wins, but I was carrying a couple bad results already and now I\u2019m definitely going to be carrying one of those three by the end of the year. It\u2019s a little frustrating, but it might make it more interesting in the long run.\u201d
\nWhile frustrated by today\u2019s outcome, Slater remains philosophical about the road ahead and the final two events of the season: the O\u2019Neill Cold Water Classic in Santa Cruz and the Billabong Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not the end of the world,\u201d Slater said. \u201cNobody died, I just lost a heat. It\u2019s a bummer for me, but it\u2019s just the way it is. There\u2019s only one way to go at Santa Cruz for me. I\u2019ve surfed there once and I got last in my first heat, it was in 1994 I think. We\u2019ll see what happens. If there are waves, there will be plenty of opportunities to surf your heat, but I do expect to have to deal with the high-tide heats and a lot of backwash, and if it\u2019s small it\u2019ll be hard against the cliff. There\u2019s not a lot of variety that can be done on those waves when it\u2019s high tide and full and small, but if we get swell there\u2019s plenty of little corners in the middle. You can expect the goofy footers to be going left and doing big airs in the wind. I hear there\u2019s a chance we could actually move up to Ocean Beach, so we\u2019ll see what happens. It\u2019s wide open at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n

Slater will next surf the O\u2019Neill Cold Water Classic in Santa Cruz from November 1 \u2013 11, 2012.<\/p>\n

SUPERTUBOS, Peniche\/Portugal (Thursday, October 18, 2012) \u2013 The Rip Curl Pro Portugal completed a mammoth day of competition today, determining seven of eight Quarterfinalists in improving three-to-five (1 \u2013 1.5 metre) surf at Supertubos and setting up a possible finish for tomorrow.
\nEvent No. 8 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Portugal bore witness to high scores and drama in today\u2019s ever-improving conditions, including major shakeups in the hunt for the 2012 ASP World Title.
\nKelly Slater (USA), 40, reigning 11-time ASP World Champion and current ASP WCT No. 2, suffered a shock elimination in Round 3 at the hands of Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 30, significantly hindering his run for the 2012 ASP World Title. Holding three event wins this season (Fiji, Trestles, France), Slater was in a commanding position with the best eight of 10 adjusted ratings heading into Portugal. However, today\u2019s exit along with another Equal 13th from Tahiti this year and an absence in Brazil (Equal 25th place) will force him to carry a poor result in his year-end scoreline.
\n\u201cThat was a key heat,\u201d Slater said. \u201cIt\u2019s that round you really want to get through because there are so many more points on offer for the next round. When you start throwing stuff away, the problem is that I\u2019m going to be carrying a 13th now. It\u2019s just the way it is, and maybe it will make for a better finish to the year. It could become exciting. I\u2019m kind of sneakily up there at the top with the wins, but I was carrying a couple bad results already and now I\u2019m definitely going to be carrying one of those three by the end of the year. It\u2019s a little frustrating, but it might make it more interesting in the long run. Joel (Parkinson), Mick (Fanning) and John John (Florence) are really good in these conditions. John John is super sneaky in these kind of waves, and I expect Mick to find his waves also.\u201d
\nJoel Parkinson (AUS), 31, current ASP WCT No. 1, drew first blood in Round 4 this afternoon, posting a win over compatriots Adrian Buchan (AUS), 30, and Josh Kerr (AUS), 28, to advance directly into the Quarterfinals of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
\n\u201cYou expect those three-man heats to just be full of fireworks but when you\u2019re faced with the occasional scrappy heat you\u2019ve just got to deal with it,\u201d Parkinson said. \u201cI expected some more barrels out there but there weren\u2019t many. There were a couple of turns, but this board definitely performs better in the barrels. Stoked to make it through either way.\u201d
\nParkinson\u2019s Quarterfinal berth today solidifies his current lead on the ASP WCT rankings, but the stylish Australian remains cautious when discussing the remainder of the year.
\n\u201cEven though he (Slater) is in second on the ratings and he\u2019s out of the event, we have a little bit of work to do in front of us,\u201d Parkinson said. \u201cIt definitely tightens up the race a little. I guess doing that might bring it down to Pipe. I think it\u2019s time for me to win another event though. It\u2019s been far too long. Hopefully I\u2019ve been keeping it for the right time.\u201d
\nParkinson has drawn lethal rookie John John Florence (HAW), 20, in the Quarterfinals of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
\nOwen Wright (AUS), 22, current ASP WCT No. 7, caused the second major upset of the day, eliminating two-time ASP World Champion (2007, 2009) and current ASP WCT No. 3, Mick Fanning (AUS), 31, in Round 5 of competition. Despite Fanning jumping out to an early lead, Wright fought back on his backhand, securing a Perfect 10 and then backing it up with a 8.00 out of a possible 10 in the dying moments to take the heat.
\n\u201cHe got the jump of me so quick there,\u201d Wright said. \u201cI was thinking, \u2018Alright, this guy\u2019s in the title race and he\u2019s not messing around\u2019. Then my 10 was behind his wave and that put me back in the hunt. Right there at the end of the heat, he paddled and had a dig and then my last wave came through. I had to punch through a pretty big chandelier to get out of the barrel, but I\u2019m stoked with that. I needed it, it\u2019s a pretty big confidence booster for me.\u201d
\nWright will take on Julian Wilson (AUS), 23, in Quarterfinal 3 when competition resumes.<\/p>\n

Adriano De Souza (BRA), 25, defending Rip Curl Pro Portugal winner and current ASP WCT No. 6, continued his impressive run at Supertubos today, claiming a Round 4 heat and advancing directly to the Quarterfinals.
\n\u201cI\u2019m motivated to do well and I\u2019ll just keep going,\u201d De Souza said. \u201cI\u2019m very quiet right now and nobody\u2019s talking about my name so it\u2019s very similar to last year and I\u2019m happy. When I\u2019m happy I perform better. I know the road to the Final here in Portugal, but right now in the middle of the road these are giant guys. It will be a challenge on the final day.\u201d
\nGabriel Medina (BRA), 18, punctuated the afternoon with a sensation Round 4 bout against rapidly-improving rookie Kolohe Andino (USA), 18, and current ASP World No. 4 John John Florence (HAW), 20.
\n\u201cIn the beginning of the heat, I broke my board on the second wave so I was kind of sad, but then I think the new board actually works better so it\u2019s good that I found this one,\u201d Medina said. \u201cI got a couple of 7s and a 9 and another 8. It\u2019s getting better right now and that was a lot of fun.\u201d
\nWhen competition resumes, up first will be Jeremy Flores (FRA), 24, up against Raoni Monteiro (BRA), 30, in the final heat of Round 5 at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
\nEvent organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 7:45am to assess conditions for a potential 8am start.
\nHighlights from the Rip Curl Pro Portugal will be available via http:\/\/live.ripcurl.com
\nFor more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com<\/p>\n

RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL REMAINING ROUND 3 RESULTS<\/strong>:
\nHeat 3: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.50 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 5.33
\nHeat 4: Josh Kerr (AUS) 13.24 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 10.50
\nHeat 5: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 11.33 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 10.43
\nHeat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.73 def. Dusty Payne (HAW) 6.17
\nHeat 7: Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 9.20 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 5.27
\nHeat 8: Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.00 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 10.23
\nHeat 9: Owen Wright (AUS) 16.27 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 9.83
\nHeat 10: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.43 def. Kieren Perrow (AUS) 11.33
\nHeat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.27 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 10.60
\nHeat 12: Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.77 def. Yadin Nicol (AUS) 9.84<\/p>\n

RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL ROUND 4 RESULTS<\/strong>:
\nHeat 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 18.50, Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.80, John John Florence (HAW) 5.77
\nHeat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.30, Adrian Buchan (AUS) 7.53, Josh Kerr (AUS) 6.26
\nHeat 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.46, Owen Wright (AUS) 13.07, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 12.40
\nHeat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.10, Jeremy Flores (FRA) 13.06, Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.93<\/p>\n

RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL ROUND 5 RESULTS<\/strong>:
\nHeat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS) 16.57 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 11.84
\nHeat 2: John John Florence (HAW) 17.03 def. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 5.80
\nHeat 3: Owen Wright (AUS) 18.00 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 16.54
\nRIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL REMAINING ROUND 5 MATCH-UP:
\nHeat 4: Jeremy Flores (FRA) vs. Raoni Monteiro (BRA)<\/p>\n

RIP CURL PRO PORTUGAL QUARTERFINAL MATCH-UPS<\/strong>:
\nQF 1: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
\nQF 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. John John Florence (HAW)
\nQF 3: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)
\nQF 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. TBD<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was a sad day for Kelly Slater fans at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal as he was eliminated from the competition by Raoni Monteiro in nearly unsurfable waves that one heat later caused a two-hour hold. \u201cIt\u2019s really hard out there today,\u201d Slater said. \u201cI surfed for 15 minutes after my heat and still […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36950"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36950"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36950\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36990,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36950\/revisions\/36990"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.boardistan.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}