Surfer Kai Otton Wins First WCT Event at Rip Curl Pro in Portugal

Stop No.9 of 10 on the 2013 ASP World Championship Tour (WCT), the Rip Curl Pro Portugal presented by Moche completed five rounds of action packed competition Thursday, sending the 2013 ASP World Title Race to Hawaii before crowning Otton as event winner.

Otton’s victory would come at the hands of a wave-starved 30-minute final. The Australian would kick off the battle with the heat’s high score on his opening ride, building momentum in the tactical affair to eventually defeat Young in his first career ASP WCT event win.

“It’s the weirdest feeling ever, I just can’t comprehend it,” an ecstatic Otton said. “I really want to dedicate it to my Granddad, he passed away the year I qualified and never saw me on tour so this is for him. It seems like this event was a little bit of a grind, every heat the tide changed so dramatically you never really knew what was going to happen!”

Otton, who now sits at No. 7 on the ASP WCT Rankings following the victory, has been one of the most consistent surfers in 2013 and his road to victory in Portugal saw the Australian best a flock of the world’s best surfers. The goofy-footer was unstoppable on the final day of competition, defeating Hawaiian prodigy John John Florence (HAW), 20, two-time ASP World Champion and current rankings leader Mick Fanning (AUS), 32, and reigning ASP World Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS), 32, en route to the final.

“One of the things that has changed for me this year is my girlfriend being pregnant, I’m pretty excited about that,” Otton continued. “It’s unbelievable, it’s the next chapter I’m really looking forward to. It’s amazing to have all of the support, all my home town of Tathra, my Mom and Dad who supported me all of my career. To get here is kind of a pinnacle for me.”

For more visit ASPWorldTour.com