Surfing

Gabriel Medina Eyes Maiden ASP World Title in Portugal

Editor

RipCurl Pro Portugal, Peniche 2012

The Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Event No. 10 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour, will converge the world’s best surfers onto the sand-bottom barrels of Peniche’s Supertubos this coming week with an historic world title hanging in the balance.

Gabriel Medina (BRA), 20, currently leads this world’s best surfers on the 2014 ASP World Championship Tour rankings, and is poised to make history as the first Brazilian title holder this coming week in Portugal. If achieved, Medina’s title clinching will mark the first time a 20-year-old has done so since 11-time ASP World Champion and international sporting icon Kelly Slater (USA), 42, achieved this in 1992.

Standing in the way are six surfers with a mathematical chance of claiming this year’s world surfing crown: Kelly Slater (USA), Mick Fanning (AUS), Joel Parkinson (AUS), John John Florence (HAW), Taj Burrow (AUS) and Michel Bourez (PYF). Both Burrow and Bourez would have to win the remaining two events (Portugal and Pipeline) with Medina finishing 13th or worse to have a chance at the title.

The following scenarios breakdown the remaining possibilities for Medina to clinch the 2014 ASP World Title at the upcoming Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal:

  • If Medina wins the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, he will clinch the 2014 ASP World Title.
  • If Medina finishes Runner-Up at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Slater will need to win the event to send the title race to Pipeline.
  • If Medina finishes 3rd at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Fanning or Slater will need to win the event to send the title race to Pipeline.
  • If Medina finishes 5th at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Fanning will need to win the event and/or Slater will need to finish Runner-Up or better to send the title race to Pipeline.
  • If Medina finishes 9th at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal, Florence or Parkinson will need to win the event, Fanning will need a Runner-Up or better and/or Slater will need a 3rd or better to send the title race to Pipeline.
  • If Medina finishes 13th or 25th at Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the title race will go to Pipeline.

The Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal will run from October 12 – 23, 2014 and will be webcast LIVE at ASPWorldTour.com

MOCHE RIP CURL PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Taj Burrow (AUS), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 2: John John Florence (HAW), Jadson Andre (BRA), Brett Simpson (USA)
Heat 3: Joel Parkinson (AUS), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Heat 4: Mick Fanning (AUS), Sebastian Zietz (HAW), Raoni Monteiro (BRA)
Heat 5: Kelly Slater (USA), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Nico Von Rupp (PRT)
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Kai Otton (AUS), Jacob Willcox (AUS)
Heat 7: Michel Bourez (PYF), Filipe Toledo (BRA), Aritz Aranburu (ESP)
Heat 8: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Julian Wilson (AUS), Alejo Muniz (BRA)
Heat 9: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Mitch Crews (AUS)
Heat 10: Kolohe Andino (USA), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS)
Heat 11: Josh Kerr (AUS), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Dion Atkinson (AUS)
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS), Nat Young (USA), Tiago Pires (PRT)