Abdel El Harim : photo ASP/Covered Images

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ABDEL EL HARIM, JEREMY FLORES & BEN DUNN STAR IN ROUND 2 OF THE RIP CURL PRO SUPER SERIES

(Version Francais au dessous)

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 August, 2006 : - -  Competition at the 20th annual Rip Curl Pro Super Series WQS restarted today after two consecutive 'lay-days' thanks to recent unfavourable ocean conditions. The wait was well worth it though with the seeded competitors finally making their first appearance at Plage Nord Estagnots, Hossegor when Round 2 started at 2pm.

Heat 1 of Round 2 launched the event in the perfect way today, matching up 2005 world number 3 Mick Fanning (AUS) against fellow Foster's ASP World Tour surfer Adrian Buchan (AUS) and rising stars Abdel El Harim (MAR) and Matt Jones (AUS).

The heat started slowly for Fanning and the tricky 2-3ft (1m) conditions looked set to help claim another high profile victim in the early rounds. El Harim on the other hand came out firing and quickly lodged two solid scoring rides to take an early lead. Buchan looked to match the Moroccan but was forced into second place after El Harim added a 7.50 score to his total mid-way through the heat.

With time ticking down it looked like Fanning would miss out on a final chance to steal the heat, but when a set wave finally rolled through the 25-year-old snatched his opportunity. After a series of critical turns all the way through to the shore Fanning exited the wave and waited patiently for his score. He was awarded a 7.83 and moved ahead of Buchan into second.

Ben Dunn : photo ASP/Covered Images

Buchan, who finished equal 3rd in the 2005 Rip Curl Pro Super Series, made a last ditched effort just before the siren but fell short and faced elimination from the contest. El Harim and Fanning advanced through to Round 3.

"I am so happy, I can't believe it," said El Harim after his giant-killing heat win. "I was just focused on trying to come second behind Mick, because he is my hero. Adrian Buchan is a great surfer too, but I just got those good early waves and made the good rides." "I was comfortable in my spot in first, but was hoping Mick got the high score when he got that 7.83. I was sitting out the back looking at my watch hoping he had enough time. It's great!"

Being the highest profile surfer at the event does put some extra pressure on Fanning, but the Australian felt more relieved than anything after his first heat today. "That was crazy - before my heat I picked a good spot where I was going to sit and surf but once I got out there it just disappeared," said Fanning. "I got nothing for a while then and couldn't even get one on the inside... Finally that bigger one came through and I was in the right spot."

"That's what these WQS events are about when there are four guys in the water. You've just got to pick the right waves."

Fanning usually only surfs the Hawaiian World Qualifying Series (WQS) events in December, but was invited to this year's event to celebrate the 20th anniversary with his sponsor Rip Curl and to premiere his new surf film, "Mick, Myself And Eugene". The natural footer is one of the hot favourites in the event after winning the most recent Foster's ASP World Tour event at Jeffereys Bay, South Africa.

Mick Fanning : photo ASP/Covered Images

"I'm having a lot of fun here and really want to win this event," said Fanning. "The waves haven't been any good yet, but we're supposed to get some swell for the weekend so that'll be good for the end of the contest."

Ben Dunn (AUS), Drew Courtney (AUS), Dane Gudauskas (USA) and 2006 European Rip Curl GromSearch champion Pierre Valentin LaBorde (FRA) matched up in heat 2. LaBorde and Gudaskas started the heat best, quickly moving into first and second respectively. Despite the support for the local Frenchmen he was eventually reeled in by the more experienced trio and relegated to fourth place.

Dunn posted a 8.77 ride and then a 7.17 on his final wave to secure first place with a two-wave combined heat score of 15.94 points. Courtney scored an 8.33 and then a 7.37 to climb ahead of Gudauskas and advance through to Round 3.

The action continued to heat up when Heat 3 hit the water as Reunion Island's Jeremy Flores (FRA) exploded to post the day's highest heat score - 16.50 points. The young star looked very comfortable in the inconsistent surf, posting a 7.00 and a 7.83 on his first two waves. These two scores kept him in first for the entire heat, but on his final wave he belted an 8.67 to extend his lead.

Jeremy Flores  : photo ASP/Covered Images

"It was a difficult heat, but I got the good ones early," said Flores, who will become the youngest ever competitor to qualify for the Foster's ASP World Tour at age 18 next year. "I feel pretty relaxed now, there's no pressure. I am going to do a few other WQS events and then focus on the WCT. It is a super important event and I'd like get rid of my bad scores on the ratings and I really hope to do well here."

The two big upsets of the day were the shock losses of Foster's ASP World Tour surfers Troy Brooks (AUS) and Roy Powers (HAW). Both surfers were in close scoring heats, but fell short at the end of their heats. Pablo Gutierrez (ESP) and Eneko Acero (EUK) were responsible for knocking out Brooks, while Pablo Paulino (BRA) and Gabe Kling (USA) were too strong for Powers.

The next call on competition at the Rip Curl Pro will take place at 8am (local time) on Friday morning. The swell is forecast to continue building overnight and throughout the day tomorrow. This swell is predicted to peak at 6ft (1.5-2m) on Saturday, allowing the Rip Curl Pro Super Series finals to be held in sizeable surf.

The Rip Curl Pro focus shifts from the beach this evening to Hossegor's La Central for night 2 of the Rip Curl Pro Music Festival. Last night's headline act 'Patrice' helped attract over 8000 people to the live music stage at La Central for night 1.

LIVE WEBCAST On www.ripcurl.com/ripcurlpro each day of the event.

Action from Monday 

More photos
 

Des conditions de vagues qui s?améliorent pour ce second tour du Super Series. 
 
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 24 August, 2006 : - -  La journée a commencé avec la série 20 du tour des 144 et c?est dans des petites vagues battues par le fort vent onshore que le brésilien Dunga Neto et l?hawaïen Sean Moody ont décroché leur ticket pour le tour suivant.
Ce début de matinée a été marqué par la belle prestation de Hira Teriinatoofa (Pyf) et du surfeur basque Kepa Acero avant que les conditions se détériorent trop, forçant les organisateurs à attendre le remontant pour lancer le tour des 96 avec l?entrée en lice de toutes les têtes de série.
 
Les vagues ont pris un peu de taille juste après le déjeuner et cela a permis à la star du team Rip Curl, Mick Fanning de faire son entrée dans la compétition.
«  J?avais bien regardé le line up avant le début de la compétition et j?ai choisi un endroit où attendre la vague mais dès que je suis arrivé au large, ce point de repère a disparu. J?avais même du mal à surfer les vagues plus à l?inside jusqu?à ce que des vagues plus grosses arrivent  »   a déclaré l?actuel numéro 8 sur le circuit WCT après sa qualification, «  mais c?est le genre de conditions que l?on trouve sur les WQS et il faut faire avec  » a-t-il conclu. Des conditions médiocres de vagues qui ont parfaitement réussi à l?autre surfeur du Team Rip Curl, le Marocain Abdel El Harim. «  Je surfais contre l?un de mes héros et Adrian Buchan qui est également un très bon surfeur. Je visais la seconde place mais avec mes deux bonnes vagues, je me suis retrouvé en tête,  » a déclaré le surfeur de Rabat «  puis je m?attendais à ce que Mick revienne et pour moi c?est un honneur d?avoir surfé contre lui, je suis très content de mon résultat !  »

Pierre Valentin Laborde : photo ASP/Covered Images

 
 
Puis lors de la troisième série, c?est le Réunionnais Jeremy Flores qui a assuré le spectacle, dominant largement la série avec un 8.67 et un 7.83 laissant loin derrière le brésilien Jihad Khodr qui se qualifie également pour le prochain tour. «  Je me sens bien, c?est vrai, je surfe bien en ce moment et je le fait sans pression. Ca a été une série difficile mais j?ai bien débuté et j?espère pouvoir aller loin dans cette compétition pour pouvoir me débarrasser de mes plus mauvais résultats de l?année avant de me concentrer totalement sur le WCT l?année prochaine,  » a déclaré Jeremy déjà très sollicité par les médias. Il a aussi espéré que son ami Patrick Beven passe son tour mais malgré quelques très belles vagues, Beven a dû s?incliner face à l?hawaïen Ola Eleogram et le brésilien Bernando Miranda.

Dans la série précédente, ce sont deux européens qui ont brillé, le Basque Eneko Acero ainsi que le surfeur du Team Rip Curl Pablo Gutierrez.
 
La journée s?est conclue de très belle manière avec la qualification de Joan Duru, vainqueur dimanche du Pro junior, que rien ne semble pouvoir arrêter. Duru récolte deux très bonnes vagues, 8.33 et 7.17 et se qualifie en compagnie du vétéran Victor Ribas.
 
Demain, démarrage de la compétition vers 8h30 avec une houle en forte augmentation. 
  
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Video Premiere: Mick Myself & Eugene 


Previous reports:
# 1 : High performance day of surfing at Rip Curl Pro Junior
# 2 : Title favorites turn it on at Rip Curl Pro Junior in France
# 3 : Joan Duru wins the Rip Curl Pro Junior his home event
# 4 : Rip Curl Pro Super Series Day 1/Big names eliminated 
# 5 : Rip Curl Super Series France postponed Wednesday 
 

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