Mick Campbell : photo ASP Covered Images

Live Coverage  |  Results/Photos/Videos etc  |   Video Premiere: Mick Myself & Eugene 

Michael Campbell wins the 20th Rip Curl Pro Super Series

(Version Francais au dessous)

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 August, 2006 : - - Australian surfers Michael Campbell (Port Macquarie, NSW) and Josh Kerr (Coolangatta, QLD) have confirmed their spots on next year's Foster's ASP Men's World Tour by finishing first and second respectively at this year's 20th Anniversary Rip Curl Pro Super Series in Seignosse, France.

For Campbell, aged 32, it is his second consecutive World Qualifying Series contest win after his first place finish at the 2006 Lacanau Pro last week. The double result has shot him straight into first place on the ASP Men's WQS Ratings, 274 ratings points ahead of 18-year-old sensation Jeremy Flores (FRA).

The Rip Curl Pro Super Series is the highest rating WQS contest of the season and this year's 20th anniversary helped draw some of the biggest names in surfing. Foster's ASP World Tour stars such as Mick Fanning (AUS), Nathan Hedge (AUS) and Adriano de Souza (BRA) mixed with former greats like Tom Curren (USA), Rob Machado (USA) and Tom Carroll (AUS) who in-turn mixed with future phenoms such as Flores, Ben Dunn (AUS) and Matt Wilkinson (AUS).

In the end though it all came down to two surfers and a 35-minute man-on-man final.

Winners podium : photo ASP Covered Images 

Campbell started the heat in the ideal way, posting a 9.17 score on his first decent ride. He added a quick 4.83 score and quickly took control of the heat. Kerr fought hard to strike back, but failed to find the scores he had continually tallied all week. When Campbell added an 8.17 late in the heat Kerr was put in a 'combination situation', which meant he had to total two high scoring rides to fight back at the goofy-footer. The result was all but over.

"It's pretty amazing - I can't really believe it's all happening this quick," said Campbell. "I don't think it will sink in until I go home and reflect by myself, but I'm just really happy right now and stoked for Josh and the other Aussie guys that qualified for the WCT at this event. It's been an amazing day of surfing for me and a great day for Australian surfing."

"Sometimes when you're on a roll, you're on a roll and I guess luck has probably played a big part in my wins here and in Lacanau," continued Campbell, when asked about his relationship with the conditions this week. "It feels good to be in tune with the waves though right now and it's awesome to get another win."

"I'm going to enjoy the rest of the year and not take it too seriously. I'm going to go home now and have some fun, then put my work hat back on next month, keep training and finish the year strongly."

The second place finish was Kerr's best result of the season and has cemented his position in fourth on the ASP WQS ratings. The 22-year-old surfed an amazing final day, taking down Andre Silva (BRA) in the quarter-finals and then former ISA World Junior champion Ben Dunn (AUS) in semi-final 1. When it came to the final encounter against Campbell though, Kerr was under-gunned but happily settled for second.

Mick Campbell : photo ASP Covered Images 

"I didn't really know what I was doing in the final, but I wasn't really thinking about it - I was more celebrating the fact that I've qualified for the WCT now," joked Kerr after the final. "This is such a prestigious event, plus it's the highest rated 'QS on the tour, so I've had my sights set on it all year and I'm just stoked to do so well in it."

"I have been working so hard and trying to stay focused all year," continued the 22-year-old. "It's kind of hard sometimes with the travelling and parties all the time on the 'QS, but I've had a great year - I've got married and now I've qualified for the 'CT, so it can't get much better. It's really good, but I've got a massive year next year!"

"Mick's confidence is through the roof right now and every turn he makes he puts in 150 per cent," answered Kerr, when quizzed on Campbell's hot form. "I knew Mick was going to take plenty of energy into the final, which he did, but unfortunately it all fell apart for me. I'm stoked with second though!"

The 2005 Rip Curl Pro Super Series was dominated by Brazilian surfers last year, but this year saw an all-out Australian assault on the title. Australian surfers filled six of the eight quarter-final spots and then all four of the semi-final slots.

Young gun and 2006 Foster's ASP World Tour hopeful Ben Dunn (AUS) won the first heat of the morning, eliminated local favourite Jeremy Flores (FRA) in strong form at 9.30am. Flores was the WQS ratings leader coming into the event and knocked out Rip Curl Pro favourite Mick Fanning (AUS) in the round of 16 yesterday. Dunn's luck ran out in semi-final 1 though, losing to Kerr and earning =3rd place.

Josh Kerr : photo ASP Covered Images 

"I'm so stoked about this result and about beating Jeremy in the quarters," said Dunn. "I'm right on the edge of qualifying so to score this big result is awesome."

Semi-final 2 saw Campbell scrape past Dayyan Neve (AUS) to advance through to the final. Neve has had a great week and can take great confidence into the next WQS event in Portugal this week.

Rip Curl Pro Super Series WQS Results:
1. Michael Campbell (AUS)
2. Josh Kerr (AUS)
=3. Ben Dunn (AUS)
=3. Dayyan Neve (AUS)
=5. Jeremy Flores (FRA)
=5. Andre Silva (BRA)
=5. Kai Otton (AUS)
=5. Sam Page (AUS)
=9. Gabe Kling (USA)
=9. Mick Fanning (AUS)
=9. Pablo Paulino (BRA)
=9. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)
=9. Marlon Lipke (DEU)
=9 Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
=9. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
=9. Leonardo Neves (BRA)  News

Scroll down for latest ratings
 

Action from Sunday 

    More photos

Men's WQS Ratings After Evt#29 Rip Curl Pro Hossegor-Seignosse-France  

Campbell,Michael	AUS	1	10869
Flores,Jeremy	FRA	2	10595
Basnett,Ricky	ZAF	3	9910
Kerr,Josh	AUS	4	9320
Neve,Dayyan	AUS	5	9314
Bryson,Royden	ZAF	6	9284
Ribas,Victor	BRA	7	8970
Dunn,Ben	AUS	8	8825
Kling,Gabe	USA	9	8724
Padaratz,Neco	BRA	10	8608
Munro,Luke	AUS	11	8195
Miranda,Bernardo	BRA	12	8085
Neves,Leonardo	BRA	13	8065
Dornelles,Rodrigo	BRA	14	7938
Courtney,Drew	AUS	15	7670
Flintoff,Kirk	AUS	16	7415
Alves,Heitor	BRA	17	7300
Otton,Kai	AUS	18	7194
Logie,Travis	ZAF	19	7154
Beven,Patrick	FRA	20	7114
Weare,David	ZAF	21	7036
Brooks,Troy	AUS	22	6927
Gudauskas,Patrick	USA	23	6828
Perrow,Kieren	AUS	24	6739
Howse,Jarrad	AUS	25	6701
Cuizon,Dustin	HAW	26	6623
Bourgeois,Ben	USA	27	6618
Rebiere,Eric	FRA	28	6610
Rocha,Marcondes	BRA	29	6560
Powers,Roy	HAW	30	6532
Ziems,Corey	AUS	31	6330
Todd,Mike	USA	32	6271
Silva,Andre	BRA	33	6212
Nolan,Asher	USA	34	6101
Gray,Alex	USA	35	5986
Centeio,Joel	HAW	36	5948
Khodr,Jihad	BRA	37	5844
Thompson,Jay	AUS	38	5810
Lipke,Marlon	DEU	39	5761
Paterson,Jake	AUS	40	5659
Trekinho,Marcelo	BRA	41	5605
Simpson,Brett	USA	42	5597
Quinn,Maz	NZL	43	5596
Bacalso,Kekoa	HAW	44	5576
Acero,Eneko	ESP	45	5551
Muscroft,Nic	AUS	46	5516
Pires,Tiago	PRT	47	5508
Barca,Dustin	HAW	48	5486
Sedley,Leigh	AUS	49	5477
Silva,Jean da	BRA	50	5462
Winter,Russell	GBR	51	5459
Machado,Rob	USA	52	5439
Hall,Glenn	AUS	53	5414
Ross,Daniel	AUS	54	5316
Neto,Dunga	BRA	55	5293
Coutinho,Odirlei	BRA	56	5279
Ohno,Masatoshi	JPN	57	5214
Romao,Simao	BRA	58	5196
Bortoletto,Antonio	ZAF	59	5169
Bettero,Hizunome	BRA	60	5145
Fernandes,Gustavo	BRA	61	5138
Mujica,Justin	PRT	62	5128
Gonzalez,Jonathan	CNY	63	5113
Carroll,Nathan	HAW	64	5102
Eleogram,Ola	HAW	65	5088
Bombaci,Rhys	AUS	66	5048
Patacchia,Fredrick (jnr)	HAW	67	5030
Mitchell,Beau	AUS	68	5027
Gouveia,Fabio	BRA	69	5021
Paulino,Pablo	BRA	70	5011
Hansen,Bobby	NZL	71	5000
Henrique,Pedro	BRA	72	4995
Curran,Nathaniel	USA	73	4958
Aranburu,Aritz	ESP	74	4911
Gutierrez,Pablo	ESP	75	4881
Wright,Warwick	ZAF	76	4801
Sullivan,Jarrad	AUS	77	4774
Redman,Daniel	ZAF	78	4682
Galvao,Renato	BRA	79	4669
Sodre,Yuri	BRA	80	4649
Riou,Alain	PYF	81	4633
Barreto,Tanio	BRA	82	4615
Toth,Brian	PRI	83	4594
Ward,Shaun	USA	84	4584
Gaskell,Hank	HAW	85	4581
Smith,Jordy	ZAF	86	4573
Boal,Tim	FRA	87	4561
Nunes,Marcelo	BRA	88	4559
Gossmann,Shaun	AUS	89	4467
Teriinatoofa,Hira	PYF	90	4455
Jones,Matt	AUS	91	4437
Zubizareta,Gony	ESP	92	4429
Page,Sam	AUS	93	4368
Moura,Paulo	BRA	94	4364
Santos,Bruno	BRA	95	4350
Herdy,Guilherme	BRA	96	4348
Bourez,Michel	PYF	97	4341
Belo,Jano	BRA	98	4339
Souza,Adriano de	BRA	98	4339
Costa,Danilo	BRA	100	4228

Version Francais:

Mick Campbell remporte la 20ième édition du Rip Curl Pro. 

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 27 August, 2006 : - - Depuis son 10 de la veille, l?Australien Mick Campbell semblait imbattable mais le reste des compétiteurs en lice lors des quarts de finale allait offrir une opposition de choix au récent vainqueur de Lacanau dans de très belles vagues d?1m50 à 2 mètres. Enfin les conditions de vagues souriaient aux organisateurs du Super Series? 

Avec les éliminations des Jeremy Flores (Fra), André Silva (Bra), Kai Otton (Aus) et Sam Page (Aus), les demi finales allaient être une affaire 100% australienne. Dans la première demi finale, véritable vitrine de la nouvelle génération australienne, Josh Kerr a sorti toute la panoplie du surf aérien en repoussant les attaques du jeune surfeur de Rip Curl, Ben Dunn. 

Dans la seconde demi finale, Dayyan Neve n?a pas pu rivaliser avec le surf ultra puissant de Campbell bien que la série soit restée très serrée jusqu?au coup de sirène final. Neve s?incline en n?ayant besoin que de 7.01.

Mick Campbell : photo ASP Covered Images

Puis les 35 minutes de la finale ont tenu toutes leurs promesses. Après un début de série assez tranquille, l?expérimenté Mick Campbell a soudain passé la vitesse supérieure avec un 9.17. Ce choc des générations a rapidement tourné à l?avantage de l?ancien surfeur du WCT, le jeune Josh Kerr n?arrivant pas à développer le surf qui l?avait amené en finale. Il ne passa aucun de ses aérials et Campbell enfonça le clou à dix minutes de la fin avec un 8.17. Kerr comme paralysé par l?enjeu avait maintenant besoin d?une combinaison de deux vagues pour atteindre 17.35. 

Quelques minutes plus tard, Campbell pouvait profiter de cette nouvelle victoire sur un WQS européen avant d?être porté en triomphe par ses compatriotes jusqu?au podium. 

Mick Campbell empoche les 3000 points et le chèque de 20 000 dollars du Super Series. Sa campagne sur le WQS lui permet à mi saison de se qualifier pour le WCT. L?année prochaine, les surfeurs de l?élite auront un adversaire de plus dans la course au titre suprême !

 "C?est incroyable ? j?arrive pas à croire que cela soit arrive si vite. Je ne pense pas que je vais réaliser avant de retourner chez moi mais je suis vraiment heureux en ce moment et je suis aussi content que d?autres Australiens et Josh se soient qualifiés pour le WCT sur cette épreuve. Ca été un grand journée  pour moi et pour le surf Australien, » a ajouté Campbell en concluant «  quand on est bien en rythme avec les vagues et son surf, tout est possible. »  

Retrouvez toute l?action du Super Series sur www.ripcurl.com/ripcurlpro et à Jeudi pour le Rip Curl Pro Mademoiselle.

Check the Live Coverage  

Check out the Rip Curl Podcasts

Check out the Rip Curl Podcasts
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 
# 6 : El Harim, Flores & Dunn stars of Rip Curl Super Series  
# 7 : Fanning & Flores advance at Rip Curl Pro Super Series
# 8 : Flores defeats Fanning at Rip Curl Super Series event 
# 9 : Michael Campbell takes out Rip Curl Pro Super Series. 
 

New! Get the latest news with Surfersvillage News-Alerts

  Updated & Revised European Surforecasts
  More European surfing news available here

Dane Sharp

WQS Contests - Surfersvillage