Mick Fanning, the 2013 World Champion of Surfing

   This week, the 32 years-old and Australian Mick Fanning, won his 3rd World Tour Championship of Surf in an outstanding performance held at Pipeline, Hawaii. Despite having won the Pipeline Masters, Kelly Slater could not ensure his 12th World Title. John John Florence also had an awesome performance, winning the 2013 Vans Triple Crown and beating the current World Champion Mick Fanning on the semi-final.

   

  With this World Title, Mick Fanning puts himself side by side with the legends Tom Curren and Andy Irons, with 3 World Championships each.

The 2013 World Champion Mick Fanning. Photo taken after Mick won his 3rd World Title.

   The Portuguese Frederico Morais is also doing great, having achieved the 2013 Vans Triple Crown, Rookie of the Year. He is the second european to achieve such title, after the Portuguese Tiago Pires, which is currently a member of the WCT.

   I leave you with this awesome Rip Curl video, about Mick Fanning's third title. Stay Locus!!

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Congratulations Kai Otton! Winner of the 2013 Rip Curl Pro Peniche / Cascais

   Yesterday Kai Otton won the 2013 edition of the Rip Curl Pro Peniche / Cascais! With an incredible surf throughout the event, Kai Otton, in is first final and victory in the ASP World Championship Tour, pushed back in his road to the title the amazing aerial guy John John Florence, the current World Champion Joel Parkinson, the 2-times World Champion and main contender for the 2013 World Champion Mick Fanning and the 2013 Rookie of the Year Nat Young in the final.

   The 11-times World Champion Kelly Slater lost in Round 2 against the Portuguese Wildcard Frederico Morais. Although I was very happy for Frederico, I coundn't help but feel that the heat was unfair. Personally, I believe that Surf as a randomness attached when it comes to get good waves.

Frederico Morais, the 21 years-old Portuguese surfer who won against Kelly Slater in Round 2 in an awesome performance, pushing Kelly further way from clinching the 12th World Champion Title. Photo taken from surfeurope.mpora.com

   If the waves are pumping (perfect waves and very frequent) I believe that the surfer which surfs better in that moment will win the heat, but when the waves are not so good, you can be lucky and get very good waves, followed by 20 minutes with no waves. In that case, either surfer can be very lucky! 

   Personally, I believe that in that heat the conditions were not so good, being Slater with a greater disadvantage. Nevertheless Frederico Morais had an awesome performance!!

   So, the world title race comes down to two surfers, Kelly Slater and Mick Fanning. Although Mick has a great advantage at this point, Kelly can still win is 12th World Champion Title if he wins the legendary event of Pipeline and Mick does not reach the semi-finals. If we were talking about some other surfer, I would say that this were a very unlikely scenario, but we're talking about Kelly Slater!!! Anything can happen!!

   In my opinion, the event had some great waves, although not so good as the previous editions. Nevertheless, surfers usually agree that Peniche is one of the best events in the World Championship Tour!!

   I really have to highlight Julian Wilson's MASSIVE alley oop! In the next video I show you this crazy aerial in comparison with John John's alley oop in Bali, Indonesia. What is your favorite?!

   In the next YouTube video you can watch the last day's highlights! 

   So, stay tuned for the next legendary event at Pipeline!! If you enjoyed this post, please like Surf Locus Facebook Page at: www.facebook.com/surflocus. Have Fun!!

Kai Otton, the 2013 Rip Curl Pro Peniche / Cascais winner!

Congratulations Kai Otton!

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Rip Curl Pro Peniche, Portugal 2013

   Hi once again! As you may probably know, the Rip Curl Pro Peniche 2013 is about to start at Supertubos beach in Portugal, near my hometown, Praia da Areia Branca.

   Currently, Mick Fanning, after a big win in France, is the principal contender for the ASP World Championship Title. Being the 9th out of 10 events in the ASP World Championship Tour, the perfect waves of the Sand Break Supertubos are extremely important to decide who will take the crown as the next World Champion.

Patrick Gudauskas awesome tube riding at Supertubos, Peniche, Portugal. Photo taken by myself (2012).

   The 2013 ASP World Title is down to five surfers: Mick Fanning, Kelly Slater, Jordy Smith, Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow, but only the 2-times World Champion Mick Fanning can be crown at Supertubos. The winning possibilities (taken from the ASP website) are as follows:

If Fanning wins the event:

- Slater will need a 3rd or better to take the title decision to Hawaii.
- Smith, Burrow and Parkinson will be out of the race.

If Fanning finishes Runner-Up in Portugal:
- Slater will need a 9th or better to take the title decision to Hawaii.
- Smith will need to win the event to take the title decision to Hawaii.
- Burrow and Parkinson will be out of the race.

If Fanning finishes 3rd in Portugal:
- Slater will need a 9th or better to take the title decision to Hawaii
- Smith, Burrow and Parkinson will need to win the event to take the title decision to Hawaii.

If Fanning finishes 5th or worse in Portugal:
- The ASP World Title decision will go to Hawaii as, even with a 25th in Portugal, Slater can still win in Hawaii.

  Julian Wilson won the 2012 edition of the Rip Curl Pro Peniche, in a somehow polemic final heat against the Brazilian Gabriel Medina. Check out the 2012 Final Day Highlights at Supertubos:

  So, don't miss any moment of this great event in one of the best Sand Breaks of the world!!

   Sorry for not posting for the last 3 weeks but I was in a trainee program for my first job at Novabase, Portugal. An awesome program with the main goal to train recent graduates in Team Building, check out THIS crazy Lip Dub (Ylvis - The Fox) we did during our two weeks in Vimeiro, Portugal.

  I hope you liked this post, stay tuned!! Please follow Surf Locus at Facebook: www.facebook.com/surflocus

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Billabong Pro Tahiti 2012 Highlights

   At 10 days from starting one of the best ASP World Tour Events, the Billabong Pro Tahiti, it's time to watch last year's Highlights. Last year's event was won by the 2-times World Champion Mick Fanning followed by the current World Champion Joel Parkinson.

   Teahupoo is probably the most dangerous wave on the planet due to its huge size and power. The danger is further increased by the coral that is at the button of the sea. Teahupoo is THE tube-riding event of the Dream Tour, with HUGE and CRAZY Barrels.

   Without further ado, let me show you the Billabong Pro Tahiti 2012 Highlights:

  The event in Tahiti is the perfect example of a Dream Tour Event with beautiful and mind-blowing landscapes:

Photo taken from www.hungrywalrus.com

The Judging Tower at Teahupoo. Photo taken from www.cookiesound.com

Photo taken from surf.transworld.net

The 3-times World Champion Andy Irons at Teahupoo, RIP. Photo taken from surftherenow.com

Mick Fanning, the 2012 Billabong Pro Tahiti winner. Photo taken from www.surfermag.com

Cool Cartoon of Teahupoo, taken from surfabout.blogspot.com

   Stay tuned for this awesome event that starts at August 15th. Have Fun!!

  If you liked this post, please "like" Surf Locus Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/surflocus

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Oakley Pro Bali 2013 Surf Review, congratulations Joel Parkinson

   Hi, yesterday was the last day of the Oakley Pro Bali 2013. I also made a post at the beginning of the 5th event of the ASP World Tour. In this event featured the best surfers in the World, including the 11 times World Champion Kelly Slater, the 2 times World Champion Mick Fanning and a lot of great surfers like John John Florence, Jordy Smith, Josh Kerr, Nat Young, Julian Wilson, Taj Burrow and off course, the defending Australian World Champion Joel Parkinson, who won the Oakley Pro Bali 2013 dropping massive scores during the whole event.

Joel Parkison, the defending World Tour Champion and winner of the Oakley Pro Bali 2013

   As expected, the waves we're great, very hollow tubes and the possibility for crazy aerials, like the one from John John Florence, a huge alley opp. Let me show you that perfect 10, magic moment:

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International Surfing Day, SurfLocus

   Today is the International Surfing Day, I hope you've been celebrating it ;) As for today, I also change the blog's name to SurfLocus. This day celebrates the surf sport, surf lifestyle and the sustainability of ocean resources, thank you Wikipedia. 

   During this day there were a huge awareness about nature protection, being really important when one considers the huge human impact in the environment.

   Surf is just a great Sport and I recommend you to try it. It's simply amazing the benefits that Surfing can bring to your life.

  So, how can I celebrate this day with you? Let me first show you an amazing aerial made by Mr. John John Florence to whom I dedicated my first post in this blog. This was a huge aerial made in the 5th event of the ASP World Tour at Bali, Indonesia. 

  I also want to show you a very good movie from quiksilver:

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World Tour of Surfing Event, Oakley Pro Bali Indonesia

   Starting today, the Oakley Pro Bali Indonesia is the 5th Event in the World Tour of Surfing. This event joins the best surfers in the world like Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Kelly Slater, Gabriel Medina, Jordy Smith...(ok, all of them are good :P, as this event only joins the Top34 + some Wildcards surfers).

   Currently, Mr. Kelly Slater, 11 times World Champion and winner of more than 50 World Tour Events, is "sitting" in the 1st place of the Tour, with the age of 41!!!! So, this short post is dedicated to this Legend ;). Let me show you a video of him in Bali:

THREE DAYS IN BALI WITH KELLY SLATER. WWW.CHRISBRYANFILMS.COM from Chris Bryan on Vimeo.

   This event will run in the amazing spot of Keramas:

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