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Drift Surfing is the new incarnation of a once modest British magazine started about five years ago. Now exclusively online and with regionally focused Editions, the idea is to create an open venue for shared creative output, focusing on what’s happening both in and out of the water. We seek out the perspectives of innovators, instigators, inventors and icons in hopes of gaining a broader perspective on the continually changing culture surrounding surfing.
While the influences of Australia and North America played a key role in preaching the gospel of wave riding to Europe, it is only in the last 10 years that European surfing has grown to the point that it now boasts its own collective of individuals, talented in their chosen fields of surf writing, photography, film, music and art. Although this group has had no trouble finding its own voice, it has traditionally been marginalised by surf media. This is where Drift comes into play, stitching together this unique and diverse set of European wave riders and embracing Europe’s new movement, which can no longer be called a counter-culture. Drift’s readers are the new surf culture in European waters.

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SUPERTUBOS, Peniche/Portugal (Wednesday, October 28, 2009) – Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, former ASP World Champion (2007) and current ASP World No. 1, has claimed the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search at Supertubos in Portugal, defeating fellow Finalist Bede Durbidge (AUS), 26, and cementing his lead in the now two-horse race for the 2009 ASP World Title.

Event No. 9 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search ran a gamut of conditions and venues ranging from two-foot righthand wedges at Molhe Leste, four-foot offshore lefthanders at Lagido, punchy four-foot peaks at Belgas and death-defying six-to-eight foot barrels at Supertubos yesterday before culminating a dramatic end to competition.

Fanning, who won the inaugural Rip Curl Pro Search at Reunion Island (2005) and was a standout in yesterday’s massive barrels, readjusted to today’s smaller conditions and was dominant in his Final against Durbidge. With conditions deteriorating, Fanning lacerated the punchy wedges on his forehand to net a solid 6.67 and a 6.00 that would prove unbeatable for his opponent.

“Yesterday was one of the best days of competition I’ve ever seen and we all showed up today and had to adjust our frame of mind to deal with the in size and quality,” Fanning said. “I’ve been surfing conditions like this all summer at home so I knew what I had to do out there. I was able to pick off a couple of good scores at the start and then I basically had to sit on Bede (Durbidge) so he didn’t get any back on me.”

A true student of focus and adaptability, Fanning was a fitting champion of the Rip Curl Pro Search, and navigating the changing venues and conditions with aplomb and panache.

“The Search lived up to its name – we searched everywhere,” Fanning said. “We surfed four different waves for the event and even yesterday, I wanted to go and surf down at the wall, but we ran here and it ended up being one of the best days of the year. Congratulations to Rip Curl and all the staff who put in some really tough work all week with all the moves – it’s been a pretty amazing effort.

”The Rip Curl Pro Search narrowed down the field of potential contenders for the 2009 ASP World Title from 10 to two throughout the course of the event, with the final event of the year at the Banzai Pipeline playing the decider.“That’s what you always dream of as a kid (competing for an ASP World Title at Pipeline),” Fanning said. “I’m super pumped. I’m going to go home and relax for a couple of weeks and get ready for Pipe. Hopefully we get some big barrels like we did here and we have a real showdown.”

Durbidge, who now moves to ASP World No. 4 heading into the final event of the season, was a standout throughout the Rip Curl Pro Search, likening the conditions to his home break of North Stradbroke Island on Australia’s Gold Coast. The well-built natural-footer secured an impressive come-from-behind win in his Semifinal today before being stopped by Fanning in the Final.“Definitely the top guys of the event were in the top four,” Durbidge said. “It was unfortunate that Owen (Wright) couldn’t be in his Semifinal. Mick (Fanning) has been in incredible form the past eight weeks and he’s on fire.

The 10 that Joel (Parkinson) got yesterday was phenomenal, and in our heat this morning, he had me on the ropes until the end.”The Runner-Up finish marks Durbidge’s second of the season (collecting his first in France), and is a welcome change in momentum from a tough start to 2009. A former winner at the Billabong Pipeline Masters (2007) as well as a former Vans Triple Crown Champion (2007), Durbidge will look to finish the year strong in Hawaii.“I’m stoked to get second but you always want to win,” Durbidge said. “I have that little bit of disappointment. It was a great event for me and I won some really big heats so the confidence is really high. I love Hawaii and I haven’t had my win this season yet so I’m definitely keen to put one away during the final event.”Owen Wright (AUS), 19, wildcard into the Rip Curl Pro Search and current No. 3 on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS), was a standout in Portugal, eliminating 2009 ASP Dream Tour rookie Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), 24, nine-time ASP World Champion, Kelly Slater (USA), 37, Californian new school leader Dane Reynolds (USA), 24, and current ASP World No. 9 Damien Hobgood (USA), 30, en route to his Semifinals berth against Fanning.

However, tragedy would strike during his Quarterfinal win over Hobgood yesterday as the phenomenal goofy-footer suffered a horrific wipeout, rupturing his eardrum and injuring his neck. Although prepared to don a helmet this morning and take on the current ASP World No. 1, event physicians instructed the young Australian against competing.”I had the injury checked out last night – there’s no real bone or structural damage,” Wright said. “I just feel it through the neck, shoulder, knee and my ear is a bit messed up. We did some tests this morning and we all decided it was better off me not competing as I don’t really have much range in my neck movement. But, it’s all good – it is all fixable. I will be getting worked on twice a day and I will take a bit of time to relax. I will still go to Hawaii and hopefully get some barrels. I love it there so hopefully we get a good season.”

Although Wright was unable to surf on the final day of competition, he emphatically made his presence felt amongst the world’s best and will be a force to be reckoned with on the 2010 ASP World Tour.“I’m definitely disappointed but stoked to see Mick (Fanning) win,” Wright said. “Stoked he got another win. I would have loved to have surfed against him, it would have been great, but I’m really happy with my performance in Portugal. It was a great experience and gave me a lot of confidence heading into next year.”Parkinson, who experienced what many considered to be an unbeatable start to the 2009 ASP Dream Tour season, witnessed his stranglehold on the ratings chipped away at following three, consecutive Equal 17ths sustained in California, France and Spain. Despite missing out on a Final’s berth, Parkinson’s Equal 3rd place finish is a welcome return to form.“I am a little bit disappointed but overall I am pretty happy,” Parkinson said. “Third still keeps me up there and in contention for the title. I’m a little bit disappointed in myself, I made one error that changed the whole heat and they are the little things that you find hard sleeping on."Generally guarded when discussing the 2009 ASP World Title race, Parkinson is one of two contenders remaining this season, and, as the defending Vans Triple Crown Champion, will be a major player in the final event of the year. “In a few days when all the dust settles I’ll look back and see that I have come off the ankle injury and a few bad results, so just to get a third and back into form is a huge confidence boost,” Parkinson said. “There is not a great deal of points between me and Mick (Fanning) coming into Pipe so it’s still anybody’s to win.”The 2009 ASP World Title has now become a two-horse race between Fanning and Parkinson and will conclude at the final event of the season, the Billabong Pipeline Masters. The scenarios for the 2009 ASP World Title are as follows:- Fanning finishes 33rd through a 9th at Pipeline, Parkinson needs a 3rd or better to overtake.- Fanning finishes 5th at Pipeline, Parkinson needs a 2nd or better to overtake.- Fanning finishes 3rd at Pipeline, Parkinson needs win the event to overtake.- If Fanning finishes 2nd or better at Pipeline, he will clinch the 2009 ASP World Title.Although the men’s event has concluded, the ASP Top 17 will have their crack at the many waves of Portugal for the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search, event No. 4 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, which will commence this afternoon.Surfline, official foreers for the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search, are calling for the current surf to slightly over the next 24 hours before another swell is expected to hit the region.Highlights from the Rip Curl Pro Search are available via http://live.ripcurl.com/Rip Curl Pro Search online media center is available at http://www.box.net/shared/o3avphdb6zThe Rip Curl Pro Search is partnered regionally by RTP, Eurosport, Fuel TV and ESPN Brazil, who will all be broading live from Peniche throughout the event. For more information on these live television broads, please visit http://live.ripcurl.com/The next and final stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour will be the Billabong Pipeline Masters running on the North Shore of Hawaii from December 8 – 20, 2009.For more information, log onto http://www.aspworldtour.com/

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH FINAL RESULTS:1 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.672 – Bede Durbidge (AUS) 9.87

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH SEMIFINAL RESULTS:SF 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.60 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.27SF 2: Wright Withdraws Due to Injury, Fanning Advances

CURRENT ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 10 (Following Rip Curl Pro Search)

:1 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 7140 points

2 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6772 points

3 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) 6148 points

4 – Bede Durbidge (AUS) 6146 points

5 – C.J. Hobgood (USA) 5748 points

6 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 5524 points

7 – Kelly Slater (USA) 5514 points

8 – Bobby Martinez (USA) 5421 points

9 – Damien Hobgood (USA) 5116 points

10 – Jordy Smith (ZAF) 4828

With clean 4ft waves pulsing through the backup venue of Belgas this morning, the Rip Curl Pro Search completed the remaining three heats of Round 2 before calling competition off for the day.

With clean three-to-four foot (1 – 1.5 metre) waves pulsing through the second backup venue of Belgas this morning, the Rip Curl Pro Search completed the remaining three heats of Round 2 before calling competition off for the day. Event No. 9 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search had intentions of pushing through Round 3 today, but as conditions slowed following a hold after Round 2, event organizers opted to postpone further competition this morning. Despite only running three heats, the day’s action and drama remained high, as the final 16 surfers were decided. Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, current ASP World No. 3, kept his ASP World Title hopes alive this morning, eliminating good friend and compatriot Jihad Khodr (BRA), 25, in Round 2 of competition. “They were tough conditions out there, Jihad is a great competitor so I was very careful of him and I am really happy to move through to the next round and keep my title hopes alive. I have never got through to Round 2 at a Rip Curl Pro Search event so I am really happy about that, hopefully I can keep it going. I am just having fun, it is the first time I have the chance to get the title but I am still young, so there is not really any pressure.” Fredrick Patacchia (HAW), 27, current ASP World No. 15, was the standout of the morning, netting a 15.17 out of a possible 20 in his elimination of Ben Dunn (AUS), 23, in the opening heat today’s competition. “It is a fun wave out there,” Patacchia said. “We have over-head surf, it is the best surf we have had on the European leg by far.” Patacchia will face former ASP World Champion (2007) and current ASP World No. 1, Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, in Round 3 of the Rip Curl Pro Search. “I surfed against Mick (Fanning) in Mundaka as well,” Patacchia said. “I know he is on his world title campaign and it is tough going against the guys when they are your friends because you want to see them win the title, but we are all here to win so I will give it my all and for sure try to beat him.” Tim Reyes (USA), 27, current ASP World No. 35, is in need of a major result in the last two events of the year to push himself into the requalification zone for the 2010 ASP Dream Tour. Feeling confident on his equipment, Reyes vaulted himself past current ASP World No. 11, Kieren Perrow (AUS), 32, in Round 2 of competition. “My boards are feeling really good,” Reyes said. “I have been on and off four boards because of all the different set ups here in Peniche. I am feeling pretty confident right now." For the first time in history, the world’s best female surfers will join the ASP Top 45 with the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search commencing their respective waiting period tomorrow and running through October 30, 2009. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), 18, 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour rookie and current ASP Women’s World No. 10, is keen to get back into the contest singlet again and excited about the potential for another solid wave event on the ASP Women’s World Tour. “It's really exciting for the women to be included at the Rip Curl Pro Search,” Fitzgibbons said. “With the event only being relatively new to the tour for the men, it seems a great opportunity to get our foot in the door and we hope to have it a part of our tour for years to come. Having the possibility of having bigger waves on offer this week will be a welcomed challenge. Supertubes and the surrounding breaks all offer great waves. I'm really looking forward to getting under way hopefully in the next few days.” Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow at 7:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. When competition resumes, up first will be former ASP World Champion (2001), C.J. Hobgood (USA), 30, battling Jordy Smith (ZAF), 21, in Heat 1 of Round 3.

The Rip Curl Pro Search is called on this morning, with the back half of Round 1 taking on the clean four-to-five (1 – 1.5 metre) lefthanders of the backup site of Lagido, beginning at 9am.

Stop No. 9 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search ran the opening eight heats of Round 1 yesterday at the third backup venue of Molhe Leste, but with more favorable winds for the other side of the peninsula projected for the day, event organizers have opted for the reeling lefthanders of Lagido in hopes of running as many heats as possible. “We have much more favorable conditions on offer today but the winds were looking a bit onshore at Supertubes and much cleaner at the backup venue of Lagido,” Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Pro Search Contest Director, said. “It’s high tide right now and we’re still seeing some good waves come through and we expect it to improve as the tide drops out.” Up first this morning is Dean Morrison (AUS), 28, against Justin Mujica (PRT), 32, in Heat 9 of Round 1. Surfline, official forecasters for the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search, are calling the current Northwest swell to maintain throughout the next couple of days before a WNW swell fills in for the weekend.

Portugal's best surfers fronted up in Peniche today for the TMN Trials of the Rip Curl Pro Search, but it is eventual winner Justin Mujica that has earnt the final Wildcard entry into Round 1 of the Men's Main Event.

The Rip Curl Pro Search is set to commence tomorrow (Monday) with solid waves forecast for the world’s best surfers to sink their teeth into. The third and final event of the 2009 European leg for the ASP Top 45, the Rip Curl Pro Search provides a crucial setting for a possible ASP World Title clinching as well as numerous battles for Dream Tour requalification. Tiago Pires (PRT), 29, current ASP World No. 23 and Portugal’s first-ever qualifier for the prestigious ASP World Tour, salvaged a difficult season with an Equal 3rd in France to vault himself up the ratings and within the requalification bubble. Now at home in Portugal, Pires will look to further solidify his rating heading into the final event of the year. “Competing in an ASP World Tour event in Portugal is something I have always dreamed of,” Pires said. “Now that I have the opportunity to do this in front of my friends and family, I am very grateful. The wave at Supertubos is a beachbreak barrel and I don’t think local knowledge will have a big advantage out there. The guys on tour are the best in the world and every heat is a challenge.” Pires will face Bobby Martinez (USA), 27, and Nathaniel Curran (USA), 25, in Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro Search (traditional format). Owen Wright (AUS), 19, wildcard into the Rip Curl Pro Search and current No. 3 on the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS), was a standout in April’s Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, defeating reigning nine-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 37, and ASP Dream Tour standout Dane Reynolds (USA), 24, as a wildcard. Since then, the phenomenal goofy-footer has gone on to secure his spot amongst the world’s best for 2010 and will use his wildcard in Peniche to measure himself against this year’s ASP Top 45. “It’s a massive honor to be selected, amongst the many incredible riders on the Rip Curl team, to compete in this event,” Wright said. “At the beginning of the year, I put my head down and really worked hard at achieving my goal of qualifying for the Dream Tour and now that I’ve done it, it feels amazing. I really see this as an opportunity to get some practice in against the world’s best before being a part of the tour next year.” Wright will take on Bede Durbidge (AUS), 26, and Chris Davidson (AUS), 33, in the opening round of the Rip Curl Pro Search (traditional format). Joining Wright as wildcards into the Rip Curl Pro Search will be Justin Mujica (PRT), 32, winner of today’s TMN trials, Bruno Santos (BRA), 26, winner of the 2008 Billabong Pro Teahupoo as a wildcard, and David Luis (PRT), 29, replacing injured ASP Top 45 member Jeremy Flores (FRA), 21. For the first time in history, the world’s best female surfers will join the ASP Top 45 with the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search running later in the waiting period. Event No. 4 of 7 on the 2009 ASP Women’s World Tour, the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search promises to deliver an exciting new dynamic into professional women’s surfing, and the current crop of ASP Top 17 are preparing for battle. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), 21, reigning two-time ASP Women’s World Champion and current ASP World No. 1, is ecstatic about the opportunity to compete in her first “Search” event and views it as a vital step forward to the progression of women’s surfing. “It’s fantastic that Rip Curl have added the women to the ‘Search’ event this year,” Gilmore said. “Supertubos really has the potential to be a world class wave for us girls and I think that’s something that’s been lacking since we lost venues like Tahiti and Fiji. It will be great if we can get some solid waves to see what this new generation of girls can do.” Eyeing her third, consecutive ASP Women’s World Title, Gilmore is locked in a brutal battle for this season’s crown against Silvana Lima (BRA), 24. Lima has won the previous two events, bringing her within 361 points of Gilmore, and is looking dangerous heading into the back half of the season. “It definitely pushes my surfing and it’s what I need to stay competitively interested,” Gilmore said. “I think Silvana (Lima) has figured out the winning formula for her and she’s definitely someone on tour who is innovative and able to get big scores. I’m excited for the back half of the season and am happy to get back in the singlet.” Gilmore will take on veteran Amee Donohoe (AUS), 28, and reigning ASP Women’s World Junior Champion Pauline Ado (FRA), 18, in the opening round of the Rip Curl Women’s Pro Search. Surfline, official forecasters for the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search, are calling for clean swell conditions on the opening day of the waiting period before tracking a sizeable swell indicating solid overhead waves for the primary venue of Supertubes as well as three-to-four times overhead for the backup locations of Balgas. Event organizers will convene tomorrow morning at 7:30am to assess conditions for a possible 8am start. Event organizers will also make a call on which competitive format they’ll run, deciding between the traditional format and the elimination man-on-man format.

This year again, all eyes will be on what is considered to be a crucial event in the ASP World Title race! The Billabong Pro is back in the small fishing village of Mundaka. The $340,000 USD Billabong Pro Mundaka is the 8th of 10 events on the ASP World Tour (Association of Surfing Professionals), considered as the first league of surfing. The Billabong Pro Mundaka will officially start on October 5th, with the inaugural ceremony, and will run whenever conditions allow until October 17th at the latest.Held at Europe's best left-hand wave in the fishing village of Mundaka. Mundaka is renowned worldwide for its long and hollow waves barrelling over 200 meters in the mouth of the Guernika river. As last year, the nate site will be set up on the beach of Sopelana. The site is only a few car-minutes away from the center of Bilbao. The decision to surf either at Mundaka or Sopelana will be taken on a daily basis by the contest director, after assessing the conditions in both sites with the surfers and the ASP officials. WHO: 45 of the worlds best surfers charging Europe's Best Left. Billabong team riders Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrow, Tiago Pires will compete against other stars like Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning and co. Alongside the world elite, three “Wildcard” surfers will be invited to compete in the Billabong Pro Mundaka: local chargers Hodei Collazo and Marcos San Segundo (Basque Country) as well as rising star Dean Bowen (Australia). The EventThe Billabong Pro Mundaka is one of three stops of the 2009 Men's ASP World Tour held in Europe. Other Billabong events on the ASP World Tour include Teahupoo in Tahiti, Jeffrey's Bay in South Africa and the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii. The first Billabong Pro/AM in 1989 was the first major competition organised at Mundaka and set the reputation of the left-hander worldwide. The Mundaka wave is also known for behaving like a “diva”. It's fickle but when it's “On”, it is without a doubt one of the best left-hand waves in the world. The Billabong Pro Mundaka has played a crucial part in deciding world champions over the years. Big names like Mark Occhilupo, Kelly Slater and Andy Irons became World Champions after winning this event.Joel Parkinson (Australia) will be also in the line up of this year's Billabong Pro. Halfway through the 2009 season, Parko is leading the ASP Tour ratings and is a top contender for the World Championship title. As last year's runner-up, this fast barrelling left-hander is a great opportunity for him to flash high scores. The Wave : In 2005, the wave had “disappeared” following dredging in the river. In 2006, it was back owing to mother nature's hand and the 2006 Billabong Pro was staged in classic Mundaka conditions.

Check all the action live at: http://www.billabongpro.com/mundaka09/live.php