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.