07.01.01
Press Release

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Defending Rio Surf International champion Kalani Robb (Haw) was today eliminated by tour rookie Paulo Moura (Brz) in one of many round two upsets. Current world champion Sunny Garcia (Haw) survived his clash with three-time world champ Tom Curren (USA), however, advancing onward.

Competition again took place at Prainha with consistent 3-foot (1m) waves on offer. Tide and wind changes did affect the surf, creating unwanted bumps this afternoon.

Robb, 24, was notably disappointed after his loss, claiming the judges wrongly appointed one crucial priority decision. The moment came after Moura paddled for a wave with priority but never went. Although the priority disc used by judges to indicate which surfer has assigned rights to the next wave was changed in favor of Robb, the Hawaiian was waiting for the announcers' call that came too late. He allowed his opponent to catch the next wave, where upon Moura scored an eight and took a commanding lead that was never matched.

"There was a couple of things I didn't really like about that heat," said a frustrated Robb afterward. "I thought I should have had priority at one point, but they (the judges) didn't give it to me. Paulo went and got an 8.0 on the next wave. I would have got that 8.0, so there's the problem."

Moura, 21, was deemed a national treasure after the win by the packed beach of patriotic spectators. Having showed no nerves on a series of great rides, the current world #30 ensured his position will continue to rise with a solid result brewing. Cloaked in a Brazilian flag afterward and bearing a wide grin, he was especially satisfied since Robb had disposed of him during the previous two WCT's in 2001.

"I feel really good," began Moura, surrounded by encouraging fellow countrymen. "The heat was so hard and Kalani is an excellent surfer, but God blessed me with the right waves and I surfed well. I have to keep my focus for tomorrow 'cause the contest has only just started.

"My best wave was so good," he explained. "I was with priority and paddled for the first wave and didn't find it. Kalani was close to me and maybe he figured I still had priority. He let me catch the wave after where they (the judges) gave me an 8.0.

"I've found more confidence because in the last two contests I lost to Kalani, so this time I said to myself that I would win, and I did."

Garcia, 31, was equally pleased after he eliminated Curren. The Hawaiian trailed from the start, finding only small rides while his opponent caught the cleaner waves. He then made his presence felt with three great scores to convincingly win, though, posting the round's highest tally of 24 points.

Sunny Garcia

"After yesterday and not getting any waves in my heat, my only tactics were to go out and catch waves," began Garcia. "In the beginning there weren't too many waves, so I started taking small ones. Fortunately for me Tom seemed to be catching good waves, but not getting scores. I had three really good sets and Tom needed a big score at the end, so it made it a little easier for me to sit and wait.

"It felt great," he continued. "It's not like Tom Curren is a kook. He's just won an event at Trestles (California) and is surfing good. He's Tom Curren. I don't think I need to say anything (else). Before Kelly Slater there was Tom Curren, and that's the person we all looked up to. He's 36, but the way he surfs he could still be in the top five. He's definitely a great competitor and very hard to beat."

Curren, who won his three world crowns over a decade ago (1985, '86 & '90), has already won two World Qualifying Series (WQS) tournaments this year and generated plenty of 'comeback' buzz. Against Garcia he admitted feeling nervous and not surfing as well as he'd hoped. Still, he does plan to contest more WQS events this year and see whether re-qualification is within his realm.

"I wanted to get a good start," explained Curren. "But it didn't really work out. Sunny surfed really well and got better waves. I think there were a couple of critical points where he got the better of our exchanges. I think he was much more confident and relaxed. I was a little nervous and just wasn't hitting the top of the wave as hard as I was hoping to. I was kind of missing a few sections, so I think the scores reflected that. I just needed to do a lot better.

"I'm not too surprised or anything, but I wanted to do better," he continued. "My chance was probably yesterday. If I had finished first in that I would have been up a round and that would have helped. But I'm not too disappointed. I'll be doing more contests through Europe and then Huntington (CA), so I'll see how it goes."

World #4 Shane Dorian (Haw), #5 Jake Paterson (Aus), as well as current ratings' #6 and #7, Shane Powell (Aus) and Paul Canning (SAfr) respectively, then proceeded to bow out to lower seeds.

Dorian, 28, suffered his loss to former WCT surfer Victor Ribas (Brz), who was granted a start after world #38 Chris Davidson (Aus) withdrew from the event. The Hawaiian played catch up throughout, struggling to find any waves of real value.

Victor Ribas

"I was hoping for a better result than 33rd here in Brazil, but I went out there pretty fired up and did all that I could," said Dorian. "There's nothing you can do when the waves don't come. I always go out there with the same theory. Just try and catch good waves and surf really well. If I win I win, if I lose I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. As long as I try really hard I'm happy.

"I was hoping the judges weren't going to like Victor much after he threw rocks at them in the Maldives, but it didn't really work to my favor," he joked, referring to an incident two weeks ago that has Ribas under review by the ASP disciplinary board. "I think the local guys seem to surf this wave a lot better than the foreigners, but I think everybody is having a great time. I'm heading home, so it's all good (laughs)."

Ribas, 29, took control early and used his local knowledge well. Although no longer on the WCT, a good result here would still be just that.

"I had a good start and that made me relax a little bit and wait for the sets," he explained. "That's the most important thing to winning.

"I know Prainha and have been surfing here a lot," he added. "I have so many friends here, so I tried my best to make them stoked. I'm not on the ratings or trying to get points or anything, but I'm still trying hard to do the best I can. I felt a little bit nervous before the heat because I wanted to do good for them."

Paterson, 28, had his campaign ended by 2000 WQS champ Armando Daltro (Brz).

"Armando had pretty good rhythm," conceded Paterson. "I gave him a really good wave at the start 'cause I was too deep for it, but he got an 8.0. I guess I should have gone just to stop him, but I was waiting for something that wasn't going to come (laughs).

"Anyone can win out there," he added of the beach break conditions. "You've got to be a bit lucky, but I'm a firm believer in that you create your own luck, so... another 33rd, spewing."

Daltro, 27, is currently rated 30th, but now looks set to leap frog a few spots.

"The heat went perfect for me," stated Daltro. "I started with good scores and Jake didn't find any at the beginning. Before the heat I knew it was going to be hard because Jake is a great surfer, but everything went well for me."

Powell, 28, who missed his opening heat yesterday after sleeping in, lost to close friend and Brazilian roommate Beau Emerton (Aus) today. Despite starting the season with two consecutive quarterfinal berths, he now holds a 33rd place finish.

Beau Emerton

"I have one of my throwaways now," said Powell, referring to the fact only six of their eight results count toward this final rating. "Hopefully that's the last of them."

Emerton, 26, who finished 8th in 1999 but failed to re-qualify for the 2001 WCT season, earned his start thanks to the withdrawal of Mark Bannister (Aus).

"It's pretty tough when you surf against your mates and you know they need the points," said Emerton, after eliminating Powell. " But I guess that's the way it goes sometimes."

Canning, 25, started 2001 strong with a 3rd place finish in Australia, but was unable to fend off a 33rd today against tour rookie Trent Munro (Aus). The Australian picked off one of the best rides of the day to score a 9.0, and then ultimately the heat.

"I got a couple of waves and am pretty happy," said Munro. "I hope I can keep going. I started off (2001) with two 33rds, so I definitely didn't want anymore of them. I wanted to start making some heats and get into a rhythm on the WCT. Hopefully this is just the start. I'll be pushing for it."

World #3 Rob Machado (USA) made his return from injury known this afternoon by eliminating #13 Michael Lowe (Aus) in the highest scoring heat of the day. After breaking a bone in his hand and being forced to miss the last WCT in Tahiti, the 27-year-old let loose on a series of lefthanders to rack up the points, including one 9.0. Their first re-match since the Pipe Masters final last December in Hawaii, yet the verdict remains.

"I was a little nervous, it's been a little while since I've surfed a heat," admitted Machado. "It felt good to get a couple of waves and some scores. The first round wasn't really a test, but this was. I think 'Lowey' wanted some revenge from Pipe, but after missing Tahiti I wasn't going to give anything up."

Current ratings runner-up CJ Hobgood (USA) also advanced today, disposing of wildcard entrant Tadeu Pereira (Brz) to hold those contenders near at bay.

"I'm stoked I won and survived to see another day," said Hobgood. "Everyone else below me (on the ratings) made their heats, so I knew if I didn't make that I was going to be blown by. I just wanted to try and hold my ground a little bit. When you see the guys around you making heats, it puts a little more pressure on, but it doesn't matter where you are on the ratings. I just want to stay close so those guys don't run away with it. I don't mind coming from behind, but I don't like coming from too far behind (laughs)."

Official Round Two Heats of the Rio Surf International

H1: Sunny Garcia (Haw) 24.0 def. Tom Curren (USA) 16.75
H2: CJ Hobgood (USA) 20.0 def. Tadeu Pereira (Brz) 16.7
H3: Victor Ribas (Brz) 19.25 def. Shane Dorian (Haw) 14.85
H4: Beau Emerton (Aus) 20.75 def. Shane Powell (Aus) 15.0
H5: Trent Munro (Aus) 21.35 def. Paul Canning (SAfr) 17.65
H6: Daniel Wills (Aus) 15.7 def. Shawn Sutton (Haw) 7.0
H7: Richard Lovett (Aus) 18.65 def. Shane Beschen (USA) 18.15
H8: Paulo Moura (Brz) 19.75 def. Kalani Robb (Haw) 16.05
H9: Shea Lopez (USA) 22.25 def. Sasha Stocker (Aus) 7.6
H10: Nathan Webster (Aus) 19.5 def. Ben Bourgeois (USA) 13.25
H11: Armando Daltro (Brz) 21.6 def. Jake Paterson (Aus) 15.7
H12: Peterson Rosa (Brz) 18.85 def. Greg Emslie (SAfr) 14.5
H13: Taylor Knox (USA) 19.0 def. Rodrigo Dornelles (Brz) 18.15
H14: Luke Hitchings (Aus) 18.5 def. Joca Junior (Brz) 9.5
H15: Rob Machado (USA) 23.85 def. Michael Lowe (Aus) 21.25
H16: Fabio Gouveia (Brz) 16.6 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 15.65

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