Tweed Heads surfer Mick Fanning won the Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal defeating Jordy Smith (ZAF) in the final on at Peniche, Portugal, on Monday.
Yesterday’s victory marks Fanning’s third of the 2014 season including the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and the JBay Open.
After a pair of low-scoring semis, it was quickly clear that the final promised to be a different kind of party.
Again, Fanning was out of the gate first, getting a quick tube for a 5.67 to start.
His next wave topped that: when Jordy Smith backed off a left under priority, Fanning pulled in high and tight for a technical ride capped with wrapping turns for a 9.00.
Smith was then in a combination situation, but answered back with an impressive tube of his own, hacking the lip after the exit for a final flourish. He earned a 7.67 and then started to play the patience game.
Fanning sat and waited too, as a long lull set in. It wasn’t until the last three minutes that Fanning improved his scoreline, with a 6.50, to secure the event win in Peniche for the first time since 2009.
‘I’m just stoked to get a win,’ Fanning said. ‘It’s been about five years since I got a win here.’
The Moche Rip Curl Pro Portugal, stop number 10 of 11 on the 2014 Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour, completed rounds 3 through to the final at the Supertubos.
