Top 10 Rip Curl Cup Moments – Part II
A stroll down memory lane at Padang Padang
In its 20-year history, the Rip Curl Cup at Padang Padang has created too many amazing moments to choose only ten. And when Padang Padang awakens for this year’s 20-year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup, we’ll undoubtedly see at least ten more jaw-dropping turn of events that could make this list. But just for fun, and in no particular order, let’s re-live some of our all-time favorite performances from the Rip Curl Cup at Padang Padang, starting with the final 5…
5. Bethany Hamilton is the first female competitor at the Rip Curl Cup (2012)
Bethany Hamilton is used to overcoming doubters. The world already knew Bethany’s inspiring story of overcoming a brutal shark attack to blaze a successful path as a professional surfer. In 2012, she became the only female surfer to ever be invited to compete in the prestigious Rip Curl Cup. Bethany quickly quieted any doubts about whether she could hang with the boys at the Balinese Pipeline when she advanced through her first heat with a smoking tube ride for the ages.
4. Mega Semadhi is 2x champ; mom leads national anthem on podium (2016)
Local Bukit surfer Mega Semadhi won his second Rip Curl Cup trophy – joining fellow Bali surfer Made “Bol” Adi Putra as the only Mega became only other 2-time Padang winner. Mega’s performance delighted the entire village gathered on the beach and cliffs cheering. During the awards podium ceremony, the crowd sang a spirited rendition of the Indonesian national anthem, led by Mega’s proud mother who joined her son on stage. Mega in 2016 remains that last Indonesian surfer to win the title. Since then three straight titles have been claimed by international surfers, giving the “bules” a slight 6-5 in total titles won since the event began inviting the best global tube specialists in 2007. Will this be the year Mega (or another local) reclaims the Cup for Indonesia?
3. Chris Ward wins at the buzzer and proposes on the podium (2012)
Hollywood came to Padang for the final of the 2012 Rip Curl Cup. Not only did Chris Ward pull out a last-second championship-clinching barrel ride, he followed it up by getting down on one knee and proposing to his girlfriend on the winner's podium in front of a massive crowd. Spoiler alert: she said yes.
2. 15-year old Erin Brooks is a Finalist in her first Rip Curl Cup (2022)
Fresh off a gold medal performance at the ISA World Juniors and a dreamy trip to the Mentawai islands, 15-year-old phenom Erin Brooks of Hawaii continued to take the surf world by storm and made history on multiple fronts. In an open field that included all men aside from herself, Brooks was the youngest woman – and the second youngest surfer all-time – to compete in the event. She advanced through to the final where she earned fourth place, solidifying a spot as one of the premier tube riders on the planet. Additionally, she took the title for the inaugural women’s Super Heat where four top female competitors took to Padang Padang to put the growth of women’s surfing on display.
“All the guys and girls were doing so great,” said Brooks. “It was cool to compete against both. The waves were firing today and I am so happy with how I performed. The local girls have been so nice to me and they’ve been charging out here too. I am going to keep doing my best and keep pushing women’s surfing.”
1. Jamie O’Brien and Rizal Tandjung share the barrel (2009)
Sharing is caring at the Rip Curl Cup. It’s not about hassling for waves. It’s about a taking your turn in the rotation and sharing tube rides with the best on earth to see who can get the deepest, longest barrel. In 2009, Jamie O’Brien and Rizal Tandjung took this concept to its limit by sharing some quality time behind the Padang curtain and avoiding a near collision disaster upon the exit. Sure, it happened after the horn sounded an end to the heat. But it remains one of the most indelible moments in surf contest history.
