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Oct 15, 2018

The World Title Race Heats Up as the Tour Heads South for the 10th Edition of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal

Big barrels, big heats and some very big results are about to go down on the beach at Supertubos in Peniche, Portugal. Welcome to the 10th Edition of the Rip Curl Pro Portugal!

For as long as it’s been running, the Rip Curl Pro Portugal has played a pivotal role in the World Title race each year. As the second-to-last competition of the season, Supertubos’s heaving barrels offer surfers a chance to take the Title race down to the wire. Sometimes, it offers a surfer their chance to clinch the Title – take, for instance, John John Florence’s Title campaign in 2016.

But no matter the Jeep Leaderboard situation, we can always count on Supertubos to challenge the world’s best surfers in heavy, consequential surf. Those that live up to the challenge put on a show.

This year is no different. With some solid swell on the forecast and three main players in the World Title race – Gabriel Medina, Julian Wilson and Filipe Toledo – it’s set to be an event to remember. Only Gabriel can clinch the Title in Portugal, and to do so he must win the event and his contenders must bow out early. If Filipe gets a 9th or better, or if Julian gets a 3rd or better, Gabriel cannot win the Title in Portugal. The race will continue to Hawaii.

“I am really excited for Portugal,” said Gabriel Medina, current World #1 on the WSL Jeep Leaderboard. “When it’s big the barrels at Supertubos are crazy, and it’s cool to see what everybody can do out there. I’m coming in with the yellow jersey after France, and it feels good.”

2018 also marks the event’s 10th Edition running, and to help celebrate 3x World Champion Mick Fanning has decided to join the World Tour crew in Portugal – not to compete, but to sit back, relax and enjoy the performance.

“ “Portugal has always been a really important place to me,” said Mick. “I’ve won in the event twice here, and both times have been in incredible conditions against some of my closest friends and competitors. The town, the waves, the people… all of it holds a special place in my heart. I’m excited to see what the 10th Edition has to bring, and good luck to everyone in the World Title race!”