Uluwatu, Bali – An elite group of high-stakes tube riders is set to gather at Bali’s most revered wave this weekend. The opening ceremony for the Rip Curl Cup Invitational at Padang Padang will he held on Saturday, Aug. 1, the first day of the month-long event waiting period.
Rip Curl International team riders Dean Brady (Australia), Bruno Santos (Brazil) and Koa Smith (Hawaii) are slated to compete in the event along with such international stars as Bruce Irons (Hawaii), Ry Craike (Australia) and Jamie O’Brien (Hawaii).
All 32 surfers invited to compete in this year’s event will be on hand Saturday for the official heat drawing ceremony. Each surfer will choose a number out of a hat to determine who he will surf against in the opening round. Once the draw has been set, it’s simply a matter of waiting for a massive Indian Ocean swell to stir the mythical wave at Padang to life. Following is the official list of invited surfers.
Indonesian surfers: Made “Bol” Adi Putra, Rizal Tanjung, Pepen Hendrik, Wayan “Betet” Merta, Garut Widiarta, Lee Wilson, Dede Suryana, I Komang “GoGo” Sujaya, Made Lana, Wayan “Gobleg” Suyadnya, Made Lapur, Ketut “Mega” Yoga Semadhi, Raditya Rhondi, Rahtu Suargita, Tipi Jabrik and Mustofa Jekson.
International surfers: Bruce Irons (Hawaii), Mikala Jones (Hawaii), Dean Brady (Australia), Bruno Santos (Brazil), Jamie O’Brien (Hawaii), Ryan Turner (California), Timmy Turner (California), Koa Smith (Hawaii), Ry Craike (Australia), Koby Abberton (Australia), Takayuki Wakita (Japan), Marlon Gerber (Switzerland) and Danny Fuller (Hawaii).
About the Rip Curl Cup:
Now in its sixth year, the Rip Curl Cup Invitational at Padang Padang is Indonesia’s longest-running surfing competition. It is the fourth stop on the 2009 Indonesia Surfing Championship Tour and the only tour event which features top international surfers alongside Indonesia’s best.
This year Rip Curl will continue to infuse the contest with international flavor and big names by making it an all-invitational event. The field of 32 surfers will be split equally between 16 of Indonesia’s all-time Padang surfers and 16 of the world’s best tube slayers. This new format, along with the allure of the wave at Padang and a 65 million rupiah prize purse, has made the Rip Curl Cup the most anticipated event of the 2009 ISC season.
Rip Curl has set aside a month-long waiting period to hold the “one-day, one-swell” event. The window will run from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31 and the contest will be run entirely on the chosen day. When contest directors see an ideal “Padang swell” in the forecast, they will give the green light and the 32 competitors will have 24 hours to make it to Bali’s Bukit Peninsula. For real-time contest status and a contest blog with daily video and photo features, check out www.asia.ripcurl.com.
Recent Comments