Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro
\nStop No. 4 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour
\nImbituba, Santa Catarina, Brazil
\nJune 27 \u2013 July 5, 2009<\/p>\n
Kelly Slater Rebounds to Claim Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Over De Souza<\/p>\n
![](\"http:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/uploads\/3a9345b1-b7de-d263.jpg\")
\nPictured: Kelly Slater (USA), 37, reigning nine-time ASP World Champion, has rebounded from an uncharacteristically dismal start to the year to take out the 2009 Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro over an in-form Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22.
\nCredit: \u00a9 ASP\/ CI\/ CESTARI via GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n
IMBITUBA, Santa Catarina (Friday, July 3, 2009) \u2013Kelly Slater (USA), 37, reigning nine-time ASP World Champion, has claimed the 2009 Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro over an in-form Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, in clean three-to-four foot (1 metre) waves at the main site of Praia Vila.<\/p>\n
Event No. 4 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Hang Loose culminated in a dramatic finale with perennial ASP World Title threats all pushing one other towards the finish line.<\/p>\n
Despite the Brazilian smashing his way out to an early lead, Slater found his form mid-heat with a 9.27 out of a possible 10 for a series of high-risk maneuvers, exhibiting a near-perfect variety of repertoire. Not satisfied with only one high score, Slater nailed the coffin shut with an 8.67 in a dying minutes to secure his 41st ASP World Tour victory.\u201cThere were much better waves in the Final than there were for my Semifinal,\u201d Slater said. \u201cAdriano (de Souza) found a pretty good rhythm early on and posted some pretty good scores, but I felt comfortable out there and felt that the waves would come to me if I were patient. Both of my scoring rides allowed me to execute a bunch of maneuvers and I felt that the scores were maybe a little high, but I haven\u2019t had many good scores this year, so it was bound to go my way at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nearly pulling out of both the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro and the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay altogether, Slater made a last-minute decision to come to Brazil for the fans, but his journey here was riddled with delayed flights, visa complications and missing baggage. After a Round 1 loss on a borrowed board, the Slater juggernaut built momentum throughout the event, riding everything from self-shaped, asymmetrical quad-fins to epoxies to his bread and butter performance boards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely feel like I sharpen as the event moves into the later rounds,\u201d Slater said. \u201cI started out pretty slow in Brazil, and I wasn\u2019t even planning on coming initially. I rode borrowed boards, ones that I shaped, epoxies, everything and I definitely think I found my formula today. I actually called my girlfriend before the Final and said, \u2018every time I show up to an event after trying to pull out, I win.\u2019 I guess that held true today. I have less pressure on myself and am free to perform to the best of my abilities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Slater\u2019s win today breaks his worst slump ever as an ASP World Tour campaigner, three 17ths in three events in 2009, and rockets the Floridian from 25th to No. 9 on the ASP World Tour ratings. Although a mountain of challenges still stand between Slater and an unprecedented 10th ASP World Title, today\u2019s victory has re-ignited the competitive fire for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I have all those guys (ASP World Title contenders) right where I want them,\u201d Slater said. \u201cI don\u2019t feel like I have any pressure on me, and I tend to do my best when I have no pressure. We\u2019re coming up on Jeffreys Bay, which is probably my best event historically and hopefully I can build off my result here today.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the support of Brazil evident in the thousands on the beach, De Souza wasted no time in putting the Floridian on the ropes in their Final, collecting a 6.67 and an 8.00 in the opening half. However, despite an impressive opening, Slater would ultimately eclipse De Souza throughout the back half of the affair, rendering the Brazilian with his second Runner-Up finish of 2009.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I peaked in the Final,\u201d De Souza said. \u201cI don\u2019t think I could have surfed any better. I thought I had him (Slater), but he\u2019s the nine-time world champ, and you have to be perfect to beat him. I\u2019m still very happy with my Runner-Up finish. It is my second of the year and puts me in a really good position heading into the next event.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today\u2019s finish advances De Souza from ASP World No. 5 to ASP World No. 2 heading into the next stop on the ASP Dream Tour, rendering the former ASP World Junior Champion (2004) a major threat in the race for this year\u2019s ASP World Title.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a huge deal for me to represent my country so well here today,\u201d De Souza said. \u201cI could feel them supporting me on the beach every time I stood up. It was an amazing feeling. I felt strong and confident and I think I made Brazil proud with my performance today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having failed to advance out of Round 3 at the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro in several years of attempts (first as a wildcard, then as an ASP World Tour competitor), De Souza\u2019s Runner-Up finish today marks the first time a Brazilian has made the Final since 2005.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was a little kid I used to come to the event and dream of competing here,\u201d De Souza said. \u201cTo be here today, in front of all my friends and family, competing against my hero in the Final, is a very special moment for me and one I will remember for the rest of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
C.J. Hobgood (USA), 29, former ASP World Champion (2001) and current ASP World No. 3, edged past Michael Campbell (AUS), 35, and Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, en route to his first Semifinals berth of the season, but inconsistent conditions would give the nod to eventual winner Slater, resulting in Hobgood\u2019s equal 3rd finish at the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere just wasn\u2019t anything I could do out there,\u201d Hobgood said. \u201cThere were no waves that allowed me the opportunity to even get a decent score. We were talking about holding out for a restart, but Kelly (Slater) took a bad wave and that sort of ended that possibility. A 3rd is a good result, but I\u2019m just really bummed about my Semi. I keep telling myself that I tend to get my best results at the end of the year so hopefully that will complement my good start.\u201d<\/p>\n
Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, current ASP World No. 1, was in sensational form through the final day of competition, dispatching of ASP Dream Tour rookies Kekoa Bacalso (HAW), 23, and Dustin Barca (HAW), 27, in his Round 4 and Quarterfinal heats respectively. In a grudge match re-igniting their Final bout on the Gold Coast during the season opener, Parkinson and De Souza went blow-for-blow in Semifinal 1, with the Brazilian claiming victory this time around, advancing in front of an ecstatic hometown crowd.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really frustrated as I wanted to win that one,\u201d Parkinson said. \u201cI had an okay start, but Adriano (de Souza) picked up a few good scores towards the end. I got him at home and the Goldy and he got me here in his home country \u2013 that\u2019s what is great about the tour, everyone surfs in their own country at some point. I\u2019m disappointed, but an equal 3rd is a good result for me and I\u2019m feeling confident heading into the next event at Jeffreys Bay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Next stop on the 2009 ASP World Tour will be the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay in South Africa from July 9 \u2013 19, 2009.<\/p>\n
Highlights from the Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro will be available via www.aspworldtour.com <\/p>\n
For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com <\/p>\n
HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO FINAL RESULTS:<\/p>\n
1 \u2013 Kelly Slater (USA) 17.94<\/p>\n
2 \u2013 Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.67<\/p>\n
HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO SEMIFINAL RESULTS:<\/p>\n
SF 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 14.97 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 13.86<\/p>\n
SF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 12.16 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 6.93<\/p>\n
HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:<\/p>\n
QF 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12.67 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 11.33<\/p>\n
QF 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.73 def. Dustin Barca (HAW) 13.04<\/p>\n
QF 3: Kelly Slater (USA) 13.60 def. Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.17<\/p>\n
QF 4: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 12.87 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 9.17<\/p>\n
HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO ROUND 4 RESULTS:<\/p>\n
Heat 1: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 16.90 def. Damien Hobgood (USA) 13.50<\/p>\n
Heat 2: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 13.60 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 10.00<\/p>\n
Heat 3: Dustin Barca (HAW) 11.17 def. Bobby Martinez (USA) 8.80 <\/p>\n
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.66 def. Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) 13.33<\/p>\n
Heat 5: Taj Burrow (AUS) 13.20 def. Tim Reyes (USA) 12.33<\/p>\n
Heat 6: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.10 def. Tom Whitaker (AUS) 11.67<\/p>\n
Heat 7: C.J. Hobgood (USA) 13.84 def. Mick Campbell (AUS) 13.16<\/p>\n
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.20 def. Chris Ward (USA) 8.14<\/p>\n
CURRENT ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 10:<\/p>\n
1 \u2013 Joel Parkinson (AUS) 3876 pts<\/p>\n
2 \u2013 Adriano de Souza (BRA) 3206 pts<\/p>\n
3 \u2013 C.J. Hobgood (USA) 3072 pts<\/p>\n
4 \u2013 Taj Burrow (AUS) 3050 pts<\/p>\n
5 \u2013 Mick Fanning (AUS) 2940 pts<\/p>\n
6 \u2013 Bobby Martinez (USA) 2625 pts<\/p>\n
7 \u2013 Tom Whitaker (AUS) 2532 pts<\/p>\n
8 \u2013 Jordy Smith (ZAF) 2486 pts<\/p>\n
9 \u2013 Kelly Slater (USA) 2430 pts<\/p>\n
10 \u2013 Damien Hobgood (USA) 2342 pts<\/p>\n
Full ratings available at www.aspworldtour.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Stop No. 4 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour Imbituba, Santa Catarina, Brazil June 27 \u2013 July 5, 2009 Kelly Slater Rebounds to Claim Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Over De Souza Pictured: Kelly Slater (USA), 37, reigning nine-time ASP World Champion, has rebounded from an uncharacteristically dismal … Continue reading “Kelly Slater Rebounds to Claim Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Over De Souza”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[24],"class_list":["post-13731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-asp-surfing-news","tag-surfing-news-archive"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13731","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13731"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13731\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saltwater-dreaming.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}