Unruly conditions played a big role in Round 1 of the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal but Californian Conner Coffin still managed to overthrow Griffin Colapinto and Joan Duru in Heat 8.
Supertubos is known for it's long, heavy barrels but it dishes up a fair share of closeouts. Competitors experienced that first-hand this morning with waves in the 6-8 foot range.
While the rookie earned the first 8.00-point ride of the event (proving that finding a diamond in the rough is possible), Colapinto was unable to find a decent backup score. Joan Duru also struggled to manage the conditions, failing to score anything over the 2-point range. Coffin won the heat with a 12.16 (4.83 + 7.33) heat total.
The Californian survives his heat at Supertubos, earning a 7.33 to overthrow Griffin Colapinto and Joan Duru in Round 1.
"Luckily I didn't have any wipeouts in that heat but I just watched Griffin take one of the worst ones I've seen in a long time," said Coffin. "I was worried he was going to come up in two pieces, with his board in 5 pieces, but he was alright."
While Colapinto did manage to bounce back, it wasn't enough to overtake the lead. He'll be surfing again in Round 2 against Patrick Gudauskas.
"I didn't make a crazy left last year and it ended up being one of the worst beatings of my life," said Coffin. "I was in the barrel and I thought I was going to make it out and get a 10-point ride. Next thing I knew I was flying through the air. The wave is violent to say the least. It goes from straight up and down to a flat bottom with no transition. But if you find the right ones, it's the most rewarding thing ever."
Watch the MEO Rip Curl Pro live Oct. 16-27 on Worldsurfleague.com, Facebook Live and the WSL app - FB login required for mobile viewing.
Conner Coffin: "This Wave is Violent"
Ali Shrode
Unruly conditions played a big role in Round 1 of the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal but Californian Conner Coffin still managed to overthrow Griffin Colapinto and Joan Duru in Heat 8.
Supertubos is known for it's long, heavy barrels but it dishes up a fair share of closeouts. Competitors experienced that first-hand this morning with waves in the 6-8 foot range.
While the rookie earned the first 8.00-point ride of the event (proving that finding a diamond in the rough is possible), Colapinto was unable to find a decent backup score. Joan Duru also struggled to manage the conditions, failing to score anything over the 2-point range. Coffin won the heat with a 12.16 (4.83 + 7.33) heat total.
"Luckily I didn't have any wipeouts in that heat but I just watched Griffin take one of the worst ones I've seen in a long time," said Coffin. "I was worried he was going to come up in two pieces, with his board in 5 pieces, but he was alright."
While Colapinto did manage to bounce back, it wasn't enough to overtake the lead. He'll be surfing again in Round 2 against Patrick Gudauskas.
"I didn't make a crazy left last year and it ended up being one of the worst beatings of my life," said Coffin. "I was in the barrel and I thought I was going to make it out and get a 10-point ride. Next thing I knew I was flying through the air. The wave is violent to say the least. It goes from straight up and down to a flat bottom with no transition. But if you find the right ones, it's the most rewarding thing ever."
Watch the MEO Rip Curl Pro live Oct. 16-27 on Worldsurfleague.com, Facebook Live and the WSL app - FB login required for mobile viewing.
News
World Champions colliding, a brother bout that pulled on the heartstrings, plus wildcard antics and continued dominance form World No. 1
Miguel Pupo earned his way onto the CT alongside the likes of John John Florence and Gabriel Medina, but his younger brother Samuel earned
Shop official merchandise from the 2024 Margaret River Pro by Rusty on WSLStore.com: https://www.wslstore.com/collections/...
Catch all the action coming out of the Men's and Women's QS 5000, Junior e Longboard, in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
As quartas de final do Pro Junior vão abrir a sexta-feira