Kai Otton (AUS) will take on defending event champion Adriano de Souza (BRA) and replacement surfer Willian Cardoso (BRA) in Round 1 of the Billabong Rio Pro.
ARPOADOR, Rio de Janeiro / Brazil (Wednesday, May 9, 2012) ? The opening day of the Billabong Rio Pro is ON in clean two-to-four foot (1 metre) waves at the backup venue of Arpoador and today?s action is expected to see the completion of both men?s and women?s Round 1.
Stop No. 3 on the men?s ASP World Championship Tour and No. 5 of the women?s respectively, the Billabong Rio Pro will play a vital role in the 2012 ASP World Title Race.
?With unfavorable waves at the primary venue of Barra Da Tijuca, we?ve opted to utilize our back-up location of Arpoador today,? Rich Porta, ASP International Head Judge said. ?We?ve got contestable conditions here and are planning on getting into both men?s and women?s competition today.?
Kicking off today?s action will be the women?s trials and immediately following will be men?s Round 1 action, which will see Josh Kerr (AUS), 26, Bede Durbidge (AUS), 29, and Jadson Andre (BRA), 22, do battle in the Billabong Rio Pro?s opening heat.
Due to technical difficulties, the Billabong Rio Pro webcast is temporarily unavailable. The event apologizes for the inconvenience and ASP technicians are working with the staff to repair the issue.
The men?s Billabong Rio Pro holds a waiting period from May 9th through 20th while the women?s event holds a shorter waiting period from the 9th through 13th. To watch the world?s best surfers LIVE log on to www.billabongpro.com
BILLABONG RIO PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Josh Kerr (AUS), Bede Durbidge (AUS), Jadson Andre (BRA) Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF), C.J. Hobgood (USA), Patrick Gudauskas (USA) Heat 3: Owen Wright (AUS), Raoni Monteiro (BRA), Taylor Knox (USA) Heat 4: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Kai Otton (AUS), Willian Cardoso (BRA) Heat 5: Taj Burrow (AUS), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Tomas Hermes (BRA) Heat 6: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS), Peterson Crisanto (BRA) Heat 7: Julian Wilson (AUS), Brett Simpson (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) Heat 8: Gabriel Medina (BRA), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Yadin Nicol (AUS) Heat 9: Mick Fanning (AUS), Damien Hobgood (USA), Travis Logie (ZAF) Heat 10: Michel Bourez (PYF), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Tiago Pires (PRT) Heat 11: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Heitor Alves (BRA), Kolohe Andino (USA) Heat 12: John John Florence (HAW), Alejo Muniz (BRA), Adam Melling (AUS)
BILLABONG WOMEN?S RIO PRO ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA), Lakey Peterson (USA), Sage Erickson (USA) Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS), Paige Hareb (NZL), Justine Dupont (FRA) Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Sarah Mason (NZL), TBA Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Melanie Bartels (HAW) Heat 5: Carissa Moore (HAW), Coco Ho (HAW), Jacqueline Silva (BRA) Heat 6: Laura Enever (AUS), Malia Manuel (HAW), Pauline Ado (FRA)
