Rip Curl Pro Round 1 Kick Off at 8am in Solid Bells

2008 Dream Tour rookie Dane Reynolds (USA), veteran style master Taylor Knox (USA) and Rip Curl's Dylan Slater (USA) talk story this morning before Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro

BELLS BEACH, Australia (Friday, Mar. 21, 2008) – The ASP Top 45 will don competition singlets this morning for Round 1 of the Rip Curl Pro presented by Snickers an head out in solid four-to-six foot (2 metre) surf at Bells Beach.

Swell forecasters for the second stop of 11 the 2008 ASP World Tour had predicted an increase swell this morning. When that prediction was found accurate, event organizers wasted no time in calling Round 1 of the men on at 8am.

“The swell has increased substantially overnight,” Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Pro Contest Director, said. “It’s a bit windy at the moment, but it’s expected to subside throughout the day and we’ll be starting with the men’s Round 1 at 8am.”

Today’s Round 1 competition delivers some dynamic match-ups in reigning ASP World Champion Mick Fanning (AUS) up against Adrian Buchan (AUS) and Stuart Kennedy (AUS), eight-time ASP World Champion and current ratings leader Kelly Slater (USA) facing off against Adriano de Souza (BRA) and Trials Winner Troy Brooks (AUS), among others.

The opening heat of competition will see 2006 Rookie of the Year Bobby Martinez (USA) do battle with Luke Munro (AUS) and Royden Bryson (ZAF).

With conditions projected to hold throughout the day, there is a possibility that a portion of Round 2 of the Rip Curl Pro could be run following the completion of Round 1, with event organizers assessing conditions throughout the day.

The Rip Curl Pro pres. by Snickers will be webcast LIVE via www.aspworldtour.com beginning at 8am.

Rip Curl Pro pres. by Snickers Round 1 Match-Ups

Heat 1: Bobby Martinez (USA), Luke Munro (AUS), Royden Bryson (ZAF)
Heat 2: Dean Morrison (AUS), Dayyan Neve (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF)
Heat 3: Jeremy Flores (FRA), Bruce Irons (HAW), Tiago Pires (PRT)
Heat 4: Pancho Sullivan (HAW), Neco Padaratz (BRA), Jihad Khodr (BRA)
Heat 5: Andy Irons (HAW), Jordy Smith (ZAF), Chris Ward (USA)
Heat 6: Bede Durbidge (AUS), Tim Reyes (USA), Daniel Ross (AUS)
Heat 7: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Ben Dunn (AUS), Nic Muscroft (AUS)
Heat 8: Mick Fanning (AUS), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Stuart Kennedy (AUS)
Heat 9: Taj Burrow (AUS), Leonardo Neves (BRA), Nathan Hedge (AUS)
Heat 10: Kelly Slater (USA), Adriano de Souza (BRA), Troy Brooks (AUS)
Heat 11: C.J. Hobgood (USA), Dane Reynolds (USA), Daniel Wills (AUS)
Heat 12: Kai Otton (AUS), Jay Thompson (AUS), Ricky Basnett (ZAF)
Heat 13: Tom Whitaker (AUS), Ben Bourgeois (USA), Fredrick Patacchia (HAW)
Heat 14: Taylor Knox (USA), Michael Campbell (AUS), Mikael Picon (FRA)
Heat 15: Damien Hobgood (USA), Kieren Perrow (AUS), Heitor Alves (BRA)
Heat 16: Luke Stedman (AUS), Roy Powers (HAW), Rodrigo Dornelles (BRA)

Rip Curl Women’s Pro pres. by Ford Fiesta Round 1 Match-Ups

Heat 1: Layne Beachley (AUS), Julia De La Rosa (PER), Nicola Atherton (AUS)
Heat 2: Samantha Cornish (AUS), Megan Abubo (HAW), Claire Bevilacqua (AUS)
Heat 3: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Jacqueline Silva (BRA), Alana Blanchard (HAW)
Heat 4: Sofia Mulanovich (AUS), Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS), Karina Petroni (USA)
Heat 5: Silvana Lima (BRA), Rosanne Hodge (ZAF), Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS)
Heat 6: Amee Donohoe (AUS), Rebecca Woods (AUS), Serena Brooke (AUS)

The Rip Curl Pro is the first carbon offset ASP World Tour event. To achieve the Carbon Offset requirements, Rip Curl has teamed with CO2 Australia to offset the greenhouse gas emissions that result from a number of energy-consuming activities during this year’s event. Visit http://www.ripcurl.com/index.php?aid=586 for more details.