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Health & Fitness

Rip Curl Pro Portugal Wrap Up

The feel good winner of the year in professional surfing was just crowned at the Rip Curl Pro Portugal.  Kai Otton took down a slew of great surfers to claim is maiden World Tour victory.  He beat John John Florence, perhaps the best surfer since Kelly Slater, in round five.  Kai ousted Mick Fanning in the quarter finals, a heat that would have clinched the 2013 World Tour title for Fanning.  The Aussie went on to defeat defending world champion, Joel Parkinson, in the semi finals.  This result ended Parkinson's hopes at defending his 2012 title.  Kai completed his dream run by beating the newly crowned rookie of the year, Nat Young, in the finals.

This result caps off an incredible stretch of results for the Australian goofy foot.  Otton made the semi finals at Teahupoo, and he reached the quarters at both Lower Trestles and France.  The late season run of results lands Kai at seventh on the World Tour rankings.  His previous best finish was 12th his rookie year.

As a fan, it is hard not to pull for Kai.  He has suffered through more close losses than anyone on tour and has struggled to keep his spot among the world's elite surfers for much of those seven years on tour.  This year he has finally cemented his place as one of the world's best.  A testament to his character is the excitement shown by his peers after he won the event.  All of his fellow competitors, including those that had their world title hopes crushed hours earlier, expressed how happy they were for Kai to come out on top.  Taj Burrow left the event after losing in round five but returned when he saw Kai made the finals.  Taj was waiting chest deep in the shore break to carry Kai up the beach to the podium.

Otton was brought to tears in multiple post heat interviews.  He dedicated the win to his Grandfather who passed away the year he qualified for the World Tour.  Kai Otton is also expecting his first child.

The final event of the 2013 season will take place at Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu.  The world title race will come down to this final event.  The title hunt is down to Australian Mick Fanning, and 11 time World Champion, Kelly Slater.  Fanning holds a commanding lead in the title campaign.  Slater will need to win the event and have Fanning lose before the finals to steal the title from Fanning.  Kelly Slater has won the Pipeline Masters six times, but only once since 1999.  Fanning has never won at Pipeline despite many great results.  The Billabong Pipe Masters take place from December 8th to December 20th.




 

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