PENICHE, Portugal (Wednesday, October 21, 2009) – No shortage of action at the Rip Curl Pro Search as high seas and heavy storms destroyed the event structure at the primary site of Supertubos last night before dealing out unruly six-to-eight foot (2 metre) surf at the backup site of Lagido.

Event No. 9 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search went on hold this morning after salvaging the wreckage of the primary site structure at Supertubos and opting to wait out the onshore eight-to-ten foot (3 metre) surf at Lagido. The wait would not prevail and event organizers opted to call competition off this afternoon.

“We really wanted to run today, but the site structure at Supertubos is too badly damaged today and the conditions at Lagido never materialized,” Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Pro Search Contest Director, said. “We’re still seeing plenty of swell on the fore and better weather so we’ll be back at Supertubos tomorrow at 8am tomorrow.”

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Matt Warshaw, a lifelong surfer and chronicler of the sport, was nowhere near the water in 2004 when he first saw the view that reminded him of what he was missing. Mr. Warshaw, 49, is a former editor of Surfer magazine and the author of “The Encyclopedia of Surfing” and the coming book “The History of Surfing.” For years, he lived in San Francisco’s Sunset District, where he had panoramic ocean views and 12 surfboards in the closet. A nondescript bench in a pocket park on the slopes of Twin Peaks changed his perspective.

read the full story at NYTimes.com

PENICHE, Portugal (Saturday, October 17, 2009) – The Rip Curl Pro Search will culminate the European leg of the 2009 ASP World Tour in the wave abundant Portuguese region of Peniche, hosting the world’s best surfers from October 19 – 30, 2009.

Event No. 9 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search is poised to deliver high drama with projected sizable swells setting the scene for a possible ASP World Title showdown and several requalification campaigns.

Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, former ASP World Champion (2007) and current ASP World No. 1, has been on a rampage during the back half of the season, claiming back-to-back wins in California and France before taking the ASP ratings’ lead last week in Spain. If Fanning finishes higher than 3rd at the Rip Curl Pro Search in Portugal, the Australian could claim the 2009 ASP World Title in Europe, contingent upon the finishes of other frontrunners.

read more at aspworldtour.com