Rip Curl Cup on high alert; contest could run this weekend
Padang Padang, Bali –– The waves remained small in Bali Tuesday, but all that should chage dramatically by week's end. Contest directors for the 2009 Rip Curl Cup Invitational at Padang Padang have switched the official event status from red to yellow, or “high alert." Currently there is a nice low pressure system forming in the southernmost regions of the Indian Ocean. So far it's been tracking on an ideal northerly course to potentially send massive amounts of southwest swell towards the Indonesian Archipelago. Right now the estimated time of arrival is looking like Friday, August 14, with the peak hitting over the weekend. Tides for Padang are also looking ideal during this time, with medium tides all day. Contest directors are eyeing this storm closely and the 32 contestants for this year's Rip Curl Cup have all been put on notice for a possible Friday morning start. Many of the 16 international invitees are already in Bali or are preparing to book flights. For now, it's on when it's on...
Official opening round heat draw:
Heat 1: Koby Abberton (Australia), Ry Craike (Australia), Wayan “Betet” Merta, I Komang “GoGo” Sujaya.
Heat 2: Timmy Turner (California), Takayuki Wakita (Japan), Raditya Rhondi, Made Lapur.
Heat 3: Tipi Jabrik, Bruno Santos (Brazil), Lee Wilson, Kane Faint (Australia).
Heat 4: Made “Bol” Adi Putra, Dean Brady (Australia), Marlon Gerber (Switzerland), Wayan Suyadnya.
Heat 5: Pablo Gutierrez (Spain), Laurie Towner (Australia), Made Lana, Ketut "Mega" Yoga Semadhi.
Heat 6: Koa Smith (Hawaii), Dede Suryana, Mustofa Jekson, Danny Fuller (Hawaii).
Heat 7: Ryan Turner (California), Pepen Hendrik, Rahtu Suargita, Luke Egan (Australia).
Heat 8: Rizal Tanjung, Garut Widiarta, Mikala Jones (Hawaii), Jamie O’Brien (Hawaii).
A detailed event guide in PDF format is available for download at leftside menu. For real-time contest status and a contest blog with daily video and photo features, click here. For hi-res images, contact media@ripcurl.co.id.
Bol photo credit: D. Hump
Padang lineup: Hamish Humphreys
Cup photo: Hamish Humphreys
