Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia; - Mick Fanning (AUS), 30, has claimed the 2012 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach presented by Ford Ranger over reigning 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 40, in offshore three-to-five foot (1 -- 1.5 metre) waves at Bells Beach.
Event No. 2 of 10 on the 2012 ASP World Championship Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach culminated in dramatic fashion today with pundits calling it the "best Final in event history." The Australian and American went blow for blow throughout the 35-minute bout, exchanging massive scores and the lead several times before the dust settled.
Today's win marked Fanning's 14th elite tour win and his first Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach win since 2001. It also brings the Australian's record with Slater closer to even at 7 to Kelly's 8 in their heat matchup history.
This year's Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach was dedicated to the memory of three-time event winner Michael Peterson (AUS), who tragically passed away last week, and the Final was preceded by a minute's applause in memory of the great Australian.
Although finishing an uncharacteristic 13th at his homebreak on the Gold Coast, today's victory rockets Fanning to No. 3 on the ASP World Championship Tour rankings heading into the next event.
Slater fought back from an early combination situation with an incredible full-rotation aerial for a Perfect 10. The legendary natural-footer backed it up moments later with an 8.07 to take the lead, but would only hold it briefly after an assault from Fanning.
Slater's Runner-Up finish moves him back to the No. 1 spot on the ASP World Championship Tour ratings.
Joel Parkinson (AUS), 30, defending Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach winner, was a standout throughout the entire event, dominating the Bells Bowl and Rincon sections with an unmatched affinity. However, the stylish natural-footer would fall to Gold Coast stable mate Fanning in the Semifinals despite an impressive array of scores.
Parkinson's Equal 3rd today bumps him to No. 4 on the ASP World Championship Tour ratings heading into the next event.
Jeremy Flores (FRA), 23, posted two massive wins today over lethal rookie John John Florence (AUS), 19, and form goofy-footer Owen Wright (AUS), 22. The young Frenchmen dissected the Bells walls with unmatched precision, but a priority interference in his Semifinal bout with reigning 11-time ASP World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), 40, would see Flores bundled out with an Equal 3rd.
In the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach four-time women's world champion Stephanie Gilmore produced a perfect ten-point ride to win her round four heat and make the quarter-finals. Gilmore used a series of powerful turns to record the first 10 of the event and eliminate fellow Australian Laura Enever.
The 24-year-old is aiming for her fourth Bells title, and now faces Hawaiian teenager Malia Manuel in the quarter-finals likely to be staged tomorrow.
Manuel beat Gilmore in round three on Thursday to relegate the world No.1 to Friday's sudden-death heat.
In an all New Zealand RD.4 clash Sarah Mason has taken out Paige Hareb in round four of the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach today. The pair swapped the lead several times during the 30-minute heat, but Mason came back in the last 10 minutes with two big scores to secure her place in the quarterfinals.
Hareb dominated the first half of the heat scoring a 6.17 (out of 10) and a 7.77, but with 10 minutes left Mason hit back with a 7.67 (out of 10) and then with two minutes to go she posted a 8.17 to move into the lead. Mason will now take on Tyler Wright (Aus) in quarterfinal number one.
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RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH FINAL RESULTS:
1 -- Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.80
2 -- Kelly Slater (USA) 18.07
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Kelly Slater (USA) 15.10 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 7.83
SF 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 15.83 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.43
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.06 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 13.66
QF 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 17.97 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 16.10
QF 3: Mick Fanning (AUS) 18.00 def. Kai Otton (AUS) 10.27
QF 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 14.63 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.63
RIP CURL PRO BELLS BEACH ROUND 5 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.93 def. John John Florence (HAW) 14.00
Heat 2: Josh Kerr (AUS) 17.40 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.36
Heat 3: Kai Otton (AUS) 14.27 def. Brett Simpson (USA) 12.90
Heat 4: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 17.27 def. C.J. Hobgood (USA) 9.04
CURRENT ASP TOP 3 (After Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach):
1. Kelly Slater (USA) 13,200 pts
2. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 12,000 pts
3. Taj Burrow (AUS) 11,750 pts
3. Mick Fanning (AUS) 11,750 pts
