"Sometimes it isn't pretty, but I'll take a Quarterfinal any day," said rookie Conner Coffin, after making it through the Quarterfinals at the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
He breathed a sigh of relief today after securing a challenging Round Five win over an on-fire Jeremy Flores. His quick barrel in the final five minutes was enough to solidify his spot in the Quarters. Currently ranked No. 24 -- two spots outside of the cutoff for requalification -- Coffin has been digging for last-minute points in Portugal. With his job on the line, Coffin has no intention of going down easy in Peniche.
After taking a huge Quarterfinal victory over another on-the-bubble surfer, Miguel Pupo, Coffin will face another significant heat in the Semis against top-seeded South African Jordy Smith.