A healthy dose of Indian Ocean swell saw the mythical wave at Padang Padang roar to life on Friday afternoon for the Rip Curl Cup Warm-Up presented by Samudera Indonesia, a three-hour surfing exhibition featuring 18 of the 24 invited surfers in this year's Ultimate Tuberiding Contest at Padang Padang.
Powerful five-foot sets stormed across the Padang reef as the tide began to drop from the afternoon high, but contest directors and invited surfers agreed that the waves were neither big enough nor consistent enough - nor was the brief tide window long enough -
to run both the men's and women's divisions of the 20-Year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang presented by Samudera Indonesia.
Instead, with most of the international invited surfers already in Bali for this "red light swell," the elite crew of world-class barrel riders surfed in three separate groups out at Padang Padang, each session lasting one hour. No judging. No scores. No priority. Just a
handful of the world's best tube specialists and the top Padang Padang locals pushing the limits of how deep a human can surf inside the barrel.
Studer Johnson and Mackenzie Padang Padang Warm Up - WSL
The action opened with Group 1, The Women's Warm-up, just as Padang Padang began to light up on the dropping tide. Local Indonesian women's surfer Kailani Johnson put the women's field on notice with perhaps the best overall performance of the session. Fellow Indonesian invitee Jasmine Studer also claimed a pair of impressive spitting tubes. But it was Johnson who capitalized on the rehearsal opportunity, racking up so many good rides, she said she actually lost count.
"As soon as I found out I received an invite to the contest this year, I couldn't stop thinking about this opportunity," said Johnson after the warm-up session. "To perform well in the warm-up gives me a lot of confidence heading into the main event. If the waves are this
good for the warm-up, then I can't wait until it's on!"
In Group 2, it was defending champion Clay Marzo (Maui, Hawaii) who had a field day, picking off countless throating tubes along the inside section of reef. Marzo seemed to pick up right where he left off last year at Padang Padang, disappearing behind impossibly
deep and heavy water curtains, only to somehow get spat out all the way down the reef, to the utter disbelief of everyone watching. Fellow Hawaiian Koa Smith also expertly stalled and weaved through several gaping 6-footers. Meanwhile, former WCT legend Taj Burrow (AUS) opted to wait patiently for the biggest set waves and wowed the crowd with his impeccable backside tuberiding skills, clinging to the wall on his backhand deep in the shadows of several kegs and logging some of the longest tube time of the day.
Taj Burrow Padang Padang Warm Up Session - WSL
"I just had one of the best afternoons of surfing I've ever had in Bali!" said an incredulous Burrow after his Group 2 Warm-up Heat. "I was here (in Bali) for the (Rip Curl Pro Search WCT) contest in 2008 but I never got to surf Padang Padang properly before. My very first wave today was an absolute gem and it put me in rhythm from there. I still can't believe I got to surf absolutely pumping Padang with just a handful of friends."
Finally, in Group 3, the eight Indonesian surfers in this year's Rip Curl Cup paddled out for a golden-hour freesurf and proved that they will once again be a force to be reckoned with in this year's main event. The exhibition included incredible performances by fellow two-time champions Bol Adi Putra (2004, 2005) and Mega Semadhi (2013, 2016), as well as local Padang Padang Boardriders entrant Wayan Plekut.
"Rip Curl Cup is like the only contest where 5-foot barrels can be spitting over the reef and everyone decides not to run the contest," joked Bol. "But it felt so good to get a tune-up out at the best Padang we've seen so far this year. Hopefully more coming soon!"
While the wait is still on for the 20-Year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup, and a men's and women's champion have yet to be crowned, bragging rights were definitely on the line on Friday afternoon for the Warm-Up Session.
The large crowd gathered on the beach and cliffs at Padang Padang, as well as fans watching around the world via the Rip Curl x Island Brewing Livestream on YouTube, were treated to a barrel riding Master Class - and several brutal wipeouts - at the world-famous lefthander.
"This was the best Padang swell to hit Bali during the waiting period so far," said Event Director James Hendy, "but because of a variety of factors we were skeptical that this swell would provide enough size over a full day of competition, and that's exactly how it
played out today. It's going to take a truly epic swell for us to give the green light to run the 20-Year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup."
With almost a full month still remaining in the waiting period, which runs from Aug. 1st to Aug. 31st, most of the contestants seemed confident they will get the "perfect swell" to deliver awe-inspiring tube-rides at Padang in the near future.
"That's the beauty of having a month-long waiting period during the height of the big swell season," said two-time Rip Curl Cup Champion Mega Semadhi. "We can be patient and selective, and wait for the perfect swell. We're in no rush."
The 2023 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang presented by Samudera Indonesia will be webcast live to the world at ripcurl.com. Fans can also visit the site to check the latest Padang Padang swell forecast, real-time contest status, and video updates from Bali.
Following is the official heat draw for the first two rounds of men's competition and first round of women's competition at Padang Padang:
MEN'S ROUND 1
Heat 1
- CLAY MARZO (HAW)
- GARUT WIDIARTA (IND)
- KOLOHE ANDINO (USA)
- MADE ADI PUTRA (IND)
Heat 2
- MEGA SEMADHI (IND)
- MIGUEL BLANCO (PRT)
- RADITYA RONDI (IND)
- NATHAN HEDGE (AUS)
Heat 3
- MASON HO (HAW)
- MUSTOFA JEKSEN (IND)
- TAJ BURROW (AUS)
- TOMMY SOBRY (IND)
Heat 4
- MEGA ARTANA (IND)
- DYLAN WILCOXEN (USA)
- AGUS SUMERTAYASA (IND)
- KOA SMITH (HAW)
MEN'S ROUND 2
Heat 1
- DYLAN WILCOXEN (USA)
- MUSTOFA JEKSEN (IND)
- MIGUEL BLANCO (PRT)
- MADE ADI PUTRA (IND)
Heat 2
- TOMMY SOBRY (IND)
- CLAY MARZO (HAW)
- MEGA ARTANA (IND)
- NATHAN HEDGE (AUS)
Heat 3
- KOA SMITH (HAW)
- RADITYA RONDI (IND)
- TAJ BURROW (AUS)
- GARUT WIDIARTA (IND)
Heat 4
- AGUS SUMERTAYASA (IND)
- MASON HO (HAW)
- MEGA SEMADHI (IND)
- KOLOHE ANDINO (USA)
WOMEN'S ROUND 1
Semifinal 1
- ERIN BROOKS (CAN)
- LIDIA KATO (IND)
- ZIGGY MACKENZIE (AUS)
- JASMINE STUDER (IND)
Semifinal 2
- SIERRA KERR (AUS)
- KAILANI JOHNSON (IND)
- SKY BROWN (ENG)
- TAINA IZQUIERDO (IND)
MEDIA ACCREDITATION: Any media seeking to cover the 2023 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang must first receive Media Accreditation from Rip Curl. Media must register at least 24 hours prior to event day through the accreditation form at the following link: https://forms.gle/6oM247MynVoCtwER9
Watch the official 2023 event trailer (embeddable) on our YouTube here:
https://youtu.be/xRfnzRcjMMM
For access to images, video, press releases and an extensive range of content for use in your coverage of the 2023 Rip Curl Cup, please visit the following Box link:https://ripcurl.box.com/s/932mjt5truzuv499jxwsry9ui3lznqm3
The 2023 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang will be webcast LIVE to the world at ripcurl.com and at worldsurfleague.com. Fans can also visit the Rip Curl website to check the official event swell forecast, real-time contest status, and video updates from Bali.
RIP CURL CUP PADANG PADANG 2023 EVENT SCHEDULE:
Main Event Holding Period
August 1st - 31st
Official Rip Curl Cup Party
Friday, August 25th 5PM - Midnight.
Live performance by special guest at Ulu Cliff House
The Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang 2023 is presented by SAMUDERA INDONESIA
Sponsored by: ISLAND BREWING and ULU CLIFFHOUSE.
Supported by: Persatuan Selancar Ombak Indonesia (PSOI).
Official Internet Provider: Biznet
Media partners: World Surf League (WSL), The Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC) and BaliBelly.com
Padang Padang Awakens For Rip Curl Cup Warm-Up Session
WSL
A healthy dose of Indian Ocean swell saw the mythical wave at Padang Padang roar to life on Friday afternoon for the Rip Curl Cup Warm-Up presented by Samudera Indonesia, a three-hour surfing exhibition featuring 18 of the 24 invited surfers in this year's Ultimate Tuberiding Contest at Padang Padang.
Powerful five-foot sets stormed across the Padang reef as the tide began to drop from the afternoon high, but contest directors and invited surfers agreed that the waves were neither big enough nor consistent enough - nor was the brief tide window long enough - to run both the men's and women's divisions of the 20-Year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang presented by Samudera Indonesia.
Instead, with most of the international invited surfers already in Bali for this "red light swell," the elite crew of world-class barrel riders surfed in three separate groups out at Padang Padang, each session lasting one hour. No judging. No scores. No priority. Just a handful of the world's best tube specialists and the top Padang Padang locals pushing the limits of how deep a human can surf inside the barrel.
The action opened with Group 1, The Women's Warm-up, just as Padang Padang began to light up on the dropping tide. Local Indonesian women's surfer Kailani Johnson put the women's field on notice with perhaps the best overall performance of the session. Fellow Indonesian invitee Jasmine Studer also claimed a pair of impressive spitting tubes. But it was Johnson who capitalized on the rehearsal opportunity, racking up so many good rides, she said she actually lost count.
"As soon as I found out I received an invite to the contest this year, I couldn't stop thinking about this opportunity," said Johnson after the warm-up session. "To perform well in the warm-up gives me a lot of confidence heading into the main event. If the waves are this good for the warm-up, then I can't wait until it's on!"
In Group 2, it was defending champion Clay Marzo (Maui, Hawaii) who had a field day, picking off countless throating tubes along the inside section of reef. Marzo seemed to pick up right where he left off last year at Padang Padang, disappearing behind impossibly deep and heavy water curtains, only to somehow get spat out all the way down the reef, to the utter disbelief of everyone watching. Fellow Hawaiian Koa Smith also expertly stalled and weaved through several gaping 6-footers. Meanwhile, former WCT legend Taj Burrow (AUS) opted to wait patiently for the biggest set waves and wowed the crowd with his impeccable backside tuberiding skills, clinging to the wall on his backhand deep in the shadows of several kegs and logging some of the longest tube time of the day.
"I just had one of the best afternoons of surfing I've ever had in Bali!" said an incredulous Burrow after his Group 2 Warm-up Heat. "I was here (in Bali) for the (Rip Curl Pro Search WCT) contest in 2008 but I never got to surf Padang Padang properly before. My very first wave today was an absolute gem and it put me in rhythm from there. I still can't believe I got to surf absolutely pumping Padang with just a handful of friends."
Finally, in Group 3, the eight Indonesian surfers in this year's Rip Curl Cup paddled out for a golden-hour freesurf and proved that they will once again be a force to be reckoned with in this year's main event. The exhibition included incredible performances by fellow two-time champions Bol Adi Putra (2004, 2005) and Mega Semadhi (2013, 2016), as well as local Padang Padang Boardriders entrant Wayan Plekut.
"Rip Curl Cup is like the only contest where 5-foot barrels can be spitting over the reef and everyone decides not to run the contest," joked Bol. "But it felt so good to get a tune-up out at the best Padang we've seen so far this year. Hopefully more coming soon!"
While the wait is still on for the 20-Year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup, and a men's and women's champion have yet to be crowned, bragging rights were definitely on the line on Friday afternoon for the Warm-Up Session.
The large crowd gathered on the beach and cliffs at Padang Padang, as well as fans watching around the world via the Rip Curl x Island Brewing Livestream on YouTube, were treated to a barrel riding Master Class - and several brutal wipeouts - at the world-famous lefthander.
"This was the best Padang swell to hit Bali during the waiting period so far," said Event Director James Hendy, "but because of a variety of factors we were skeptical that this swell would provide enough size over a full day of competition, and that's exactly how it played out today. It's going to take a truly epic swell for us to give the green light to run the 20-Year Anniversary of the Rip Curl Cup."
With almost a full month still remaining in the waiting period, which runs from Aug. 1st to Aug. 31st, most of the contestants seemed confident they will get the "perfect swell" to deliver awe-inspiring tube-rides at Padang in the near future.
"That's the beauty of having a month-long waiting period during the height of the big swell season," said two-time Rip Curl Cup Champion Mega Semadhi. "We can be patient and selective, and wait for the perfect swell. We're in no rush."
The 2023 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang presented by Samudera Indonesia will be webcast live to the world at ripcurl.com. Fans can also visit the site to check the latest Padang Padang swell forecast, real-time contest status, and video updates from Bali.
Following is the official heat draw for the first two rounds of men's competition and first round of women's competition at Padang Padang:
MEN'S ROUND 1
Heat 1
Heat 2
Heat 3
Heat 4
MEN'S ROUND 2
Heat 1
Heat 2
Heat 3
Heat 4
WOMEN'S ROUND 1
Semifinal 1
Semifinal 2
MEDIA ACCREDITATION: Any media seeking to cover the 2023 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang must first receive Media Accreditation from Rip Curl. Media must register at least 24 hours prior to event day through the accreditation form at the following link: https://forms.gle/6oM247MynVoCtwER9
Watch the official 2023 event trailer (embeddable) on our YouTube here: https://youtu.be/xRfnzRcjMMM
For access to images, video, press releases and an extensive range of content for use in your coverage of the 2023 Rip Curl Cup, please visit the following Box link:https://ripcurl.box.com/s/932mjt5truzuv499jxwsry9ui3lznqm3
The 2023 Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang will be webcast LIVE to the world at ripcurl.com and at worldsurfleague.com. Fans can also visit the Rip Curl website to check the official event swell forecast, real-time contest status, and video updates from Bali.
RIP CURL CUP PADANG PADANG 2023 EVENT SCHEDULE:
Main Event Holding Period
August 1st - 31st
Official Rip Curl Cup Party
Friday, August 25th 5PM - Midnight.
Live performance by special guest at Ulu Cliff House
The Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang 2023 is presented by SAMUDERA INDONESIA Sponsored by: ISLAND BREWING and ULU CLIFFHOUSE. Supported by: Persatuan Selancar Ombak Indonesia (PSOI). Official Internet Provider: Biznet Media partners: World Surf League (WSL), The Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC) and BaliBelly.com
Rip Curl Cup Padang Padang
Check out the event trailer ahead of this year's instalment of the world's most prestigious tube riding invitational.
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