I've been watching the world's best battle it out on the ASP World Tour for years now and always look forward to the 10 events spread throughout the year. It is amazing these days that you can watch these events online, however they don't come without the usual webcast fustrations from the event being on the other side of the world so you're up at silly hours to catch a glimpse of the webcast or screaming at the computer screen as the live feed has suddenly shut down during the most important heat of the contest.
I've been going to Portugal every year for the majority of my life, so what better way to watch my first live ASP event on a coastline that i know so well. Like any other surfer working a 9-5 job in front of a computer, I was watching the swell forecast for west coast Portugal like a hawk throughout the week leading up to the event, hoping that the Atlantic would throw some decent swell over that way. I was in luck, the forecast for the first Saturday of the waiting period looked perfect!
For 11 months of the year Peniche really is a sleepy fishing village however its home to one of the heaviest most perfect beach breaks in the world. Because of this the ASP World Tour Circus takes over the town for one month of the year, October.
Flying out on the Friday I met up with some friends in the Algarve in Southern Portugal and headed north towards Peniche in the early hours of Saturday morning to make sure we got there first light and didnt miss a wave. After plently of strong Portugese Coffee (yes I'm an addict and love the coffee in Portugal) we arrived at the contest sight at first light and our early morning mission paid off. We had front row seats to watch the worlds best surfers battle it out in perfect 6-8ft Supertubos.
I was lucky enough to surf at Supertubos on a decent swell a few years ago so i know what its like being out there in the thick of it and what suprised me the most during the contest was how easy these guys make it look. Its not an easy wave to surf at all due to near vertical take offs and demanding rips to deal with on a regular basis however they all make it look like its the most effortless session you can have.
Throughout the day we were all watching Supertubos do its thing offering up barrel after barrel with record breaking crowds screaming and cheering at every surfer that entered the water almost like they were movie stars running down the red carpet…. the Portuguese are mad about their Surfing!
Watching the world's best in person at my first ASP event is something that I will never forget; and I loved it so much i have already booked that week off at the end of October next year!
After the event I visited Ericeira for the first time checking out famous spots such as Coxos, surfing some phenomenal waves, and researching some new Ticket to Ride Portugal ideas for the next summer. Ticket toRide have been running surf trips and courses in Portugal since the beginning, however as a team we are always looking to evolve what we offer, I guess this is why we have remained out front in the world of surf tours for so long now.
Watch this space as Ticket to Ride Portugal 2013 is going to be even better than ever!
Check out some of the Highlights below;
Front row seats!
Day 1 Highlights
10 Points Rides… Yes Please!