We love Rio – Men’s Preview

I don’t know about you guys but I almost felt like I was sleep walking through the last two events of the the Aussie leg of the tour. Margies and Bells are not bad waves in the great scheme of things, it’s just they need epic swells to light them up, and this year that didn’t happen. Apart form the odd moment of brilliance by the likes of JJF and friends the whole leg would have been ultra dull. What it has done though is get me pretty psyched for Rio.

Three different event winners and Gabe Medina going into his home event as number one in the world makes things just a little more spicy. The world title race is seemingly wide open, could this be the year a new schooler comes through and actually breaks the old school guard on the title? Well you’d like to think so but look at that top five and it has a consistent ring to it, Medina sits at the top of the pile but it’s Slater, Parko, Taj and Fanning who are the guys in hot pursuit.

It would seem that the likes of Julian Wilson, JJF, Bourez and Medina all need a lesson in consistency and winning ugly when they need to, and Brazil has got to be a good place to start. It’s part of the tour which is much derided, but I’d say after the last two events, I’m positively excited about the prospect of the world’s best being unleashed on a sucky beach break and not a fat reef. So who’ going to make their move here and slot into proper title contention mode?

The beauty of Rio is it’s wide open, that’s why beach breaks rule. In theory JJF, Julian, Medina and Jordy should all be favourites out here, it’s punt heaven, as they have all proved in the past. Trouble is changing tides, get one heat with a fat bank and it’s the carving prowess of Fanning or Parko that comes to the fore, and then there is the all round stalwarts like Slater and Taj, not to mention De Souza who is always on fire at this event. Basically we’re sitting not eh fence as it is just way too hard to call. What is for sure the new ASP commentary team will keep us amused with there incredible ability to talk about nothing for hours.

So who is in your fantasy surf team? And we’re talking the new ASP one for the sake of this (mainly because ed Nunn forgot to get his first team signed off for snapper int he other one), here’s our Ed’s pick, and for the first year ever he’s actually doing alright, especially in the girls  –

A1 – Slater – Boring I know, always stick with the consistent old man

A2 – Medina – If he’s going to mount a serious title challenge, he needs to do well at home, and I think he will.

B1 – Julian Wilson – I think a future world champ once he gets consistent, hopefully he’ll get on a roll here

B2 – Nat Young – Guys got something for all conditions, not sure he has what it takes to win here but hopefully a quarter finalist.

B3- JJF – Just cus he’s the best surfer in the world and can win every event, and he has won this one before.

B4 – Jordy Smith – Because he’s deadly here, and almost everywhere good chance he could win the event

C1 – Jadson Andre – mechanical and a bit one dimensional still a good shout to make a few rounds

C2 – Matt Wilkinson – Because one day this guy is going to win an event, and hardly anyone will have him in their team!

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