Mick Fanning Wins Hurley Pro

Friday, 18 September 2015, Trestles, California, USA - Mick Fanning (AUS) won the Hurley Pro at Trestles and Carissa Moore (HAW) won the Swatch Women's Pro on a day that saw close calls and heavy battles each heat. Their victories also earned them the yellow jerseys signifying the men's and women's Jeep Leaders.

"I'm really stoked with this win, for number one and two to go at it in the final is great for everyone. Adriano is a champion who never gives up. I'm stoked it all came off for this event, I'll go home, regroup and get ready for the European leg." - Mick Fanning

The morning opened to glassy conditions and the first men's Quarterfinal featuring Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Joel Parkinson (AUS). Toledo, the 20-year-old Brazilian phenom, has won legions of new fans with his high-flying acrobatics. No. 4 on elite Tour rankings at the event's start, Toledo is already part of the Title race. At No. 18 on the rankings, Parko needed a win, badly. But undeterred by Parkinson's veteran status, Toledo surfed circles around him in the punchy waves, taking the win and moving on to the Semis.

The rest of the Quarters saw usual suspects winning their heats, setting up some heavy Semifinal matchups with just one big hiccup – an interference call on Nat Young (USA) against Gabriel Medina (BRA) at the start of Quarterfinal 4. The call cut one of Young's scores in half, compromising his ability to catch up.

In the Semis, Toledo was less authoritative against countrymen Adriano de Souza (BRA), who surfed away with the win. Similarly, Gabriel Medina (BRA) went down to Rip Curl teammate, friend and mentor Fanning who earned two nine-point-range scores during the bout.

The men's Final saw De Souza and Fanning face off in increasingly bumpy conditions that now matched the tension in the air. The stakes were high: For De Souza, it was about keeping his lead going into the European leg. For Fanning, it was about overtaking the lead, and possibly having another shot at glory. From the start, though, it was Fanning who had the rhythm and ease. At the halfway mark, he had De Souza comboed. De Souza battled back with a 9.07, but still needed an excellent-range score win.

via WSL. Photo © Todd Glaser