Top 3 surfers on 2011 ASP World Tour Rankings – September Update
Prior to the seventh stop of the 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour, Hurley Pro, let us take a quick look at the surfers who are currently occupying the Top 3 spots on the ASP World Tour Rankings.
1. Kelly Slater
The 39-year-old American got off to a perfect start this season, clinching a victory at the very first stop in Australia. As the tour progressed, Slater began to seem a bit out of rhythm. He even failed to show up for the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay in South
Africa, which earned him a lot of criticism and made him lose his No.1 spot on the ASP World Title Rankings. However, he made a strong comeback during the fifth stop of the tour, Billabong Pro Tahiti, completely stealing the show with his flawless performances
to walk away with his second victory of the season.
Slater carried this excellent form with him to America, keeping the momentum going at Quiksilver Pro New York. Looking as invincible as ever, the American drilled through the competition to earn yet a second consecutive title shot. However, he failed to
go all the way and eventually had to settle for runner-up place. The outcome was not a complete disappointment as the runner-up finish served to cement his place on top in the ASP World Title Rankings. He is going real strong while pursuing his 11th
ASP World Title.
2. Owen Wright
The 21-year-old Australian has begun to show some serious fire-power as the latest season of the ASP World Tour is unwinding. After a not so impressive start to the season, Wright immediately bounced back with an equal-fifth finish in Rip Curl Pro at Bells
Beach. He made another solid impact at the third stop of the elite tour as well, but made an early exit from the competition during the fourth stop in South Africa.
Billabong Pro Tahiti saw Wright lay down a series of outstanding performances to make his way into the Final before eventually conceding victory to America’s iconic surfer, Slater. However, the formidable talent from Australian came to Quiksilver Pro New
York with a determination to see himself through to the very end this time. After an early hiccup during the sixth stop of the ASP World Tour, he made a strong comeback and went through the rest of the competition like a bullet train.
Wright once again came face to face with Slater in the Final, but this time he did not succumb to his intimidating opponent and managed to clinch the win, which allowed him to rise to the No.2 spot on the ASP World Title Rankings.
3. Joel Parkinson
The 30-year-old Australian has been making waves at almost every stop of the 2011 ASP World Tour so far. He came up with an impressive performance at the first stop of the season, but a slight hiccup at a crucial moment removed him from the contention. However,
he came to Bells Beach in Australia carrying a frightening form and drilled through the initial rounds, quarter-finals and semi-finals to earn his place in the Final. After an intense finale to Rip Curl Pro, it was Parkinson who walked away with the win.
Parkinson finished fifth at the third stop of the season and made it into the semi-finals at Jeffrey Bay in South Africa. After a disappointing performance at Billabong Pro Tahiti, he pulled up yet another great effort at Quiksilver Pro New York, finishing
in ninth place. The effort was not a disappointing one. The current form of the experienced Australian surfer has him at No.3 on the 2011 ASP World Title Rankings.
While the Top 3 surfers are looking to be in excellent form, the rest of the surfers in the line-up are not looking any less impressive either. With Australia’s Mick Fanning and Taj Burrow, South Africa’s Smith and Brazil’s Adriano de Souza in contention
for the title, the going is never going to be easy for the Top 3 surfers.
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