SAQUAREMA, Rio de Janeiro (Thursday, July 16, 2009) – Itauna Beach cranked open the surf tap with clean four-to-six foot (1 – 2 metre) waves on offer for the third straight day of competition at ASP WQS 6-Star Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl that saw the event favourites and top ASP WQS campaigners No. 1 Brazilian Jadson Andre and No. 3 Australian Adam Melling advancing with good perfomances.

One of the highlights of the day was Brazilian Pedro Henrique, who got a beatiful barrel in the first heat of the day. Henrique took down top ASP WQS campaigner No. 8 Patrick Gudauskas posting an almost perfect 9.83 score (out of 10.00), with three judges giving him the perfect score (10 points) on his first wave of the heat.

“Ahh great heat without no doubt,”Henrique said. “WQS Tour is always difficult, all heats are strong, if you not get good waves you lose. I just want to thank God for that wave (9.83 points), I saw Trekinho (Marcelo) took an 8.30 on a wave that I almost went, so I knew I had to start well with a high score, and then that perfect wave came to me and it was just a magical wave. That thing bowled up on the inside and I managed to stick with it and come out. I was super stoked because the view was insane – whether I came out or not I was happy.”

Who came close to the new record of Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl was the American Brett Simpson, who earned a 9.17 from judges with three strong maneuvers, with pressure and speed.

“The waves are really fun, fortunately the waves came on my way,’Simpson said. “On my 9.17 score (out a possible of 10), I was on the spot and the other guy was too deep so I paddled into the wave, did two big turns and a huge floater in the end, that was a great waveThis is my first time here, for sure is the best waves that I always surfed here in Brazil, Fernando de Noronha Island is better but a different type of wave, and here is a great place for a contest and if the waves continues like this will be perfect for us.”

Brazilian Neco Padaratz who finished in second place in the ASP WQS 6-Star event last week in Florianopolis ended in second place in the last heat of the day, moving straight to Round of 24 of Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl.

“Incredible heat,” Padaratz said. “This is my third time here in Saquarema and today I woke up really hungry to surf and when I saw the waves it was fantastic, with pressure, barrels, hot water, off-shore winds and perfect size for competition.”

Australian Adam Melling, No 3 on the ASP WQS ranking, confirmed his dominance and won his heat tpday, leaving the youngest winner of an ASP WQS event, Brazilian Gabriel Medina (15) in second, with both eliminating the winner of the only ASP WQS event held at Saquarema in 1997, Brazilian Victor Ribas (4th) and Australian Jarrad Howse (3rd).

“Good start for me, I got some good waves out there,” Melling said. ’Today is better, bigger, so I want to have a good result here, get more points and get ready to the next events. Here is a nice place to surf and compete, good waves and good wheather.”

Despite finishing in second, Brazilian Gabriel Medina was happy with his performance at Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl and he also commented that there is no pressure to repeat his victory of last week at Mole Beach in Florianopolis.

“This is very different from there, more difficult to surf,” Medina said. “That contest was very good to me and fortunately I found the waves that I needed to advance myself. I will try to improve my surfing in my next heat and continue surfing without any pressure.”

The only surfer from Hawaii in the competition, Dusty Payne, was one of the surfers who surfed two heats and advanced to the Round of 24 of this great day of surfing at Coca-Cola Saquarema Pro pres. by Rip Curl.

“I’m happy to make my heat, the waves are good today, good walls, but still high tide right now and I think will be better in the afternoon” Payne said. “Oh, I didn’t know that (breaking the Top 15 on the ASP WQS), good surprise for me, but we have a long way to go and I still need to get good results during this year.”