With the completion of the Billabong Pro Mundaka yesterday, won by Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, the 2009 ASP World Title race has heated up to a boiling point heading into the last two events on the ASP World Tour: the Rip Curl Pro Search Portugal and the Billabong Pipeline Masters.

Renato Hickel, ASP World Tour Manager, has run the scenarios of what it would take for current ASP World No. 1 Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, to clinch the 2009 ASP World Title at the upcoming event in Portugal:

“At this stage, mathematically, there are 10 surfers in contention for the 2009 ASP World Title, from current ASP World Tour ratings’ leader Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, to current ASP World #10 Damien Hobgood (USA), 30.

For the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Search Portugal these are the scenarios most likely to happen:

If Mick Fanning were to win the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Search Portugal:

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, would need a 9th or better and Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, would need a 3rd or better to prevent him from clinching the 2009 ASP World Title in Portugal.

If Mick Fanning finishes Runner-Up at the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Search Portugal:

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, would need a 17th or better, Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, a 5th or better, Kelly Slater (USA), 37, and Bede Durbidge (AUS), 26, a win to prevent him from clinching the 2009 ASP World Title in Portugal.

If Mick Fanning (AUS), 28, finishes 3rd at the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Search Portugal:

Joel Parkinson (AUS), 28, would need a 33rd, Adriano de Souza (BRA), 22, a 9th, Kelly Slater (USA), 37, and Bede Durbidge (AUS), 26, will need a Runner-Up finish, and C.J. Hobgood (USA), 30, and Taj Burrow (AUS), 31, will need to win to prevent Fanning from clinching the 2009 ASP World Title in Portugal.”

The Rip Curl Pro Search will host the world’s best surfers in Peniche, Portugal from 19 – 28, 2009.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

CURRENT ASP WORLD TOUR TOP 10 (After Billabong Pro Mundaka):
1 – Mick Fanning (AUS) 6350 points
2 – Joel Parkinson (AUS) 6306 points
3 – Adriano de Souza (BRA) 5773 points
4 – C.J. Hobgood (USA) 5748 points
5 – Bede Durbidge (AUS) 5524 points
6 – Kelly Slater (USA) 5514 points
7 – Taj Burrow (AUS) 5149 points
8 – Bobby Martinez (USA) 4914 points
9 – Taylor Knox (USA) 4816 points
10 – Damien Hobgood (USA) 4794 points