PENICHE, Portugal (Tuesday, October 20, 2009) – Stormy seas and heavy rain have forced event organizers to call a second, consecutive lay day for the Rip Curl Pro Search.

Stop No. 9 of 10 on the 2009 ASP World Tour, the Rip Curl Pro Search experienced bigger waves on offer this morning but opted not to run due to the poor quality of the conditions. With eight days remaining in the waiting period, event organizers have optioned to activate the new competition format, featuring elimination, man-on-man heats from the outset.

“We’re obviously off this morning with victory-at-sea conditions and heavy winds,” Damien Hardman, Rip Curl Pro Search Contest Director, said. “The winds are heavy out of the Southwest at the moment that are projected to go heavy Northwest by 10am so it is onshore all day. This is the supposed to be the worst day for weather so we’ll be back in 8am tomorrow morning to reassess conditions.”

Surfline, official forecasters for the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Search, are calling a major Northwest swell begins filling in this afternoon and into Wednesday and Thursday.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 8am for a possible 8:30am start.

The Rip Curl Pro Search will be webcast LIVE via http://live.ripcurl.com

The Rip Curl Pro Search is partnered regionally by RTP, Eurosport, Fuel TV and ESPN Brazil, who will all be broadcasting live from Peniche throughout the event. For more information on these live television broadcasts, please visit www.live.ripcurl.com.

For more information, log onto www.aspworldtour.com

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH ROUND 1 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: Tim Boal (FRA) vs. Jihad Khodr (BRA)

Heat 2: Heitor Alves (BRA) vs. David Weare (ZAF)

Heat 3: Tiago Pires (PRT) vs. Nathaniel Curran (USA)

Heat 4: Ben Dunn (AUS) vs. Phillip MacDonald (AUS)

Heat 5: Michel Bourez (PYF) vs. Marlon Lipke (DEU)

Heat 6: Chris Davidson (AUS) vs. Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

Heat 7: Kekoa Bacalso (HAW) vs. Owen Wright (AUS)

Heat 8: Kai Otton (AUS) vs. David Luis (PRT)

Heat 9: Dean Morrison (AUS) vs. Justin Mujica (PRT)

Heat 10: Mick Campbell (AUS) vs. Bruno Santos (BRA)

Heat 11: Chris Ward (USA) vs. Michael Picon (FRA)

Heat 12: Roy Powers (HAW) vs. Dayyan Neve (AUS)

Heat 13: Tim Reyes (USA) vs. Jay Thompson (AUS)

Heat 14: Josh Kerr (AUS) vs. Nic Muscroft (AUS)

Heat 15: Greg Emslie (ZAF) vs. Aritz Aranburu (EUK)

Heat 16: Dustin Barca (HAW) vs. Drew Courtney (AUS)

RIP CURL PRO SEARCH ROUND 2 MATCH-UPS:

Heat 1: C.J. Hobgood (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. TBA

Heat 3: Tom Whitaker (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 4: Bede Durbidge (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 5: Bobby Martinez (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 6: Taylor Knox (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 7: Adrian Buchan (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 8: Joel Parkinson (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 9: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 10: Dane Reynolds (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 11: Taj Burrow (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 12: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. TBA

Heat 13: Mick Fanning (AUS) vs. TBA

Heat 14: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) vs. TBA

Heat 15: Adriano de Souza (BRA) vs. TBA

Heat 16: Kieren Perrow (AUS) vs. TBA