BIG SCORES IN THE AZORES

From Mayhem’s Blog, Pic aspworldtour.com:

2013 Azores Prime Champion Tomas Hermes.

Alejo Muniz, riding what I think was the same V2 Shortboard he used to Win The US Open, was on fire this week. He came up against Kolohe Andino in the quarter-finals. This was a re-match of the US Open final. I sent Kolohe a text that he better get Alejo back. He said “I will do my best” …and he did. Smashing Alejo and moving on to the Semis.

The Lone Granger was there as well.

As was Evan Geisleman

The fashionista that is Luke Davis showed up.

Kolohe was looking like a seasoned veteran. Smoothly combining radical air moves and solid fore and back hand power surfing. Apart from his second place in R4, he seemd to glide with ease to the semi finals. He mostly rode his 5’10 EPS Sub Driver from The US Open, but it looks like on the last day he switched to a different board. I dont know what it was yet, but I think it was a 5’10.5 Beach BuggyKA, in regular foam… maybe for the chop.

In the semi, against Adam Melling, with 1 minute left he needed a 7.9, caught a wave and got a 7.6. He then paddled out and got an 8. Then, with 30 seconds left, Adam nailed a door closing 9. Kolohe had to bow out to fate, but was ripping, and when he needed the score, he got it… the other guy won’t always get a 9 with 30 seconds left.

The final was Adam Melling against Tomas Hermes. Adam using a 5’10 18.5 2.25 Driver, based off the boards we developed with Mick Fanning, off and on, over the last couple of years. It was copy of the board Adam rode at Lowers and Santa Cruz last year. In a slow final, he came up short to Tomas but has to be stoked on a 2nd place finish, which puts him in position to re-qualify for the WCT next year.

The man of the hour is Tomas Hermes , from Brazil. I dont think I have even met Tomas, but he ordered a few boards for the US Open, via some mutual friends on tour. I cant even remember what I made him, but it looks like they did the trick. this result puts young Tomas on the brink of qualification for next years tour.

Here is a video of the final day. Of the final 8 in the Quarters, 4 were on our boards. Of the final 4 in the semis… 3 were on our boards. For the second Prime event in a row (The last one being the US Open in HB, where both Kolohe and Alejo were on Lost boards) both finalists rode Mayhem shapes. It’s gratifying, and rewarding for all the hard work we do, to say the least. Thanks to all these great athletes for making us kooks so good.