Jeremy Flores (FRA), 25, earned the day’s high scores at Saquarema.

After having to face extreme conditions yesterday, surfers were met with waves in the 4-6 foot (1.5-2 meters) range and light winds throughout the day at Itauna Beach for the Quiksilver Saquarema Prime presented by Coca-Cola. Despite the decrease in size, the athletes kept on pumping out high scores as the higher seeds continued to qualify into the later rounds.

Last years event winner, Matt Wilkinson (AUS), guaranteed a spot into the Round of 16 with his victory today while fellow WCT surfer Jeremy Flores (FRA) also advanced while receiving an 18.30 (out of a possible 20) for the highest heat-wave total of the day.

“The conditions have completely changed since yesterday,” said Jeremy Flores. “I’m happy to be doing well in the last couple of contests and I feel confident for the next heats.”

Brett Simpson (USA), who has become familiar with the Quiksilver Saquarema Prime, also qualified into the Round of 16 and praised the conditions at Itauna Beach.

“It’s my fourth time here at Saquarema and in my opinion it has the best and most consistent waves in Brazil,” stated Brett Simpson. “The waves are perfect. I just came up from the WCT because I like to compete and I knew I could get some important points in the ranking if I did well here.”

Mitchel Coleborn (AUS), who has been near qualification for the WCT in the past years, looked ready to take his place as an elite surfer with his performance today.

“All I know is that I need to get good results to make it onto the WCT and that’s all I’m really after,” said Mitchel Coleborn. “It was a good heat and the waves are always good here at Saquarema. It’s going to get tougher now with the man-on-man heats, but I feel confident enough to get to the final here.”

Another surfer who has been on the WCT and hopes to climb back into the elite rankings is Jadson Andre (BRA). Andre was victorious today and will face fellow Brazilian and ex-WCT athlete, Bernardo Miranda (BRA).

“Since it’s the only Prime event in Brazil, I’m stoked to make it into the Round of 16,” said Jadson Andre. “It’s a very important contest for me and I’m focused on winning some more heats and hopefully winning it here.”

An 8am (local time) call is set for tomorrow (Saturday) where Gabriel Villaran (PER) and Sebastian Zietz (HAW) will face off in their Round of 24 duel.

The Quiksilver Saquarema Prime presented by Coca-Cola is produced by Adding Sports and sponsored by the State of Rio de Janeiro, Peugeot and the City of Saquarema. With additional support provided by the Peugeot Montreal Dealership, CCS Via Lagos, the Rio de Janeiro State Surfing Federation (FESERJ), and the Brazilian Association of Surfing Professionals (ABRASP). The event is approved by the ASP South America as the second ASP Prime event of 2013 and will be transmitted live on the internet: www.quiksilver.com.br/primesaquarema13

IMAGES – High resolution images gallery available for download here – http://www.aspworldtour.com/aspimagery/

QUIKSILVER SAQUAREMA ROUND OF 24 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.57, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 9.43, Bernardo Miranda (BRA) 1.40
Heat 2: Jadson Andre (BRA) 16.56, Stu Kennedy (AUS) 15.46, Perth Standlick (AUS) 7.90
Heat 3: Brett Simpson (USA) 16.87, Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.77, Heath Joske (AUS) 10.90
Heat 4: Mitchel Coleborn (AUS) 15.27, Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 13.26, Dion Atkinson (AUS) 9.10
Heat 5: Simao Romao (BRA) 14.93, Gabriel Villaran (PER) 9.53, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.10
Heat 6: Kiron Jabour (HAW) 14.20, Glenn Hall (IRL) 12.40, Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 11.07
Heat 7: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 18.30, Joan Duru (FRA) 14.00, Dale Staples (ZAF) 11.37
Heat 8: Aritz Aranburu (EUK) 14.76, Damien Hobgood (USA) 11.27, Marc Lacomare (FRA) 10.80

QUIKSILVER SAQUAREMA PRIME ROUND OF 24 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Raoni Monteiro (BRA) 12.93 def. Perth Standlick (AUS) 10.96
Heat 2: Bernardo Miranda (BRA) 13.70 def. Stu Kennedy (AUS) 10.37
Heat 3: Dion Atkinson (AUS) 15.54 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.93
Heat 4: Tanner Gudauskas (USA) 12.33 def. Heath Joske (AUS) 11.26

REMAINING QUIKSILVER SAQUAREMA ROUND OF 24 MATCH UPS:
Heat 5: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) vs. Gabriel Villaran (PER)
Heat 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Glenn Hall (IRL)
Heat 7: Joan Duru (FRA) vs. Marc Lacomare (FRA)
Heat 8: Damien Hobgood (USA) vs. Dale Staples (ZAF)

DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS:

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Quiksilver Saquarema Prime 2013 – Day 3 from Quiksilver Brasil on Vimeo.

The last weekend in May marks the beginning of the fifth season of providing a 27m platform to the breathtaking sport of cliff diving and its extraordinary athletes fighting for the prestigious title of the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series Champion. In the next five months, and during eight competitions, the cliff diving elite will launch from almost three times the Olympic diving height in venues all over the globe, showing their most spectacular and difficult tricks, and overcoming rational fear to impress the judges and spectators alike. And to spice it all up, the 2013 World Series comes to its scariest location first: La Rochelle, France.

The baguette, beret and fromage are three things unmistakably French. A dazzling height, cold water and daring men in speedos are almost as closely connected with the city of La Rochelle as the aforementioned are associated with France. Since 2009, the catacombs of the Saint Nicolas Tower have come alive each year – besides a side-step to Corsica in 2012 – when the world’s best high divers have come to town. 120 steps to the scariest platform in the entire competition, the 27m-structure will be the focus of attention for up to 70,000 spectators, the biggest crowd ever for a World Series event.  Eight months after the last dive into the warm Omani waters of the Wadi Shab, the top 10 divers from the past season and the qualification competition come to France’s Atlantic Coast to hit their very first high dives of the year. A lot will be expected of the sport’s heavyweights such as Gary Hunt (UK) and Orlando Duque (COL), who have both been working on new dives during the off-season, as well as the rookies, Jonathan Paredes (MEX), Anatoliy Shabotenko (UKR) and Matt Cowen (UK). None of them are
older than 24, and these young guns will guarantee the continued development of this rapidly-evolving discipline.

Frenchmen and local heroes Cyrille Oumedjkane and Hassan Mouti, as well as Alain Kohl (LUX) and Todor Spasov (BUL), complete the divers’ list for the kick-off competition on May 24 and 25 as wildcard divers. All well-established athletes, they are the first of a pool of 15 wildcard divers who will be invited to one or more stops during the season.  The historic defence tower in La Rochelle’s old port is a daunting location and the most dreaded among the divers. Its 27m plus platform seems all the higher as it overlooks the surrounding town and the athletes land in 12˚C water that seems ice-cold. With the help of a huge and encouraging crowd of
around 70,000 spectators the athletes will be able to overcome their anxieties and enjoy the threesecond freefalls, in which they achieve speeds of 85kph. Their performances will be judged by five international judges, among them for the first time Russia’s world famous Olympic diver Dmitri Sautin.  Gary Hunt, the three-time champion, was the last winner of a competition in La Rochelle; Orlando Duque won the kick-off stop in Corsica in 2012 – on May 25, 2013, the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series starts its new season, live on screens, from 7pm at the Saint Nicolas Tower.

WORLD SERIES ATHLETES
Anatoliy Shabotenko               UKR                 Rookie 2013
Artem Silchenko                        RUS                 4th overall 2012
Blake Aldridge                             UK                    9th overall 2012
David Colturi                               USA                  5th overall 2012
Gary Hunt                                     UK                    Winner 2012
Jonathan Paredes                     MEX                 Rookie 2013
Matt Cowen                                  UK                    Rookie 2013
Michal Navratil                          CZE                   6th overall 2012
Orlando Duque                           COL                   2nd overall 2012
Steven LoBue                             USA                    3rd overall 2012

WILDCARDS
Alain Kohl                                    LUX
Cyrille Oumedjkane                  FRA
Hassan Mouti                              FRA
Todor Spasov                              BUL

CALENDAR & LOCATIONS
May 24 – 25 | La Rochelle | FRANCE
June 21 – 22 | Copenhagen | DENMARK
June 28 – 29 | Azores, S.Miguel | PORTUGAL
July 13 – 14 | Malcesine | ITALY
August 23 – 24 | Boston | USA
September 13 – 14 | Pembrokeshire,
Wales | UNITED KINGDOM
September 27 – 28 | Nitéroi, Rio de Janeiro
| BRAZIL
October 21 – 26 | Krabi Province | THAILAND
RED BULL CLIFF DIVING WORLD SERIES 2013
85kph, aesthetic gravity-defying freefall – cliff diving is the purest extreme sport on earth. Ten of the world’s best cliff divers launch from 27 metres with no protection at all, except their concentration, skill and physical control.  They add flips and twists to their freefall and hit the water three seconds later. As the pinnacle of cliff diving competitions, the 2013 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series is once again the platform for breathtaking action and beyond-belief complexity, spotlighting the sport’s top athletes as well as young talent. In its fifth season, the World Series title is decided during eight competitions across Europe, Asia, North and South America between May and October.

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Behind the Scenes at 159 before our upcoming UFC 160 Fight on Saturday.

Training for the Olympics…Whats it all about?

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The 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship heads to Lakewood, Colorado’s Thunder Valley MX Park for Round 2. The action-packed season opener at Hangtown saw Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Ryan Villopoto take the 450 points lead after his commanding sweep of both motos, while Red Bull KTM’s Ken Roczen flew the head of the points pack with his double win in the 250 class. Thunder Valley will host its ninth Lucas Oil Pro Motocross National during the coming weekend and is a unique stop on the schedule thanks to the altitude of the venue, which challenges riders’ physical fitness in the thin air.

The first round of 2013 at Hangtown marked Villopoto’s return to the Nationals after missing all of 2012 due to injury. RV wasted no time after the gate dropped, gaining the front early in Moto 1 and holding off pressure from defending champion Ryan Dungey of Red Bull KTM and Yoshimura Suzuki’s James Stewart. In Moto 2 the Kawasaki rider played catch-up a bit while Stewart and Dungey battled for the lead but by mid-race Villopoto had pushed past both riders and proceeded to build a comfortable gap on the field. Out back, Team Honda Muscle Milk’s Trey Canard and Justin Barcia grabbed fourth and fifth-place finishes in both motos, respectively. Barcia won at the Colorado track in last year’s 250 race and could contend for race wins there in the 450 class if he’s able to get a good jump off the line.

Dungey and Stewart are currently the most accomplished riders at Thunder Valley in the 450 class, with Dungey claiming overall victories in 2010, 2011 and 2012 and Stewart taking the overall in 2008 and 2009. In 2012 Stewart entered the round at Thunder Valley with the points lead after his perfect start to the season, but in Moto 1 went down while attempting to avoid a person crossing the track. The incident forced him to pull out of competition and he was unable to return for Moto 2. For the rest of the season Stewart battled with injuries, missed rounds and failed to live up to the pace he set at the start of the season. He’ll be gunning hard for a strong performance at the track to make up for the utterly disastrous turn of events last year.

Villopoto’s teammate, Jake Weimer, BTO Sports’ Andrew Short and Motoconcepts’ Mike Alessi each scored top-five results at Thunder Valley in 2012 and may battle with the front pack as well.

Roczen went 2-4 at Thunder Valley in 2012, but will be a major contender for moto wins there this year considering his dominant performance in the season opener. The German rider had trouble maintaining pace over the race distance during the previous season, often dropping off in the final laps due to an apparent lack of fitness. He proved at Hangtown that this isn’t the case anymore.

Roczen’s teammate, Marvin Musquin, went 5-5 at the Colorado track in 2012 and will be pushing to get on the podium in Round 2. Musquin led for a brief period in Moto 1 at Hangtown but fell back to finish fourth, and in Moto 2 he battled back from an early crash for another fourth-place finish. GEICO Honda’s Eli Tomac is another with the chops to score moto wins, and he’ll have extra incentive to do well since he hails from Colorado and will have strong support from the home crowd.

Defending 250 Nationals champion Blake Baggett of Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki scored the Moto 2 win at Thunder Valley in 2012 and was a fierce competitor in the 2013 season opener at Hangtown. He’s currently tied with Tomac in second-place overall and will be fighting hard to gain ground on Roczen in Colorado.

These relative veterans of the class will have some additional competition from a host of rookies. MyPlash’s Cooper Webb grabbed fifth-place in his first professional race and appeared confident on his new mount. Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki’s Adam Cianciarulo, who was unable to compete at Hangtown due to illness, may also prove to be a threat as the highly touted rookie is expected to make his official debut at Thunder Valley. Orange Brigade’s Joey Savatgy grabbed ninth overall at Hangtown and will likely improve as he grows more comfortable on his new KTM ride and GEICO Honda’s Zach Bell will be a serious contender if he’s able to maintain pace after his often quick starts.

Bell’s teammate, Zach Osborne, took fifth with a 9-5 result at Hangtown and will be looking to bang-bars inside the top-10, as will Rockstar Suzuki’s Jason Anderson and Blake Wharton.

In addition to the glory of moto wins, there are a number of other benchmarks of success available to riders this year.  Motorcycle-Superstore.com’s Holeshot Award acts as a championship within a championship, with riders amassing points for every holeshot they earn. The riders with the most points at the end of the season in the 450 and 250 classes will get a substantial bonus for their achievement – $25,000 to the 450 Holeshot Champion and $15,000 to the 250 Holeshot champ. Currently Stewart leads in the 450s with four points, having scored holeshots in both motos at Hangtown, while Bagget has notched one point and Bell two. Rules designate one point for a Moto 1 holeshot, two points for a Moto 2 holeshot and a bonus point when a rider scores holeshots in both motos.

There is also the Oakley Bomb Fastest Lap Program, which gives recognition to the fastest riders in both classes, won in Hangtown by Barcia in the 450 and Tomac in the 250 class. For the riders who make up the most ground and demonstrate a never-give-up spirit, there’s the Ricky Carmichael Hard Charger Award, which is given in each round. At Hangtown, Troy Lee Designs’ Malcolm Stewart and Cole Seely shared the RC Hard Charger Award as both were able to pass 21 riders in one moto, respectively.

When Ryan Sheckler was seven years old, he was already an innovative skateboarder, inspiring guys twice his size and accomplishing tricks some people only dream of. etnies took notice and welcomed Ryan to the family, making him the youngest athlete in the brand’s history. A few years later, Ryan turned pro at the young age of 13 and began his evolution as a skateboarder, winning global contests, accumulating awards and impressing the world with his natural talent. etnies has supported him through his long journey and this year is proud to celebrate #Shecks15YearsStrong on #etnies. To commemorate the anniversary, etnies has created and released a short documentary, 15 Years Strong, along with a limited-edition book highlighting the durability of Ryan’s skate career and the relationship between brand and athlete over the course of 15 Years. This is supported by his new #etniesMarana signature shoe colors and apparel merchandise pack.

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Issue #2 of Salted Magazine Hits Newsstands Mid-June

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The second issue of SURFER Magazine’s award-winning women’s surf magazine, SALTED, hits newsstands June 11. The debut issue earned a 2013 MAGGIE Award in the Best Annual & Custom Publication category and also had the highest in sell-through of any special issue produced by SURFER. Issue 2 promises nearly 100 pages of female surf content—including massive photo features, interviews with the best and most interesting surfers, adventures to far-off locales, health, fashion and more. Some of the many female surfers featured in Issue 2 include Malia Manuel, Kassia Meador, Steph Gilmore, and Lisa Andersen.

“For the second issue, we wanted to really show how broad female surfing is, so we included features that span all ages, locations, and sectors of the surf world,” says SURFER Managing Editor Janna Irons, who edited the issue. “There’s a profile on one of the most progressive female surfers on the planet, Malia Manuel, as well as one on one with one of the greatest female surfers of all time, Lisa Andersen. There are trips to Iceland, China, and Mexico, and a massive photo feature of beautiful images from all over the globe. We also included a feature on the best female big-wave surfers, where they discuss the dangers and motivations for surfing massive waves. Plus, we threw in a short fashion feature, an op-ed, and a collection of smaller features on interesting characters in the surf world. There really is a ton of great content in the issue that I’m super excited about.”

“We are proud to create a special issue that really showcases the women in the sport,” says Publisher Tony Perez. “The caliber of female athletes has never been this high, and their performances have never been better. And thanks to the endemic support for the girls, we are able to produce this amazing product.”

SALTED’s debut issue landed on newsstands last summer to major acclaim and readers have been asking for more ever since. Female surf content has been scarce in the media in recent years leaving female surf fans hungry for this kind of female focused content.

“I don’t think the demand for female content has ever decreased; in fact, there are more female surfers and female surfing fans now than ever before,” continues Irons. “For a while now, there just hasn’t been a place to see all the great trips and sessions that are happening around the world. SALTED is able to provide that, and because it’s made by the editors of SURFER it has the level of quality and authenticity readers have come to expect from the biggest surf magazine in the world.”

SALTED by SURFER Magazine will be on newsstands at local surf shops and bookstores beginning June 11, 2013. A digital version will also be available on the Apple Newsstand. Follow Salted on Twitter or Instagram: @SaltedMagazine

About SURFER

In 1960, SURFER Magazine began as the original. After a long history of delivering provocative and insightful editorial features, revealing interviews and award winning state-of-the-art photography, SURFER remains the authoritative voice of the surfing world and thus earned the moniker “the bible of the sport.” The SURFER brand has also grown to include Surfermag.com, Fantasy Surfer, and the SURFER message boards. All of these assets combine to make the SURFER network the most current and reliable channel of information to the surf community. The magazine is published by Source Interlink’s GrindMedia, which reaches more than 22-million active sports enthusiasts through an integrated network of magazines, online properties, events and television programming. To learn more, visit surfermag.com

About GrindMedia

Source Interlink Media’s GrindMedia is home to renowned action and adventure sports magazine brands Surfer, Surfing, Snowboarder, Skateboarder, Powder, Bike, Canoe & Kayak, SUP-Standup Paddler and Paved. Along with our standalone websites, including GrindTV.com, Newschoolers and Motocross.com, GrindMedia is the leading provider of print and online action sports and entertainment content in the United States. Delivering significant reach across both action sports enthusiast and various in-market consumer audiences, GrindMedia produces more than 20 leading events and webcasts such as Surfer Poll Awards, Powder Video Awards, Lowers Pro and EnduroCross. GrindMedia is also the exclusive action and adventure sports content provider for Yahoo! Sports. To learn more, visit grindmedia.com.

Check out the latest Land Rover Parkour video if you haven’t already above and get all the information you need at The Land Rover Homepage. 

 Land Rover in the past has been known for its sponsorship in equestrian events, extreme sailing series and catamaran events.  Now they seem to be phasing into a more youthful demographic, “Parkour” and potentially other more extreme events.  I believe they have come to the notion that our younger generations are finally growing up and making a fine living…enough to atleast take advantage of a bit higher end auto that caters to our action sports lifestyles.

Check this out…These guys can’t all be wrong and they all drive Land Rovers (I’m sure you’ll recognize some of the names on this list:

Adam Sabbagh, Al Pacino, Alcides Escobar, Alessandra Ambrosio, Alex Gerrard, Anibel Sanchez, Billie Piper, Brian Green, Bruce Springsteen, Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, David Beckham, Elizabeth Hurley, Ellen Pompeo, Emily VanCamp, Emma Roberts, Eric Dane, felix Hernandez, Gavin Degraw, Gavin Rossdale, George Clooney, Georgina Chapman, Gerard Butler, Gwen Stefani, Harry Styles, Helen Flanagan, Hilary Duff, Holly Madison, Jack Nicholson, Jamie Hince, January Jones, Jay Z, Jessica Simpson, Jimmy Smith, Joe Haden, John Mayer, Jordana Brewster, Justin Bieber, Kate Middleton, Kate Moss, Kate Walsh, Katie Price, Kelly Osbourne, Kelly Brook, Kendall Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Kirstie Alley, Kourtney Kardashian, Kristin Cavallari, Kurt Russell, Lala Anthony, LeAnn Rimes, Leona Lewis, Lily Allen, Mary Kate Olsen, Matthew McConaughey, Megan Fox, Michelle Trachtenbera, Mila Kunis, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Kerr, Nicky Hildton, Nicolette Sheridan, Pamela Anderson, Pauly Shore, Pete Wentz, Petra Eccelestone, Portia de Rossi, Rachel Zoe, Robbie Williams, Rod Stewart, Ryan Seacrest, Sarah Harding, Scott Disick, Shane Mosley, Sharon Osbourne, Sofia Vergara, Sophie Monk, Tamara Ecclestone, Tim Burton, Tom Brady, Vanessa Minnillo, Victoria Beckham and Whitney Port.

ASH is interested to get your input…What action sports stars or Mixed martial arts stars that  you know of drive Land Rovers?  Send us your pics and maybe we’ll send you a Land Rover of your very own!

Find Out More about the Tempest Freerunning Academy

Gabriel Medina (BRA), 19, surfed a near-perfect 19-point heat total despite the wild conditions on offer at Saquarema today.

Competitors were put to the test in extremely challenging conditions on Thursday for the Quiksilver Saquarema Prime presented by Coca-Cola at Itauna Beach in Rio de Janeiro. The second day of competition started off with heavy waves in the 6-8 foot range (2-3 meters) with larger sets throughout the day reaching 10+ feet plus. Although the initial heats were run in fair weather with light offshore winds, conditions became increasingly demanding with huge, foamy closeouts, broken boards, strong currents, nasty wipeouts and consistent onshore winds from the southwest.

Despite the conditions, the level of performance was extremely high as the athletes kept pumping out big scores during a lengthy day of competition. Gabriel Medina (BRA), picked up where he left off yesterday, pulling off the day’s highest scores of a 9.20 and a 9.83 for a 19.03 points (out of a possible 20) heat-wave total.

“I’m so happy I caught good waves again,” said Gabriel Medina. “Today (Thursday) it’s big and I used a bigger board. I hope it’s smaller tomorrow because it’s hard to compete in these types of conditions. There’s a really strong current and I had to keep paddling to stay where the lefts were breaking.”

Athletes were thankful for the jet-ski assistance to the outside today. In addition to safety concerns because of the increase in wave size, event organizers opted to extend the surfer’s scoring opportunities when yesterday, after catching the long lefthanders at Itauna Beach, most athletes elected to race back up the beach instead of fighting against the current. Stamina, endurance and conditioning have been vital in Saquarema.

Because of the extreme conditions, the day was filled with upsets, come from behind victories and last minute drama. Local surfer Raoni Monteiro (BRA) was only able to qualify in the dying seconds of his heat along with Perth Standlick (AUS).

“Yeah, the heat only ends when the horn sounds,” said Raoni Monteiro. “We were all waiting out the back and I paddled a little farther in knowing that I needed a low score. I paddled hard to catch that wave and rode it to the end. You just have to paddle into whatever comes and try not to fall. There’s a lot of waves and you just need to fight off the warbles and try to go big.”

Many of the surfers competing at the Quiksilver Saquarema Prime were surprised at the powerful waves breaking at Itauna Beach. For some, like Jeremy Flores (FRA), it was their first time to the “Maracana” of Brazilian surfing and found the waves similar to Hawaii.

“It’s tough because there is a strong current, but there are waves, so I’m happy to surf in conditions like this with big waves,” said Jeremy Flores. “The hardest part for me was the paddling. Everything is difficult but we’re all catching a lot of waves and I’m impressed with the quality of the waves here. It’s my first time to Saquarema and it’s amazing, very similar to Hawaii. I like to surf with bigger boards and I’m happy that I made it into the next round.”

Matt Wilkinson (AUS) continued his quest to repeat his victory at the ASP 2013 Quiksilver Saquarema Prime by advancing into the No Losers Round of 24 along with Jadson Andre (BRA) by defeating Dusty Payne (HAW) and Jesse Mendes (BRA).

“Conditions are very difficult, the waves are really strong and there’s still the wind and current to deal with,” said Matt Wilkinson. “Besides beating your competitors, you’ve also got to beat the ocean, which makes everything harder. The waves are huge, but fun. It’s a different kind of wave that’s really powerful, so I’m stoked to qualify into the next round and it would be fantastic to win this event again.”

A call is set for 7am (local time) on Friday where Heat 10 of the Round of 48 will hit the water with Joan Duru (FRA), Marc Lacomare (FRA), Cory Lopez (USA) and Heitor Alves (BRA) facing off against each other.

The Quiksilver Saquarema Prime presented by Coca-Cola is produced by Adding Sports and sponsored by the State of Rio de Janeiro, Peugeot and the City of Saquarema. With additional support provided by the Peugeot Montreal Dealership, CCS Via Lagos, the Rio de Janeiro State Surfing Federation (FESERJ), and the Brazilian Association of Surfing Professionals (ABRASP). The event is approved by the ASP South America as the second ASP Prime event of 2013 and will be transmitted live on the internet: www.quiksilver.com.br/prime saquarema13

IMAGES – High resolution images gallery available for download here – http://www.aspworldtour.com/aspimagery/

Day 3 Highlights to come:

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When Matt Riddle got the axe from the UFC after failing a post-fight drug test in which he tested positive for marijuana, you already knew that a number of other promotions would come courting.  Unlike the stigma that befalls fighters who test positive for PEDs, the general thought on marijuana use is a big fat “meh.”  As Bob Sagat’s character famously said in the movie Half Baked, “Marijuana is not a drug. I used to suck d**k for coke. Now that’s an addiction. You ever suck some d**k for marijuana?”

In a day and age where medicinal marijuana cards are issued with impunity and with nearly 50% of the population being cool with smoking a little weed, Riddle’s offense seems less and less the scarlet letter that that UFC would have you believe.  Which is why promoters came courting when the former The Ultimate Fighter alum found himself outside he friendly confines of the UFC’s Octagon.  However, desperate for new blood in its welterweight division, Bellator came and swooped up the young fighter almost immediately.

“I had so many options after I left the UFC, but knowing that I was able to compete in a tournament against guys like Paul Daley, Ben Saunders, and Douglas Lima, signing with Bellator was an easy decision,” Riddle said. “This division is just so stacked, and being able to fight in a tournament makes it even better. Bellator is doing a lot of great things right now, and I want to be a part of it.”

“Matt’s got all the tools to be a force in our welterweight division,” Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney said in a prepared release. “When I saw Matt get released from the UFC coming off 4 straight wins including his dominant win over Mills in February, we took notice. We both realize that Matt will have a target on his back for his past indiscretions.  But having discussed it with him, I’m comfortable that he’s in the right place to enter the Bellator cage this fall in what will be the most loaded  Bellator Welterweight Tournament in the promotions history.”

Rmbeny has a point.  Bellator’s welterweight division has been in complete control by its reigning champion Ben Askren.  Despite being as dominant a champion as you can expect in today’s MMA, Askren’s wrestling-centric fighting style has left many praying for his downfall.  Enter Riddle, who may or may not be able dethrone Askren, but he’s a new face with the valued UFC brand recognition tied to him.  It’s a savvy move for Bellator that probably didn’t break the bank to much to acquire.

Riddle will make his debut in this upcoming tournament season.  No date has been confirmed yet.

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