Hang Loose Pro 2012 Highlights Day 2

CACIMBA DO PADRE, Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco / Brazil (Thursday, February, 09, 2012) - Another day of epic conditions was on hand for the ASP PRIME Hang Loose Pro Contest 2012. To the delight of the competitors, barreling waves in the 6-8 foot range (2-2.5 meters) breaking in both directions produced the first 10-point rides of the event at Cacimba do Padre beach, in Fernando de Noronha, Pernambuco, Brazil.

The day's highlights were provided by Bernardo Miranda (BRA), who received a 10-point ride and set the record for the event's highest-heat total of a 19.30 out of a possible 20 points.

"I saw Sebastien (Zietz, HAW) catch a right that scored a 9-something on a nice wave, and then another came towards me and I thought: this is my 10-point wave," said Miranda. "I felt it was going to be a good score because I got past a bunch of sections in the barrel and then the 10 was announced. I'm really happy because I saw a lot of other waves that people caught that I thought were 10's, but I guess the judges were waiting for something extra, which I got on that wave."

With a 10-point ride of his own, Mason Ho (HAW) qualified directly into the Round of 16 with some spectacular tube riding. "That was one of the best heats in my life," claimed Ho. "The color of the wave was amazing and I don't ever get stressed out here. This is my fifth time here and I feel right at home. I caught some great waves today, conditions were classic with incredible tubes and Noronha is already one of my favorite places to surf, along with Hawaii and West Australia."

Showing some impressive surfing in his heat, Raoni Monteiro (BRA) is set in his objective to become an unprecedented 2-time event winner at the Hang Loose Pro Contest.

"I feel a lot of happiness and emotion to be in such a marvelous place and going after this title once again," said Monteiro. "I saw Bernardo (Miranda) get a 10, then Mason (Ho), so I wanted one too. I paddled into a good one, which was tough to surf because it closed out at the end. I'm stoked to have gotten a top score and with todays results. The waves were incredible all day and I'm sure everyone was excited about that."

Round 3 was a No-Losers Round of 24 and those who didn't make it directly into the Round of 16 will got another shot at qualifying on Friday morning at 7am local time. The surfers that reach the Round of 16 will automatically receive 2,400 ASP World Ranking points which will put them ahead of rankings leader, John John Florence (HAW) who has 2,000 points from his victory at the ASP 5-Star contest held at Pipeline, Hawaii. Ten surfers of the ASP World Ranking will qualify as one of the Top-34 for the ASP Dream Tour in next year.

The Hang Loose Pro Contest is an ASP South America sanctioned event and is the introductory ASP World Prime event of 2012, sponsored by Hang Loose and in partnership with the State of Pernambuco through EMPETUR, the Secretary of Tourism, the Administration of Fernando de Noronha, Projeto TAMAR and co-sponsored by Overboard, Bleat, Hot Water, Central Surf, Sthill, WQSurf, Tent Beach, Star Surf, Supertubes, K&K, Cut Wave and Red Beach. The event comes with the support of the Pernambuco Surf Federation, the Northeastern Surf Association, Fluir Magazine and Waves Website.