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BRAZIL BEATS USA
Curren, Marzo, Beschen, Lopez lose to Team Brazil
Photos: All photos: Minduim/blackwatermag.com+Maircio Rodrigues/Fotocom.net
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November 12, 2008
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CONDITIONS:
A weekend of warm, sunny, average beachbreak peaks. OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS: With a roster like this, they're ALL outstanding: Team USA: Tom Curren, Clay Marzo, Shane Beschen, Cory Lopez and Asher Nolan Team Brazil: Marcelo Trekinho, Bruno Santos, Fábio Gouveia, Heitor Alves and Danilo Grillo |
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Previous
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Team USA did well on the first day, winning game one (79.5-77) on Saturday by using their past Game experience to dominate the first two periods. Team USA needed to win only one of the next two games to take the title home, but were unable to do so with the Brazilians quickly catching on to the Game format on their home-turf and simply out-surfed the Americans. Both teams came out fired up for Game two, with Brazil taking a one-point lead into the 3rd and final period. The Americans were only able to put 24.5 points on the board and left the door wide open for Brazil. Heitor Alves secured the Game Two win with a huge backside tail blast for a 9 from the judges and sent the challenge into a 3rd and final Game. Team USA won the coin toss for Game 3 and coach CT Taylor elected to surf in the top of each period. USA started strong with a 27-point opening period led by Cory Lopez. Team Brazil answered with amazing surfing from Marcello Trekinho and the lightning quick Heitor Alves for a 29-point first period. The second period was a bit of a shocker of the Americans, with both Tom Curren, Clay Marzo and sub Asher Nolan failing to find high scoring waves in the inconsistent surf at high tide. The Brazilians capitalized on USA's dismal second period, extending their lead to 4.5 points going into the final period. Shane Beschen and Clay Marzo began the top of the final period with back to back 7.5's - Beschen for long running right-hander and Marzo for a mental tail-out snap to reverse that the judges rewarded for only one move. Curren and Lopez both put up strong scores to post a 27-point period score. But, the Americans were looking for something stronger to make the Brazillians work harder for the victory. In the bottom of the final period, Team Brazil needed only 23 points to take the win. It took them only 3 1/2 minutes into the period to secure the victory with all four surfers catching scoring waves with Trekinho and Alves again leading the way throwing spray and punting airs. "The Brazilian team bonded throughout the event. They learned the strategy quickly and surfed very well, so congratulations to them."
--Tom Curren
"The teamwork was fundamental. Our coaches [Pedro Muller and Peterson Rosa] knew exactly what do. We worked together to the find the best waves and perform our best, I am much happy with this victory," said Game MVP Brazil's Marcelo Trekinho. "The Brazilian team bonded throughout the event. They learned the strategy quickly and surfed very well, so congratulations to them. I'm happy in to have participated in an event of this level," said Team USA's Tom Curren Brad Gerlach of the National Surf League was impressed with the performance of the Brazilians as well. "They embodied completely in the spirit of the Game," he said. "It's much more than a championship to them, it's the pride of their country. Throughout the practices and opening games, I saw that they were gaining confidence and bonding as a team and that's was it took to take down Team USA". Results: (best) Brazil 2 - USA 1 Game One: USA - 79.5 Brazil - 77 Game Two: USA - 77.5 Brazil - 81 Game Three: USA - 78 Brazil - 81.5 MVP - Marcelo Trekinho Most Radical Maneuver - Clay Marzo (power blow tail off-the-top) MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |