Richard Christie, of Mahia, New Zealand, makes semi-finals at SuperSurf Internacional Prime Event, Imbituba, Brazil, at the weekend, but run to the final cut short by eventual winner Gabriel Medina, of Brazil.
 

"Our semi final waves were lots of fun and I went out there to stick to my game plan. I felt I surfed pretty well and I would have won the other semi if I had been in it, but I came up against the best young junior in the world," Christie explains.

"Gabriel Medina was going completely nuts in our semi-final heat. Apparently it was the best surfing that has ever been seen in the competition. I'd dare to say that, when he is surfing like that and in those waves and conditions, he is unbeatable. When he is surfing like that I don't think anyone on the WCT [ASP World Tour] could touch him. It's pretty amazing for a 17-year-old to be that good that early," Christie offers.

Christie (15.20) bowed out of the semi to Medina who had the highest scoring heat of the event with his 19.60.

"It was pretty solid waves and he was doing these crazy big airs and big turns as well – supermans and everything. I just had backhand reos," he laughs.

The highs and lows chasing a start on the ASP World Tour are evident for the Kiwi surfer who was rebounding from two premature exits.

"Losing in my first heat at the Prime Surf Pro International at Itauna, Saquarema last week definitely hurt," he shares.

But it also gave him added incentive to perform this weekend.

"I really just wanted to improve on that. My goal for this competition was just to make my first heat. It seems that when I make my first heat I can get on a little roll – get over that first heat barrier."

Christie won his first heat in commanding fashion and that set the ball rolling and the momentum that would take out his two Suitcase Surfers' travel mates, Jay Quinn and Billy Stairmand.

"It sucks to keep drawing Billy or Jay. We all travel and stay together and I ended up surfing with Billy in the first heat and we both got through and then in the next heat he ended up surfing with Jay and then the heat after that I ended up with Jay in a man-on-man heat. It kind of feels like we're surfing against each other the whole time."

Christie effectively ended his good friend Quinn's run in that man-on-man heat. The heat seedings are based on rankings and because the three of them sit so close in the One World Rankings they tend to clash often in heats. But no heat was easier than another at this level, said Christie.

"They only let 96 people into these Prime events so every single heat has all top surfers. Your first heat is just as hard as any you will surf. You can't think about the other guys, you just have to think about your own game plan and concentrate on the waves you need to get and what you do on them."

"Anyone can be beaten on any given day. It's who gets the best waves and surfs well with those waves," he adds.

Christie's strategy for the SuperSurf Prime was simple: to get one good wave and to back that up as soon as possible.

 

"The whole way through this event I felt like I was doing just that within the first ten minutes so the rest of my heat was spent being tactical and hoping that no one else would better my waves," he shares. "This is my third year doing the WQS [World Qualifying Series] and in that time I have learnt that 80% of the time surfers get through on one good wave and one average back-up. It's very rare to get someone who will get two nines in a heat."

Acknowledged as a one of the more progressive surfers in the world, Christie has an impressive aerial repertoire.

"I won't go for anything if I'm not 100% sure I can make it. But if I am feeling comfortable with the wave then I will try to push it a little more if the opportunity arises," he admits.

Christie and his fellow Suitcase Surfers spent a few days in Imbituba before the event started and he credits this, in part, to his good result.
"It's about getting used to your surroundings and being comfortable and feeling like you are at home. This week has been good like that – it has been us three Kiwis and it really has felt like home."

Testament to the nature of the Suitcase Surfers, Quinn and Stairmand were at the event all of Sunday to support Christie. "Usually we will pass the footy ball around, but one of our mates chucked it in the cactus last week," Christie laughs.
"There are only three of us from New Zealand on tour so we have to stick together."

At times they are still competitors, but Christie said that the occasional 8ft bombs and howling cross-shore wind of his man-on-man heat with Jay didn't feel like a competition.

"It does suck that with Jay's scores he would have got through another heat, but it is good that we both surfed well. Jay was ripping as well, but I just got the better waves," he shares.

In his Round of 12 heat, Christie knew he would go straight to the quarter-final if he won it.

"I did exactly what I planned to do – I got straight through. I had a tough heat as well – I had Miguel Pupo – other than Gabriel Medina he is one other guy from Brazil who is almost unbeatable at the moment – he's on fire. But I did a few tactical maneuvers that seemed to rattle him a little bit."

Sticking to his game plan ensured Christie a berth in the semi-final.
"In the quarter final I did what I had been doing the whole time – got two good waves early on and that was it – I didn't improve my score after that – the whole rest of the heat was trying to keep him [Dylan Graves, PRI] off the best waves."

This was the second semi-final Christie has made this season "and the second semi I have been comboed in", he chuckled.

Making the semi-final at this Prime event awards Christie USD $11,000 and 4225 points toward his One World Ranking position. He has three more Primes and a handful of 6-Star events left before the next intake for the ASP World Tour.

Christie and his fellow Suitcase Surfers, Quinn and Stairmand travel to Portugal this week to prepare for their next event: the Prime Quiksilver Pro Portugal at Ericeira.

"We will be there for a week before the event and then for a week of the comp and then we'll head home for a few weeks."

Christie's goal for Portugal is clear ...

"Just to make my first heat," he laughs.

"When I make that first heat I will reassess – I'm definitely keen to back this result up."

To follow Christie’s progress in Portugal, visit www.aspworldtour.com

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