The E-Pro Europe, eight event of the Surf Web Series, continued to eliminate competitors as Round 3 got underway and all of the Round 1 standouts returned in brilliant form over those who survived the dreaded Round 2. Only 16 remain in search of the inaugural European title and event threats will have to keep delivering some of their best clips with the stacked field rivaling them with explosive surfing of their own.
Round 3 kicked off with Round 2 survivor Stanley Norman flourishing once more on his forehand to earn a crucial heat victory over Dani Garcia, also advancing, and Francisco Benjamim. The Englishman Norman dropped another clip from the shores of Bude and showed his variety of maneuvers, finishing off with an air-reverse to overtake Garcia’s picturesque Lanzarote gem.
IMAGE: Dani Garcia / advances to round 4 (Photo: @anagandarillas)
A big upset unfolded in Heat 2 as Basque Country’s Hans Odrizola earned runner-up and took down the German talent Dylan Groen with three second-place votes on a Lobos, I.C., beauty. But it was the veteran Neco Pyrrait who easily took the win with a pumping lefthander at Ericeira and laying waste to the clean wall with his deadly backhand attack.
IMAGE: Hans Odriozola / advances to round 4 (Photo: Your personal file)
Fellow Portuguese veteran Ivo Cacao joined Round 1 victors including Gaspard Larsonneur, Kauli Vaast, Miguel Blanco and Maxime Huscenot in continuing their dominant run so far. Cacao’s forehand lay back to finish off his Cabadelo righthander stood apart as one of the top maneuvers while Miguel Castrillon advanced once more with another screaming barrel from Mundaka.
IMAGE: Ivo Cação / Champion Round 3 | Heat 3 (Photo: @nunonobrega)
Larsonneur returned from his Round 1 win brilliantly with a massive grab-rail air-reverse to sweep first-place votes as just one vote came down to see Portugal’s Luan Carvalho overcome Renan Grainville for runner-up. Basque Country youth delivered once more in Heat 5 with Martin Moina overtaking event threat Andy Criere by just one vote as well – earning first-place from the fans to turn the heat. Only one vote separated all three positions as Vaast’s full rotation from Espinho rose to the top of voting.
IMAGE: Gaspard Larsonneur / Champion Round 3 | Heat 4 (Photo: @robin_aussenac)
Portugal’s Blanco and Antonio Silva took down their respective heats with both delivering spitting barrels to earn spots into Round 4. Blanco’s impressive ride at Supertubos was enough to earn him the win over Luis Perloiro, also advancing, and Kai Odrizola. But Silva’s barrel at Ericeira came with an obstacle as a boogy-boarder dropped in on him while navigating the heaving tube to leave Vicente Romero at runner-up.
IMAGE: Antonio Silva / Champion Round 3 | Heat 7 (Photo: @chizaslife)
Wrapping up Round 3 was event threat Huscenot on another screaming barrel, this time from Les Culs Nus, France, to easily secure a heat win over Spain’s Nestor Garcia, also advancing, and Portugal’s Raul Bormann.
IMAGE: Nestor Garcia / advances to round 4 (Photo: @ivanmonagas)
The next Round of voting will take place February 21 and be a crucial one to determine E-Pro Europe’s Quarterfinalists.
Follow all the news and the european surf show at surfwebseries.com/europe
