Jeremy and Miky ripped at Imbituba

Jeremy Flores (Fra) and Miky Picon (Fra) both recorded career best results in the 10th ASP World Tour event, the Hang Loose Pro, held in Santa Catarina, Brazil. 

Jeremy, who is now ranked 10th in the world placed second to Bede Durbridge the world number two.  Miky placed third, clearly demonstrating the power of the Euroforce among the world's best.   

The event draw meant the two Quiksilver team mates and best friends Jeremy and Miky met in the semi final.  Yet both Miky and Jeremy were stoked with their respective results.  Flores said. "I had fun and Miky surfed good too. That was more important for me probably, his requalification for the Tour next year.  It was incredible to compete with him in the semifinals."  

Miky needed a big result going into the penultimate event of the Tour.  If he didn't get the job done in Brazil then all the pressure would have been intense for him going into the last event of the year at the notorious Pipeline, Hawaii.  Miky pulled out all the stops to achieve his highest career result.  Miky jumped from 26th to 18th in the ratings and is now almost certainly guaranteed a requalification spot for next year's ASP World Tour.  

Miky's first semi final could not have come at a more important time for him. He said, "It was a very good heat, the first heat of the year with no pressure, because I was surfing against Jeremy, so anyone who went to the final was good for me.  It was amazing, the feeling that I felt surfing with Jeremy in the semi final. If I won it was perfect, if I lost it would still be a good result, so I'm happy that my friend went to the final."

Jeremy and Miky now move on to Hawaii for what will undoubtedly be a fantastic climax to a year which has seen European surfing rise to a whole new level.

Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro Final Results:

Final: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 17.76 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.86

Semifinal:

Heat 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 14.00 def. Mikael Picon (FRA) 13.73

Heat 2: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 12.33 def. Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 8.50

Quarterfinal:

Heat 1: Jeremy Flores (FRA) 18.06 def. Leonardo Neves (BRA) 14.03

Heat 2: Mikael Picon (FRA) 12.23 def. Daniel Ross (AUS) 11.83

Heat 3: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 17.17 def. Bernardo Miranda (BRA) 12.30

Heat 4: Fredrick Patacchia (HAW) 11.83 def. Heitor Alves (BRA) 9.40