FRANCE & MUNDAKA PREVIEW
Is Kelly a Sure Bet for France? Pick Away!

With Kelly turning up the heat, can Fanning keep his footing?

Joel Parkinson – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $9,750,000) – Parko won this event last year, so there will be the added pressure of backing up his victory this year. Although he hasn’t won an event in 2007 yet, look for Joel to find his rhythm in France.

Andy Irons – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $11,250,000) – In the past four years, Irons has won this event three times. That’s a lot of butt-kicking in French waters. He’s easily as close to a sure thing in France as Slater is at Trestles. A must-have for your Fantasy Surfer teams.

Luke Stedman – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $4,750,000) – Easy-going and relaxed at every event, France suits Stedman perfectly. He’ll be looking for a decent result after being eliminated at trestles early, so it’s important for Stedman to win early. If he can accomplish this, he can relax even further and continue to sneak through to the higher rounds.

Taylor Knox - (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $7,750,000) – After his perfect 10 at trestles against Slater, we know that Knox has the ability to stand blow for blow with just about anyone on tour. If he can manage to ward off the little mistakes and use his powerful style to his advantage, perhaps the winner’s podium isn’t as far away as some might think for Knox.

Kelly Slater - (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $12,500,000) – Obvious pick of the event. Slater has made the past two finals at J-Bay and Trestles – what more could you ask for? The quarterfinals are almost a given for the 8-time world champ. If you don’t have Andy Irons on your team, then by all means pick up Slater.

And if that weren’t enough, we also have Fantasy Surfer’s hot picks for the Billabong Pro Mundaka (Oct 1-14):

Mick Fanning - (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $12,000,000) – Last year, Fanning made the quarterfinals before being dismissed from the event by close friend Joel Parkinson. If these two match up again this year, it will be yet another all-time battle. The key to Fanning’s success will be winning his Round 1 heat, (he’s the only surfer this year to win all of his Round 1 heats), and relaxing before the final few rounds begin their grind over the 14 day waiting period.

Bobby Martinez – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $8,250,000) – Why didn’t we see this coming last year? Martinez dominated the field on the final day of competition at Mundaka in 2006 to win the whole event. His style suits the wave well, and he has the stamina to surf several heats in one day – a crucial element in the final days of competition. A solid choice to repeat his performance this year.

Dean Morrison – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $8,250,000) – Dean could be the darkhorse pick at just about every event on tour. He sneaks under the radar on a fairly regular basis, and isn’t usually selected by more than 10% of Fantasy Surfer users at any event. Take advantage of that fact by picking up a fairly consistent performer at an event that is usually fairly erratic.

Tom Whitaker – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $7,750,000) – Last year, Whitaker scored what many believe was the wave of the event in perfect 6-foot Mundaka tubes. That potential to score waves like that seemingly at will makes him a surfer to keep your eye on at Mundaka.

Adrian Buchan – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $4,750,000) – Each event, Buchan seems to improve some little aspect of his surfing. Last year, he was just getting over his nerves in his third event of his rookie year when he lost to Taj Burrow at this event. Don’t expect the speedy goofyfoot to have that same hang-up this year – he’s intimidated by nobody this year.

Travis Logie – (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $6,000,000) – A lined up left and a stylish goofyfoot. What better combination could you ask for? Logie has had a mediocre year so far, but will have the odds stacked in his favor at Mundaka. For a mid-range value surfer (4-6 million), you could do a lot worse.

Kelly Slater - (current Fantasy Surfer Value: $12,500,000) – Kelly won the Billabong Pro Mundaka in 2003 when he made a run at the world title. Conditions were challenging, but Slater was persistent in the face of his other title challengers. With a renewed interest in winning his 9th world title, Slater will more than likely be very focused coming into this event.