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TOP 45 REVIEW TECHNICIANS
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Thoughtful, tactically minded surfers that have the brains to pick their opponents apart. |
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Most telling stat: 0% win ratio against Top 5 (0/7)
Win rate: 55.3%
Best result: 2nd Trestles, 3rd Pipe.
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7. Pancho Sullivan 34, North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii
During a year that was, in many ways, sub-par as far as wave quality was concerned, 34-year-old Pancho Sullivan enjoyed a season that surprised everyone—accept maybe himself. Before 2007, we only considered the Hawaiian to be a threat when the conditions topped the big-and-heavy scale, but what most people forgot to take into consideration was how Pancho got there in the first place. Then there are the guys he runs with. Matty Griggs, Rip Curl’s team trainer, knows how to keep his boys sharp, informed, and motivated. And while Fanning spent much of the year hanging solo, when he was with the boys Pancho was one of them. Determination is very contagious. Pancho’s 55% win rate was far from Earth shattering, and his 0-7 record vs. the Top Five hinted at some weaknesses, but he never lost without putting up a good fight. In fact, his finals appearance at Lower Trestles was a testament to his scrappiness. If conditions should improve this year we expect all of Pancho’s good numbers to climb, and we’ll be playing him accordingly. |
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Most Telling Stat: Lost in Round One 66% of the time
Win Rate: 40%
Win Rate Against The Top 5: 0%
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16. Luke Stedman 31, New South Wales, Australia
Last year, Luke Stedman was relegated to Round 2, after losses in Round 1, in all but three events. And while he usually advanced from the losers’ round to avoid a 33rd, his inability to jump straight to Round 3 meant, mathematically, he had to surf more heats, which in turn meant he created more opportunities for his competitors to knock him out of each event. Luke’s strengths, which are an ability to read both opponents and a variety of waves, helped him to a degree in that respect, but his overall win rate, which hovered at just 40%, and his 0 for 7 record against the top five, kept him from climbing too far into the draw. His best result: a Quarterfinal finish at Teahupoo. |
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Win ratio: 50%
Vs. Top 5: 25% (1/4)
At his best: Whenever he can show off his devastating backhand attack.
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19. Adrian "Ace" Buchan 25, Avoca Beach, Australia
Adrian Buchan, or “Ace” as his mates call him, had a decent go last year on the World Tour finishing out the season at 19th. Young and hungry, Buchan boasts more than just natural talent. Keeping his wits about him in clutch situations, Ace has proven that perhaps his greatest weapon isn’t just his vicious backside attack, which is more than noteworthy, but his ability to focus on accomplishing exactly what he needs to do get him through the heat. Ace is truly underrated as a threat on the WCT, but insiders know that he is one of the question marks who get the Top 10 anxious before heats. Ace did a lot of growing up in 2007, and look for his 50 percent win ratio in 2007 to spike in ’08, especially in places like Snapper and J-Bay. |
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41. Kieren Perrow 31, Byron Bay, Australia
After finishing the 2003 season rated sixth in the world, Perrow was sent back down to the minors in ’04, which wasn’t all bad considering he spent the following two years chasing gigantic waves all over the world. His comfort in the bigger stuff will certainly play into his hand at places like Pipeline or Teahupoo. Furthermore, his previous experiences on the WCT will be to his advantage, while his time off the tour should have provided him with plenty of time to reflect and learn from the mistakes he made on his previous attempt. Kieran is a feared competitor and may prove to be on the most calculating and intelligent surfers on tour in 2008, especially if the bigger breaks deliver. So check the forecasts and if things look like they are going to get hairy, pick him. But more than that, he’ll be a valuable asset in any Fantasy Surfer team. |
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