Chris Ward has taken the 2012 Rip Curl Cup Invitational at Padang Padang, after scoring a perfect 10 backside barrel in the dying seconds of the final heat. The Californian surfer defeated Bali’s Mega Semadhi, Java’s Dede Suryana, and Australia’s Ry Craike, in pumping six-foot tubes at Padang Padang. “I knew I had it,” Ward said. “I knew it was at least an 8.5 for sure. Last year I had an onshore heat and didn’t even get barreled and lost in the first round”. “Today it was a completely different story. I was feeling it out there all day. This year Padang gave me the waves”, he added. Ward was on fire all day as he battled his way through arguably the most talented field of tuberiding specialists ever assembled for a contest, including 2009 Padang Cup champ Jamie O’Brien, defending champion Lee Wilson, local legend Rizal Tanjung, Ozzie Wright and the event’s first-ever female competitor, Bethany Hamilton.

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Emotional victory for Chris Ward at the 2012 Rip Curl Padang Padang

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