SHOTGUN! BEDE WINS HANG LOOSE SANTA CATARINA PRO

Bede Jumps To Number Two

Back in the Wild West, a guy with a shotgun used to sit down next to the stagecoach driver to ward off thieving cowboys and other assorted nogoodniks.

As time went on, the shotgun position evolved to become the prized passenger seat of an automobile; something worth fighting for whether you're travelling up the street or up the Amazon.

And so it is that Bede, with his huge win in Brasil, has leapfrogged Taj and Joel into the shotgun position of the tour vehicle, which is pretty much the most important seat (apart from the driver, but that's Kelly, and it's already a done deal, they're no longer interviewing for that position, etc, etc).

Few would have doubted Durbo's intentions after checking his blog on this site a couple of days ago: "I'm sure certain guys have got good reasons for not being here but it never crossed my mind not to come. You only get so many chances to win a 'CT contest and you won't see me passing any of them up."

In fact, before landing in Floripa's Hercilio Luz Airport last week, Bede had been working on his beachbreak surfing on North Stradbroke Island off Queensland, where the Durbidge ancestral home of Main Beach presents sandy peaks that resemble those of Imbituba.

It paid off, with Bede rolling through the final day's play.

Fellow Australian Dan Ross charged into the quarters and was unlucky not to go further, while other standouts included locals Bernardo Pigmeu, Leo Neves and Heitor, as well as Frenchman Miky Picon.

The first semi was actually a match-up between the duelling frogs, with Miky falling to the cutlass of Jeremy Flores, while soon after Bede took apart Fred Patacchia on the other side of the draw.

When it came to the final there was little Jeremy was able to do to stop the Stradbroke Steamroller. Bede absolutely monstered the place with a +8 and a +9 in the opening minutes and then the crowd absolutely lost it.

Speaking of which, there were the requisite unassuming university ladies from Floripa who braved the freezing wind and drew very little attention to themselves with their modest bathing costumes.

Just as importantly, Spiderman was back in full effect, well, the mad local who dances sideways in a loose fitting Kaftan/mask thing (rather than then tight lycra the original Spiderman is famous for). He brought props with him this year too, including a yellowed 80s surfboard and -- at one stage, quite bizarrely -- a tube of Canestan anti-fungal cream.

Needless to say, the new World Number #2 gave him an even wider berth than he usually would have on his way up to the Hang Loose podium.