Big scores on day 2 of PXM International Vans Pro

Today’s action saw local standout David Rutherford (Puerto Escondido, MEX), 25, earn the event’s first perfect 10, while Dean Brady (Noosa, AUS), 22, and Ryan Turner (Huntington Beach, CA), 29, were standouts as well.

“I’ve been recovering from an injury and I wanted to be as prepared as possible,” Rutherford said. “That was one of the best waves I’ve ever had at my home break. It definitely ranks within the top five.”

Rutherford, who won an ASP WQS 1-Star event at Puerto Escondido three years ago, used his knowledge of the shifty beachbreak to pick off a wave that would offer the perfect score, proving that he is the local favorite in the event.

“You can never be sure, but I can usually spot the good ones,” Rutherford said. “I try to line up the steepest part, where it’s going to pitch, and then take off behind that section. Once I was in, I said to myself, if you’re going to make this heat you’ve got to pump it!”

Brady, who is a former ASP Pro Junior competitor, happened to be in Mexico when he heard about the event and decided to enter last minute. The young Australian dropped a near perfect 9.57 out of 10 on a firing right-hand barrel to win his Round 2 heat.

“I saw it stack up outside, but it was in the rip and a little crumbly at the top so I didn’t know if it was clean enough to barrel,” Brady said. “I thought it might clamp down at the end, but it let me in and just opened up. It was good fun for sure!”

Brady spends most of his time free surfing, but made it obvious that he was a strong competitor as well with today’s performance.

“I’m just here as a free surfer,” Brady said. “I come here for a month every year. I’ve been here for almost four weeks and was actually due to go home, but I heard about the contest and extended my stay to enter.”

Ryan Turner, a Huntington Beach local, also issued an explosive performance on the thumping waves on offer in today’s competition. The Californian netted the day’s highest heat total of 18.20 out of 20 to claim a victory in Round 2 in what he expressed was one of the best heats of his life.

“It was a gem, one of my best waves ever,” Turner said. “I got one perfect ten in an event years ago, but this was one of the most fun heats I’ve ever been in.”

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