Michael Dunphy Wins WRV Outer Banks Pro

Michael Dunphy (USA) has won the 2014 Association of Professional Surfing (ASP) 2-Star WRV Outer Banks Pro presented by Pacifico and Hurley in challenging onshore 1-to-3 foot conditions at Jennette's Pier. Dunphy, who is fresh off of a win at the ASP 4-Star Vans Pro in Virginia Beach last week, will take home $6,000 in prize money and a crucial 500 Qualifying Series points.

The regular-footer from Virginia Beach dominated the final against Alan Donato (BRA) earning his second-ever Qualification Series (QS) victory only five days after his first last Sunday. Dunphy posted an impressive 16.00 point two-wave total in the Final, dropping a near-perfect 9.17 on his second wave.

“I watched the heat before and it looked really tough. So, I went down the beach and watched the South peak during the break before the Final,” Dunphy said about his heat strategy.

“I knew if I went down there and sat, I could get a good score on those waves. I also thought maybe if I went down there it might throw Alan off, especially if I got a big score. Luckily it happened, and I got that 9.00 within the first 10 minutes, and then I just had get a back-up score and play the priority game.”

Back-to-back victories on the ASP World Tour is a rarity. “I had never won a QS event before last week, and to have won two back-to-back is pretty crazy,” said Dunphy, “I've been surfing in this contest for so long, and surfing in the Outer Banks my whole life so to win this is pretty special.”

Dunphy is currently ranked No. 14 on the ASP QS and will look to keep this momentum going into next week's Prime event in the Azores, where he could potentially earn some serious points to improve his chances for qualifying for the elite ASP World Championship Tour (WCT).

Runner-up Donato can hold his head high after his performance on the final day. The Brazilian regular-footer took down some big names on his road to the Final, including and impressive win against Eric Geiselman (USA) in the Semifinals where he dropped a solid 16.67 two-wave total.

“Michael has been on fire. He won last week in Virginia, and was the man to beat coming here,” said Alan, “I'm so stoked to make the final and feel like I had some really good heats along the way. I look forward to coming back to the Outer Banks next year. This is my first Final on the QS, so in the end I'm very happy. I'm going to keep training and surfing contests and one day I will win one.”

Geiselman, who will take home an equal 3rd today as he pocketed two heat totals over 15.00 points in both the Quarterfinals and the Semifinals. The Floridian battled his way to the Semis all the way from Round 1 before narrowly losing out to the in-form Donato.

“I definitely can't be bummed on my result," Geiselman said. "I started out in the first round so I was stoked to get some rhythm going and get through a couple of heats. My boards felt really good today, and the waves have been super fun so I'm looking forward to heading up to the Belmar Pro (ASP 1-Star) in New Jersey.”

Semifinalist Killian Garland (USA) also took home an equal 3rd put up high scores throughout the entire event and had one of Friday's highest single-wave scores of a 9.00 in his Quarterfinal heat against fellow Californian Nathaniel Curran (USA).

“I'm stoked on my result and I'm happy that I came to this event and competed. It was really cool to have surfed the man-on-man format for a couple of heats and use that priority system because I haven't surfed many heats like that.”

Full WRV Outer Banks Pro Final Results