Intro:

On Thursday (17 October), Australian tour veteran Kai Otton won the Rip Curl Pro Portugal in a hard-fought final over U.S. rookie Nat Young in three-to-five foot (1-1.5 metre) waves at the primary venue of Supertubos in Peniche, Portugal.

Script:

Australian tour veteran Kai Otton won stage nine of the ASP tour with victory over U.S. rookie Nat Young in Portugal on Thursday.

Otton, now sits at number seven in the ranking following his win and he and Mick Fanning, reflected on the result -

SOUNDBITE (English) Kai Otton, Rip Curl Pro Portugal winner:
"I guess Mick out here was really average but he was also a little bit out of sorts I guess with the world title on his mind... normally he puts up a good start to a heat even if they're small scores... so I got away with that one. And then Joel had beaten me 12 times to nil before that in man on man, I'd beaten him a couple of times in three 'man-ers' but that doesn't count."

SOUNDBITE (English) Mick Fanning, ASP World Championship Tour leader:
"I guess going in (to the final round) now the other contenders have to win, there's no 'ifs or buts' about it. So the pressure sort of swings back on them and, you know, if I can make a semi and make some more results then it's done and dusted."

The overall winner of the ASP World Title, is now down to a two-horse race, between Fanning and Kelly Slater.