With consistent surfing throughout the event, The Sports Syndicate's Miguel Pupo, won the 26th annual ASP PRIME Hang Loose Pro Contest 2012 at Cacimba do Padre Beach, in Fernando de Noronha island, Pernambuco, Brazil. In an all-Brazilian Final, Pupo took home the U$40,000 and 6,500 points to put him at the top of the ASP World Ranking 2012. “To win a contest in Brazil is something that I really wanted to accomplish,” said Pupo. “I’ve won two PRIME events in the US last year (Trestles and Santa Cruz), but I really wanted to show that I could win at home as well, especially here in Fernando de Noronha, which has incredible tubes. I’m stoked to have won the Final." Pupo set the record for the highest-heat total of the event by scoring a 19.77 out of a possible 20 points, which included a perfect 10-point ride from the five judges on an incredible tube-ride during the Semi-finals. “That wave was so perfect,” continued Pupo. “I stalled as long as I could during the drop and then I just enjoyed the ride inside the barrel and ended up with a perfect score. After I came out of the tube, I was so relaxed that I just decided to throw an air at the end to guarantee a 10.”
