Rip Curl Pro: Xavier Huxtable stunned world No.1 Italo Ferreira
Xavier Huxtable had to win his way into the Rip Curl Pro via trials before the event and the rookie from Jan Juc used all his local knowledge to send world No.1 Italo Ferreira packing in a monumental upset at Bells Beach on Anzac Day.
A day after veteran star Sally Fitzgibbons sent the women's world No.1 packing, Huxtable took out the round of 32 clash with the Brazilian star who has finished top three in three of four events this season.
Huxtable, 22, went to local Anzac Day Dawn Service before heading to the beach for his clash with the 'best surfer in the world' and had the local crowd 'stomping' after the biggest win of his fledgling career.
'I can't believe it. I literally can't comprehend it. I was paddling in, trying to take it all in, but I still don't think I have it's unbelievable,' he said.
Xavier Huxtable stook down the World No.1 at the Rip Curl Pro (Photo by Ed Sloane/World Surf League)
'I mean, I kind of was nearly on yesterday, and then had to reset. And then this morning, got up early, went down to the Anzac parade, and watched all that. Took that all in. It was really sick.
'Then came straight here and went out. And yeah, luckily got a few out there, and I was able to kind of turn it back on. And yeah, found a few good ones.'
Huxtable knew he had to bring nothing but his best against the world No.1 and said 'it came off' after a brilliant opening wave scored 7.33, a score Ferreira couldn't match.
'I was like, I'm gonna have to attack every section that comes at me. And it came off,' he said.
'I got to the end of it, and I looked up and the whole stand, like all my family friends, everyone was up there just screaming. Just they got me so excited, like that feeling it's pretty much impossible to replicate. And I got to the end, looked up and seen everyone stomping and yeah, just like, say thanks everyone for supporting me.'
Huxtable will take on American Griffin Colapinto in the round of 16.
Originally published as Local lad Xavier Huxtable stunned the surfing world by taking down world No.1 Italo Ferreira at the Rip Curl Pro
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