The 31-year-old Cornish surfer earned 563 ranking points after bowing out of the 6star Mormaii Pro at Florianopolis, in Brazil. Winter, from Newquay, was seeded into the third event of the ASP 2007 Pro Tour. Brazilian Heitor Alves and South African Damien Fahrenfort proved too strong for the Cornish surfer in waves ranging from two to four feet and ended Winter's chances of progressing at the first attempt. The final was won by 21-year-old Rio de Janeiro surfer Simao Romao who defeated Pablo Paulino.
 | | Newquay's Russell Winter |
"We've been practicing really hard but I got lucky and in the end of the heat the good ones just came to me. Perhaps that heat was the toughest one I had in the whole contest," said Romao, who dedicated the title to his five months old son Pedro. "I just can't believe, I was already happy for being in the final with my friend Pablo, winning this event is just unbelievable. Ever since last year, I've been making finals, but I was always finishing in second. I really wanted to win to dedicate this to my son," he added. Romao's victory moves him into second place in the tour behind American Shea Lopez who narrowly finished ahead of Cornwall's Oli Adams in the first round of the competition. Adams surfed strongly against the seasoned pro to make it through to round two at the expense of Brazilian pair Greg Cordeiro and Michel Flores. The Newquay surfer was unable to repeat his wave-scoring prowess in the next heat though, losing out to William Cardoso and Felipe Martins. Adams, picked up 313 ranking points for his efforts, and he is now focusing on the 5star WQS Hang Loose Pro at Fernando De Noronha. The first round draw pits him against Brazilian pair Robson Santos and Ayrton Almeida. Winter is not competing at that event. | 
