Jamie O'Brien has punched Ricardo dos Santos during the Air Tahiti Nui Billabong Trials, at Teahupoo. The Brazilian
The Hawaiian surfer and the winner of last year's Air Tahiti Nui Billabong Trials have had a physical dispute when they were surfing their heat at Chopes.
O'Brien and Dos Santos were having a paddle battle when the unexpected reaction from Mr. Pipeline took place. Jamie punched Ricardo and the Brazilian's lip started bleeding.
"I was making the heat and he was in third needing a 3. With 30 seconds remaining we had a paddle battle and I won, so he took off in front of me and as soon as I was doing a bottom turn, he punched me in the face. Basically that was it", Ricardo dos Santos explained.
"Thanks, Jamie O'Brien, for punching me in the face during my heat in the trials. I don't know why things in the surf keep going on this way when people are competing".
"This was going to be the most important event of the year for me, and got knocked out during my heat by another surfer. Unacceptable! This is not the reason I chose to be a surfer".
Later, Jamie O'Brien personally apologized to Ricardo dos Santos. The Brazilian accepted the Hawaiian's words and they shook hands to end up the altercation.
"After the episode, Jamie came to say sorry and make sure that will never happen again. For the Brazilian people, I told him to put his head down and be humble as a normal human! Brazil, we got dignity back", Ricardo replied.
Jamie O'Brien also left a few words for his fans in his Facebook page. "There are two sides to every issue: one side right, one side wrong, and I am the one wrong. Sorry".