LAS VEGAS (October 22, 2010) - “I will win the world title.”
That was the bold statement from Renato Nunes after he won the third round of the 2010 PBR World Finals at the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday night.
Nunes covered Closet Gangster for 89.25 points, and earned another 400 bonus points to move within 119 points of world leader Austin Meier. Afterward Nunes said he didn’t know much about his bull, but that owner Mesa Pate had told him if he made the whistle, he’d win the round.
“I have a lot of things to do,” Nunes said, “but I know I have a good chance now. It’s a game you never know.”
After the first half of the event, Nunes is No. 1 in the average. He and Brazilian newcomer Wesley Lourenco are the only two riders to have covered all three of their bulls.
Nunes is four points ahead of Lourenco in the average with another three bulls coming in the next two days.
His success comes in the same venue that a year ago saw his rededication to the sport. In 2009, Nunes rode just 1 of 7 bulls at the Finals and vowed to win this year’s title.
Long after the media and fellow riders had left the locker room, Nunes sat with Guilherme Marchi and confided in his friend that he was disappointed in himself. He told Marchi he would return to Las Vegas with the goal of redeeming himself, and that they would both wear the gold buckle of a champion.
Friday night, Nunes established himself as the rider to beat for this year’s title.
Meier, who is 1-for-3, is 32nd in the average, and has only two bulls left to ride his way into Sunday afternoon’s short round. J.B. Mauney, who came to the Finals second in the world and has slipped to third, faces a tall order in qualifying for the short round.
Mauney, who suffered a mild right shoulder separation in Round 1, came down early for a third time, and may have eliminated himself from title contention.
“I hope they ride good, like I did today,” Nunes said of the other top two contenders, “and then let’s go see who rides better to win.”
For now, Nunes knows it’s all about the average.
The 29-year-old is focused on becoming only the second rider ever to win the Finals average and the world title in the same year. Mike Lee did it in 2004.
“That is more important to me,” Nunes said. “I have a good chance to win the event. Win the event and win the world title.
“I will be No. 1.”
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