The Brazilian Italo Ferreira, reigning Olympic champion but not qualified for the Paris Olympics this summer, created a surprise on Thursday by winning the Tahiti Pro with style on the majestic Teahupo’o wave.
During the final, Ferreira, 30 years old and 2019 world surfing champion, beat John John Florence, the favorite for this stage of the elite circuit which took place on the future Olympic site with its translucent and dangerous rollers.
“I’m training to better master the tubes”
Thanks to two tubes rated 8.93 and 8.77 by the judges, for a total of 17.70, he was more consistent than the 31-year-old American who nevertheless took the best wave of the series (9.33 ) but achieved a total score of 17.16.
“I’m so happy, it was a long day and we had so many good waves […] I gained strength as the series progressed. For several years I have been training to better tame the tubes and it paid off today”he explained.
In 2021, this proud representative of the “Brazilian Storm”, the Brazilian storm that has shaken world surfing for almost a decade, made history by winning gold during the first appearance of his sport at the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
Ferreira, who learned to surf as a child on a polystyrene plate, however experienced a mixed post-Olympic period, marked by physical problems, a second place in the general ranking of the world championship in 2022 and only a victory on the pro tour in 2023 .
First victory in Tahiti
On Thursday he scored the first victory in Tahiti of his career and his first victory of the year. He is now ranked fifth in the world, still far behind his opponent of the day, John John Florence, new leader of the ranking.
READ ALSO. IN IMAGES, IN PICTURES. The immense joy of Vahine Fierro after his historic victory at the Tahiti Pro in Teahupo’o
Faced with Brazilian competition, Ferreira failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics which will take place in Teahupo’o from July 27 to August 5. His country, a dominant surfing nation, will be represented by Gabriel Medina, Joao Chianca and Filipe Toledo.
