The ocean finally came alive to launch the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona, stage n°8 of the World Surf League Championship Tour 2024. After 4 lay-days consecutive, with magnificent weather but only small waves, the powerful swell of 1m20 to 1m80 which lined the beach of Praia de Itaúna was welcome for the launch of the first men’s and women’s rounds, followed by the elimination rounds. As the penultimate event before the Lexus WSL Finalsthe event started a race to access the Final 5especially after 6 of the current 10 members of the women’s and men’s top 5 found themselves in the elimination rounds yesterday.
Among the women, the goofy sweeps the first round, joined by wildcard Luana Silva
The three goofies in the women’s draw, Sawyer Lindblad, Tatiana Weston-Webb (home) and Caroline Marks advanced to the quarter-finals in back-to-back opening round series, using their frontside abilities in predominant lefts. The 2023 world champion was the only surfer in the Top 5 to skip the elimination round.
Sawyer Lindblad, the only CT rookie to survive the mid-season cut, started the day by winning the second opening round of her young career. The 18-year-old’s only victory in the opening round dates back to her very first participation in the CT, during the Lexus Pipe Pro 2024 presented by YETI, where she distinguished herself from the start of her career. Yesterday, his aggressive frontside attack on just two waves was enough to obtain the best heat total (11.77) and secure his fourth appearance in the quarter-finals of the season. At the same time, the Californian sent the current world numbers 4 and 5, Molly Picklum and Johanne Defay, to the elimination round.
« It was a bit difficult, there was a lot of moving water this morning, and I didn’t think it would be this big” said Sawyer Lindblad. I brought my step-up board just in case and ended up using it. I’m glad I did it because there’s a lot of power today. »
After her first victory of the season at the Surf City El Salvador Pro, Carolines Marks is moving up the rankings as she looks to defend her world title. The American is currently in second place in the world behind her compatriot Caitlin Simmers. The latter, reigning winner of the event and holder of the leader’s yellow jersey, was sent to the elimination round.
Finally, Luana Silva is one of three Brazilians qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, with Tatiana Weston-Webb and Taina Hinckel (also a wildcard for this event). After coming out of the CT during the mid-season cut, Luana Silva was delighted to win a round as a wildcard against world number 3 Brisa Hennessy and number 6 Gabriela Bryan, in her first appearance at the CT in Brazil. She thus qualified for her third quarter-final of the season.
Johanne Defay’s place in the Final 5 threatened
With 4 of the top 5 surfers relegated to the elimination round, there was potential for a rankings shake-up, however three of them, Caitlin Simmers, Molly Picklum and Brisa Hennessy were able to win their heat to qualify for the quarter-finals. This was unfortunately not the case for Johanne Defay, current world number 5, who was eliminated by Gabriela Bryan, world number 6. If the Frenchwoman maintains her position for the moment thanks to a tie-break (equal score), the Hawaiian’s result on this event could well take her out of the Final 5 (if she passes one more round), and thus ask to our Olympic representative a convincing result during the last regular competition of the season, the Corona Fiji Pro in August.
Good start for Brazilian surfers hoping to enter the Top 5
The three Brazilians on the CT, Gabriel Medina, Italo Ferreira and the reigning winner of the event Yago Dora won their heats to qualify directly for the round of 16. Currently ranked 6th, 7th and 8th respectively, all three hope to enter the Top 5 thanks to their results at home in Brazil.
Gabriel Medina had the most impressive start, getting first excellent score of the event (8) for a diverse combination of frontside maneuvers. The crowd favorite followed up with a 6.93 for another critical frontside reverse air, posting the best total of the day, 14.93. Despite his huge international success and a Challenger Series victory at the Corona Saquarema Pro 2022, the Brazilian has yet to make it past the semi-finals at CT level in his home country.
At the same time, Italo Ferreira kept the huge local audience in suspense. Looking at his watch as he set off with 40 seconds to go and needed a 6.95, the Olympic gold medalist turned to the less select right and threw a almost complete rotation on his backside, before concluding with two solid re-entries. The beach exploded after a long wait for the score which revealed a 7.50 and victory over Liam O’Brien and Crosby Colapinto, who held the highest score of the day on a single wave, an 8.17.
The best ranked surfers qualify for the round of 16
Mixed first round results for the men’s Top 5 saw current world number 1 John John Florence and world number 3 Griffin Colapinto sent to the elimination round, while number 5 Jordy Smith joined number 2 Jack Robinson and number 4 Ethan Ewing in the round of 16, retaining their positions thanks to heat victories.
John John Florence defeated Saquarema local and wildcard João Chianca in the opening round of the elimination round, continuing to dominate their rivalry and advancing to the round of 16 with the leader’s yellow jersey firmly in hand. Griffin Colapinto also survived a strong challenge from wildcard Samuel Pupo, runner-up in the event in 2022, to consolidate the current men’s Top 5 in the round of 16.
- The next call will take place at 12:15 p.m. French time today.
Tags: Brazil Championship Tour competition CT rio surfers WSL
