Saturday, September 7, Sintra, Portugal.
What a beautiful fourth day of competition at Praia Grande!
The wave conditions have calmed down compared to the previous days, but with no wind and a completely clear sky, the waves were super fun. Riders from both divisions got to enjoy the surf without any current and put on a great show.
Today, we had Round 6 and the quarterfinals in the Men’s division, where there was another surprise. The Women’s division also progressed to the quarterfinals, so tomorrow will be the final day of competition with the semifinals and finals for both divisions.
Here’s a recap of what went down on the penultimate day of competition in Sintra—hope you enjoy it!
ROUND 6 MEN’S DIVISION
We’re down to the top 16, so the action is guaranteed! Head-to-head heats with some really fun conditions.
The first heat of the day kicked off with a showdown between two Frenchmen: world title contender Pierre Louis Costes and rising star Ethan Capdeville. Pierre showed his experience, taking the heat with a solid score of 15 points, leaving Ethan with no chance.
Next up was a tight heat between Morocco’s Brahim Iddouch and France’s Yann Salaun. Just 0.30 points separated them at the finish, with Brahim moving on to the quarterfinals ahead of Yann. Both put on a great performance!
Tension was high again! The world title was on the line, and it was the turn of the current number 2 in the rankings, Brazil’s Gabriel Braga, who faced off against the Canarian Lionel Medina, who’s been making waves in this event. Surprise alert! Lionel eliminated one of the title contenders, and as he said in the interview, “I’m happy to help my friend Armide become world champion. I feel bad for Gabriel since he’s a great competitor, but luck was on my side.”
Another French showdown followed, this time between two of the hottest riders, Luka Zaninotto and Yon Aimar. The scales tipped in favor of Yon, who scored 15 points and pulled off an impressive 8-point maneuver, leaving Luka with a solid exit but good vibes.
This time it was a battle of the Brazilians, Eder Luciano against Isaias Ravyc. Gotta highlight Eder’s performance, scoring a total of 14.75 and catching one of the best waves of the day at 8.25. Isaias says goodbye to the competition after giving us some unforgettable moments in his previous heats.
We had a showdown between two seeds, the number 4 ranked Tristan Roberts from South Africa against the 11th seed Maxime Castillo from France. It was an exciting bodyboarding spectacle for sure! Maxime, even though he wasn’t the favorite, put on an excellent show, scoring a total of 15.4 and riding one of the best waves of the day at 8.5. This way, he knocked out one of the favorites, former world champion Tristan Roberts, who scored 14.75.
French rider Fabien Thazar from Reunion Island did his job, advancing as the top scorer in his heat and making it clear he’s a contender to beat. We say goodbye to one of the breakout stars in Sintra, the Canarian David Pérez, who was the Frontón King champion in 2023.
Titan showdown! Both are multiple world champions, fierce competitors, and icons of the sport. Uri Valadao from Brazil continues to prove he’s one of the best riders on the planet, advancing with a score of 15.40 and eliminating none other than the French Amaury Lavernhe, who, despite a solid score of 14.1, couldn’t move on.
QUARTERFINALS MEN´S DIVISION
Only 8 riders left, head-to-head matchups, good waves, and a world title on the line. The quarterfinals are kicking off!
In the first heat of the highly anticipated quarterfinals, we had a matchup between two good friends. But Brahim Iddouch made it clear in his interview, “Pierre, competition is competition,” and that’s how it went down. They both gave it their all, but only one could move on to the semifinals. The one fighting for the world title was Frenchman Pierre Louis Costes, who advanced with the highest score of the day, an impressive 17.85, sending a clear message to Armide in the title race. Brahim, despite his high score of 15.25, leaves with an incredible performance.
Lionel Medina and Yon Aimar are back in action for this second heat of the quarterfinals. The Canarian took down the Frenchman, with both scoring high. Thanks for the awesome show! Lionel is back on the podium in great shape, and Yon is racking up points to climb the rankings.
French rider Maxime Castillo is turning heads in Sintra, going up against Brazilian Eder Luciano, who’s been grinding through each heat. Maxime made it to the semifinals, and Eder leaves with his head held high after a fantastic competition.
It’s the last heat of the day for the Men’s division, and the final chance to snag a spot on the podium. Fabien Thazar from Réunion Island couldn’t beat Uri Valadao from Brazil. Uri proves once again why he’s a four-time champion in Sintra. Fabien put on a great show, and Uri is definitely not making it easy for his opponents.
ROUND 5 WOMEN’S DIVISION
We’re down to the top 12 competitors in Sintra. In this round, they faced off in heats of three, with only the top two moving on to the quarterfinals. The world title is on the line, and the excitement is high under the stunning sun at Playa Grande.
In Heat 1, one of the title contenders from Japan, Sari Ohhara, hits the water against Portuguese riders Teresa Padrela and Mariana Silva. Sari is on fire and advances easily in first place, followed by Teresa, who’s putting on a great performance. Both make it into the top 8, while Mariana Silva bids farewell after a solid showing.
Maira Viana from Brazil, currently ranked number 1, is feeling the pressure after seeing Sari advance in the previous heat. But the pressure didn’t get to her; she scored the best wave of the day in this division, a solid 9-pointer. Coming in second is the young sensation, just 14 years old, Luana Dourado. The Portuguese rider is in incredible form and is definitely one to watch. Japanese rider Haruka Yasumi exits this round to applause.
Several world champions are hitting the water in this heat. It’s definitely one of the most even and exciting ones. Austrian Alexandra Rinder was leading the heat until the last minute with a total of 12 points, and then something incredible happened. In the final minute, Joana Schenker caught a wave that pushed her into first place with 12.75, and right after that, Portuguese Filipa Broeiro also surpassed Alexandra at the last second with a total of 12.35. So, Rinder has to say goodbye to the competition in a heat that really shows the thrill of this sport.
Another intense heat was the last one of this round. Teresa Miranda proved once again that she’s a serious contender to win in Sintra, scoring an 8-point wave and advancing in first place. Japanese Kaira Shirahase also made her mark among the best. Unfortunately, five-time world champion Neymara Carvalho had to say goodbye in a heat where luck just wasn’t on her side.
WOMEN’S QUARTERFINALS
The top 8 are in action, and every heat is a battle to be the best in the world. Intensity and quality filled with excitement. Sari Ohhara from Japan faced off against Luana Dourado from Portugal. It was a warrior showdown that went in favor of title contender Sari Ohhara, who was on fire and beat the Portuguese rider with a solid total of 15 points. Luana may be out, but she held her head high; the 14-year-old junior rider has shown she’s at the top level and is definitely among the best in the world.
Maira Viana is back in the running for the world title, feeling the pressure knowing Sari has already done her homework. This time, the Brazilian had to compete against one of the fittest Portuguese athletes, none other than Teresa Padrela. This heat went in favor of the Brazilian, leaving all the excitement for tomorrow. Great performance from Teresa, who finished in 5th place.
The second heat was decided by just 0.15 points, which shows how tough the judges’ job is. This time, Japan’s Kaira Shirahase came out on top against Portugal’s Joana Schenker. Kaira is once again showing her skills to take the title in Sintra and move up in the rankings. Former world champion Joana Schenker bids farewell to her fans with a smile.
Last but not least, we had an intense showdown of the day with Portugal’s Filipa Broeiro going up against Teresa Miranda from the Canary Islands. Once again, the judges had their work cut out for them, with just 0.25 points separating the top two, Teresa in first and Filipa in second. Both put on a great performance, wrapping up this intense day with a lot of excitement.
TOMORROW IS THE FINAL DAY
2 WORLD TITLES ON THE LINE
Tomorrow is the final day in Sintra, and the world title in the Women’s division will definitely be decided. Will Sari Ohhara take the win, or will it be champion Maira Viana? We can only say that in the first heat of the day, we’ll have a preview of the final with a direct showdown between the two.
Tomorrow, Pierre Louis Costes faces a big challenge against Lionel Medina. It’s up to him to keep his chances alive for the world title in Frontón, or else Armide Soliveres could be crowned world champion in Sintra.
So, all that’s left to say is, don’t miss the best bodyboarding show in the world tomorrow! You can catch it live at:
Highlights by: Rafael Elías.
Photographer: Joâo Araújo.
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