Friday, September 6. Sintra, Portugal.
On the third day of competition, the wave conditions have improved a lot. The wave size has gone down, which made the current calmer, so the ocean was way more organized.
The physical strain was less intense, allowing the riders to focus more on their technique and wave selection to score big. The barrels and aerial maneuvers really shined today.
The day kicked off with Round 5 of the Men’s Division, where there were surprises and tons of action.
ROUND 5 MEN’S DIVISION
Round 5 consists of heats with 3 competitors, where the top two move on and the third gets eliminated.
The first heat of the day set the tone for what was to come, with tight competition and excitement in every heat. Pierre Louis Costes did his thing and is still in the title race, finishing ahead of his buddy Yann Salaun. The young standout Ethan Pérez from Spain is out of the competition.
The second heat was dominated by Moroccan Bhahim Iddouch, who showed off his experience and know-how. Ethan Capdeville proved his high level once again, while Italian Genesio Ludovisi, who was a surprise in Sintra, said goodbye to the competition.
Lionel Medina from the Canary Islands is back in top form and qualified in first place, closely followed by Frenchman Yon Aimar, both making it through to the next round. Portuguese Joel Rodrigues wraps up his run after a great performance.
Frenchman Louka Zaninotto had a stellar showing, racking up 15 points. Coming in second was Brazil’s Gabriel Braga, currently ranked number 2, who’s still in the hunt for the world title. The reigning Junior World Champion, Peru’s Micheel Yancce, gets eliminated but put on a great show.
Brazilian Eder Luciano was almost out yesterday, but today he managed to advance as the top rider, beating none other than Tristan Robert. Both move on to Round 6, sending Australian Kai e Legh home after a solid performance on the tour.
What a nail-biter of a heat! The world title is on the line in what’s definitely the most exciting heat of the day. In this heat, the scores of the three competitors were just 0.5 points apart. Maxime Castillo from France took the top spot with a total of 13 points. Isaias Ravyc from Brazil was in third place the whole time, but in the last minute, he pulled off a powerful roll and scored a total of 12.75. And then there was a surprise with the elimination of the current number one in the rankings, the Canarian Armide Soliveres, who ended up with 12.5 points. Armide now has to wait for the results of Gabriel Braga and Pierre Louis Costes; otherwise, everything will come down to the final event, the Gran Canaria Frontón King.
Canarian David Pérez is back in top form, moving ahead in first place with a solid score of 14.5 points, pulling off a nice left tube and finishing with a roll, scoring 7.5 for that wave. Amuary Lavernhe, always a favorite, secured second place in a heat where he took some big risks with impossible backflips. Chilean Joaquín Soto has exited the competition, showing just how high his level is.
Now it’s time for the last heat of the day in the Men’s division. Uri Valadao is proving once again why he’s a four-time champion in Sintra, crushing every wave with some brutal aerial maneuvers. In second place was Fabien Thazar from Réunion Island, closely followed by the French rider Simon Andrieux, who wraps up with a great performance.
Now it’s the girls’ turn in the Women’s division. Remember, the world title will be decided here in Sintra, so you can bet the tension and excitement are guaranteed!
WOMEN’S DIVISION
With the high tide, the waves got a bit smaller, but the quality of these athletes was above everything else, showing a high level in these early rounds of competition.
ROUND 1
This round is like the trials, so there was only one heat with 4 competitors.
Magdalena Padrela from Portugal made it into the main draw, finishing first in her heat with a solid score of 12.1. Her fellow countrywoman, Francisca Ribeiro, took second place.
ROUND 2
Round 2 kicks off with 4 heats, where the top two from each heat move on to the next round.
Mariana Silva from Portugal advances in first place, closely followed by Brazilian Clara Pontes.
Austrian multiple-time world champion Alexandra Rinder finishes first in her heat ahead of Australian Ebony Schell.
Louna Dourado from Portugal is one of the standout performers on the circuit and proves her form again, scoring a total of 15.27 and the second-best wave of the day with an 8.17. Her compatriot Filipa Broeiro came in second, showing she’s another competitor to watch.
Canary Islands athlete Teresa Miranda scored the highest total of the day in this division, an impressive 15.83, along with the highest wave score of 9 points, making it clear she’s a title contender. Japanese surfer Haruka Yasumi advances in second place.
ROUND 3 “Non-elimination”
The full top 12 is now in play, and with that, the Women’s World Title is on the line. This round isn’t elimination, so the top two move on to Round 5, while the third and fourth place finishers in each heat get another shot in Round 4.
Sari Ohhara starts off strong with a solid score of 13.17, making it clear she’s not going to hand the title to the Brazilian. Five-time champion Neymara Carvalho qualifies in second.
The current number one in the rankings Maira Viana also showed no doubt in her quest for the title and advances in first. Japanese surfer Kaira Shirahase also moves directly to Round 5.
Luana Dourado from Portugal proves her potential once again, finishing first in her heat and pushing Japanese surfer Haruka Yasumi to second. Current junior world champion Luna Hardman comes in third but will have another chance in the repêchage round.
Canary Islands athlete Teresa Miranda keeps her strong performance going and passes her heat, closely followed by Portuguese surfer Teresa Padrela. Former world champion Joana Schenker finishes third and will try again in the next round.
ROUND 4 “Repêchage”
The repêchage round kicks off, which is super important since several riders are fighting to stay in the top 12 worldwide.
Alexandra Rinder didn’t miss her chance and advanced in first place ahead of Portuguese Mariana Silva. Australian Ebony Schell and Brazilian Clara Pontes are out of the competition.
A surprise came in the last heat of the day, with Portuguese surfer Filipa Broeiro finishing first with a high score of 14.54, followed by Joana Schenker, who didn’t miss her mark. Unfortunately, the number 2 ranked surfer and current junior women’s world champion Luna Hardman has been eliminated. South African Pamela Bowren is also out.
That wraps up day three of the competition, filled with incredible moments, amazing aerial maneuvers, and great barrels.
Tomorrow promises even more action! There are 16 competitors left in the Men’s Division and 12 in the Women’s Division, and from now on, the matchups will be head-to-head. The matchups are set, and it’s sure to be another exciting day in the hunt for world titles.
You can check out the next heats, scores, live updates, and more info through:
Highlights by: Rafael Elías.
Photographer: Joâo Araújo.
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