This Tuesday (28) the Saquarema leg of the World Surfing Championship ended. It was a stage with an unprecedented result for the Brazilians, who monopolized the semifinals of the men’s draw, won by Filipe Toledo, 27. In the women’s dispute, the Hawaiian Carissa Moore, 29, took the trophy.
With Itaúna beach crowded even on a working day, as had already occurred on Monday (27), what was seen in the men’s competition was a green-yellow party. Never in the history of the circuit had four athletes from Brazil reached the semifinals in the same event, and the duels, although competitive, had laughter and camaraderie.
In the first heat, rookie Samuel Pupo, 21, got the better of Italo Ferreira by 11.44 (6.17 and 5.27) to 10.83 (5.73 and 5.10). Filipe Toledo defeated Yago Dora, 26, by 17.36 (8.93 and 8.43) to 15.34 (8.67 and 6.67). In the decision, Toledo gave Pupo no chances and quickly reached a huge sum.
The Paulista from Ubatuba started the heat with an impressive aerial that earned him a 10 out of the five judges. Then, with a string of aggressive maneuvers, he took an 8.67, reached 18.67 and practically decided the duel. Pupo had to look for audacious waves and only managed to complete one. He finished with 10.33 (8.00 and 2.33).
It was Filipe’s fourth title in Brazil. Also a winner in 2015, 2018 and 2019, he became the greatest champion of the Brazilian stage, surpassing Australian Dave Macaulay. Now there are 12 victories on the circuit and 14 marks 10. The world title is still missing, something that seems quite palpable this season.
Toledo has already reached the decisive day in Saquarema qualified for the final stage of the season, in the city where he lives in the United States, San Clemente. Leader of the world rankings, he will be in the final regardless of his results in the last two qualifying events, in Jeffreys Bay (South Africa) and Tahiti (French Polynesia).
The five highest ranked surfers of the season will have a spot in the final tournament. In addition to Filipe, the Australian Jack Robinson, the Brazilian Italo Ferreira, the North American Griffin Colapinto and the Australian Ethan Ewing are in the classification zone. Miguel Pupo, in ninth, Samuel Pupo, in 11th, and Caio Ibelli, in 12th, are still fighting.
Current champion, Gabriel Medina no longer has a chance to defend the title. The tri of the world stayed away from the first half of the season to pay attention to mental health. In the second, he didn’t get enough results to fight for the tetra and, in Saquarema, he suffered an injury to the medial collateral ligament of his left knee. He will be out of action for two months.
Tatiana Weston-Webb, who came very close to winning last year, is alive. The gaucho jumped from ninth to sixth position in the ranking, behind the Hawaiian Carissa Moore, the French Johanne Defay, the North American Lakey Peterson, the Australian Stephanie Gilmore and the Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy.
This Tuesday, Tati stopped in the semifinals against Carissa, the same one who defeated her in the heat that won the 2021 world title. Moore overcame the Brazilian and beat French Johanne Defay in the decision. She has already qualified for the season finals in San Clemente, on the prestigious waves of Lower Trestles.
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