This year´s competition was fraught by a belated winter storm raging on Portugal´s coast. Massive surf, winds, and a beached fishing vessel greeted the competition organizers, competitors, and crowds. The World Surf League team was up for the challenge, finding the best times and places for the athletes to perform and offering spectators unforgettable surf moments. The weather gradually improved, and the finals were held in Supertubes Beach on a beautiful day.

This year´s event promoted Portuguese surfers like never before, with four local contestants participating: Frederico Morais, a Championship Tour surfer and Matias Canhoto, Joaquim Chaves, and Francisca Veselko, who were extended wild card invitations.

Frederico Morais and Matias Canhoto (Peniche local) were the only Portuguese surfers who made it past the elimination rounds. Still, they fell short of winning at the bracket stage’s early heats at round of 32. The next round saw the elimination of fan favourites such as two-time world champion John John Florence, ex-world champion Italo Fereira, and world-ranked number six and Portugal resident Kanoa Igarashi.

Author: Credit_@WSL_Damien Poullenot;

Gabriel Medina, the tournament superstar, who enjoyed overwhelming support from the crowd in attendance, showed outstanding form until his loss in the semi-finals to Griffin Collapinto, who went on to win the event.

“I worked really hard in the off-season,” commented a victorious Collapinto, “and I also had hip surgery in the off-season, which was really challenging. I put so much effort in; you just got to trust it, and now I got to win, so I´m psyched!”

Much to the relief and joy of the local crowd, it was announced that the WSL CT will continue to hold the event in Peniche for at least the next two years.

Author

With a passion for surfing and writing, Yariv Kav moved to Portugal´s wave capital from his native Israel. He was awarded a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Manchester back when Oasis was still cool, and a diploma with distinction from the London School of Journalism in Feature and Freelance Writing. Loves travel, languages and human stories.

Yariv Kav