The Costa de Caparica surfer participated in her third final, following two at the Caparica Surf Fest held at home. She defeated Frenchwoman Pauline Ado in 2023 but lost to Teresa Bonvalot in 2021.

Mafalda Lopes, 23, advanced to the championship match after defeating Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri of Spain. In the semi-finals, she scored 10.84 points (7.17 and 3.67) as opposed to the Basque team's nine (4.33 and 4.67).


Tessa Thyssen of France finished second with 9.34 points (4.67 and 4.67), while the Portuguese finished first with 10.76 points (5.83 and 4.93) in the championship's deciding heat.

Kika Veselko, who placed fifth in the French championship, was ousted in the quarterfinals, and Guilherme Ribeiro and João Maria Mendonça, who were ninth and thirteenth in the men's tournament, were both eliminated in the fifth round.

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A passionate Irish journalist with a love for cycling, politics and of course Portugal especially their sausage rolls.

Rory Mc Ginn