Adriano De Souza Attempts To Surf Heat On A Crippled Knee

It’s been long believed that Adriano de Souza is a superhuman – a workhorse with a seven-dollar surfboard and a World Title.

His disdain for a wave’s breaking lip, and the subsequent stabbing of them, results in 7-9.5 point scores that have led him to a World Title and a long standing position in the top 20. 

But, today in Portugal, ADS could no longer stand. 

Here’s how it happened.

Adriano’s heat had yet to begin. In preparation for his showdown against Joan Duru, as he was approaching the shorebreak, there was a moment of awkwardness. He flinched, fell into the water, and immediately signaled that something was wrong. He was helped from the water; his knee was examined, wrapped tight, and being a man made of lead and will, Adriano paddled out in round two. 

He jumped on his board. He caught a wave. His knee was nowhere near functioning. It looked like a pool noodle generating a little speed and a fuckload of pain.

The effort was moving and hard to watch. He then got caught in the shore break and turned toward the beach waving in anguish, forced to exit the water, carried up the beach.

ADS pulled out of the event today. The severity of his knee injury is unknown. However, in 2011, he injured his right knee in the Maldives. Afterward, he did not pull out of competition. Also, in 2014, ADS suffered another knee injury (also the right leg) which saw him sit out the Pipe Masters. At the time, he was sitting at number 8 on the rating’s board.

He would come back in 2015 and win the title.

We wish him a speedy recovery.