Absolutely Nothing Happens To The World Title Race In Portuguese Warm-Up Rounds

It seems like just yesterday that we were all outside Cafe du Paris, standing in the middle of Hossegor’s closed-off streets, pints in hand, electro-DJ-guy in ears, celebrating either Jeremy Flores or surfing or one last sunny Friday before France surrenders to a cold, rainy winter. 

Or at least I was. Not sure what you were up to. 

Anyway, the tour has left France and entered Portugal. Ahh, yes. A country renowned for its culture, sardines, friendly drug laws and role in assisting people in hiding from taxes. Have you tried the Douro wine? It’s fantastic. 

Easy transition between the two, given the outcome of one and the forecast for the other. Two world-class beachbreaks, both of which don’t seem to want to present themselves as such for long periods of time during the event window. Still moments of glory at each, though. Prediction: We’ll see at least one 10 at this year’s Rip Curl Pro Portugal. But at the same time, we’ll probably see multiple people win heats with less than 10 point heat totals. 

The decision was made to run today, on the second day of the waiting period. There was the occasional tube — few of which were actually super. Highlights? Buddy. You betcha. 

After two dull heats — which Wilian Cardoso and Griffin Colapinto won, although nobody really won —  Italo Ferriera turned it up in Heat 3. He caught fifteen waves and tried many airs, but still lost to Yago Dora who surfed like a fine silk garment. It was the heat of the day. 

You gotta feel for Filipe Toledo. His back is still fucked. After four days of not surfing, he won his heat today —  but seemed deflated in the post-heat interview. He called an air reverse a turn, which was cool. 

Gabriel Medina put up the best score of the day. I’m gonna put my reputation on the line and be the first one to say it: I think this could be his year. The upstart competitor looked “in the zone” in his heat today, landing a solid air and backing it up with a little barrel. This story breaks down the math behind the World Title, if you’re horny. 

Deivid Silva won his heat. Nothing exciting happened, it’s just that you don’t get many opportunities to write that sentence and so I couldn’t resist. 

And Julian Wilson, he won too. Is he still a World Title contender this year? Was he ever really a World Title contender? Is he ever really not? There are so many questions about Julian Wilson at this point in his career. 

Michael Rodriguez looks great in these conditions. I’ll let you decide whether or not that’s a compliment. 

Then, of course, it was time for the ladies. Do you know who won? I do. Sally, Macy, Carissa, Caroline, Courtney, and Steph. For some reason, while watching Carissa’s heat, I had a very intense feeling that she was going to do a mid-face 360. Like, I would have bet my life on it. She never did and I was terribly disappointed. 

Tomorrow looks good-ish. More swell. Light winds. Low tide in the middle of the day is less than ideal, but it will still be fun. Should be nice to get into the heats where people actually win and lose instead of just lingering around for a few rounds. After all, the title is on the line. Plenty more erotic surf action to come.

MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Men’s Elimination Round 2 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Ricardo Christie (NZL) vs. Miguel Blanco (PRT)
HEAT 2: Seth Moniz (HAW) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 3: Ryan Callinan (AUS) vs. Jesse Mendes (BRA) vs. Frederico Morais (PRT)
HEAT 4: Michel Bourez (FRA) vs. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) vs. Soli Bailey (AUS)

MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Elimination Round 2 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Keely Andrew (AUS) vs. Alana Blanchard (HAW)
HEAT 2: Malia Manuel (HAW) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Paige Hareb (NZL)

MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Men’s Seeding Round 1 Results:
HEAT 1: Willian Cardoso (BRA) 10.60 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 8.83, Ricardo Christie (NZL) 5.50
HEAT 2: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 10.96 DEF. Kolohe Andino (USA) 9.20, Soli Bailey (AUS) 7.74
HEAT 3: Yago Dora (BRA) 13.56 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.37, Frederico Morais (PRT) 8.37
HEAT 4: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 10.84 DEF. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 8.30, Crosby Colapinto (USA) 5.17
HEAT 5: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 11.70 DEF. Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 9.56, Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 9.33
HEAT 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.67 DEF. Joan Duru (FRA) 8.60, Miguel Blanco (PRT) 6.80
HEAT 7: Jack Freestone (AUS) 10.30 DEF. Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.53, Owen Wright (AUS) 8.73
HEAT 8: Deivid Silva (BRA) 11.34 DEF. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 9.16, Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 6.43
HEAT 9: Julian Wilson (AUS) 12.66 DEF. Conner Coffin (USA) 10.97, Jesse Mendes (BRA) 7.33
HEAT 10: Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 11.04 DEF. Adrian Buchan (AUS) 8.77, Seth Moniz (HAW) 5.47
HEAT 11: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 11.50 DEF. Wade Carmichael (AUS) 10.13, Ryan Callinan (AUS) 6.76
HEAT 12: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 12.27 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 11.00, Michel Bourez (FRA) 8.06

MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Seeding Round 1 Results:
HEAT 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 9.94 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRI) 9.20, Paige Hareb (NZL) 7.90
HEAT 2: Macy Callaghan (AUS) 12.60 DEF. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 10.33, Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.26
HEAT 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 14.00 DEF. Silvana Lima (BRA) 9.00, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 7.37
HEAT 4: Caroline Marks (USA) 11.64 DEF. Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.27, Keely Andrew (AUS) 5.10
HEAT 5: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 11.90 DEF. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 11.10, Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 11.07
HEAT 6: Coco Ho (HAW) 8.36 DEF. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 7.50, Malia Manuel (HAW) 7.03