Qualification Battle Tightens After Day 4 Of The Saquarema Pro
Three spots remain.
The world’s coming to an end, and there’s fifteen seats on the last plane out of here.
Wherever we land, we’ll need doctors — can’t build a future without someone stitching the pieces back together. The best come out of Brazil, so we’ll take five. Health is wealth.
We’ll need bread, wine, and a little class to remember what living tastes like. Toss in one Frenchman, for flair and fermentation.
Cities don’t build themselves, and Australians swing hammers better than most. We’ll grab four. Practical hands.
We’ll need some firepower, too. A couple North Americans should keep things orderly. Two will do just fine.
That leaves three seats. Three golden tickets to salvation. Who’s coming with us? Who’s getting left behind?
20 heats ran overnight. Here’s what went down in Saqtown.
Qualified
Four fresh names joined Brazil’s quad-strong presence inside the qualification line overnight. By advancing to the quarters, Marco Mignot, Joel Vaughan, and Deivid Silva have muscled into the top 10, locking in their tickets for the 2025 Championship Tour. They’re all still in the mix; still in the hunt to ice their qualification with a win in Saquarema.
Meanwhile, George Pittar’s early exit in round two left him chewing his nerves. But fate threw him a bone—others tripped, and now Pittar can finally exhale; his qualification for next year is locked.
Ousted
The war ended quietly in the night. After battles fought to the brink of triumph, hope was finally lost. With a heavy heart, I write that Alan Cleland Jr., Mexico’s bright and beautiful son, has had his flame extinguished. In the last heat of the round of 32, under uninspiring conditions, Al could manage no better than a last-place finish. Across Mexico, tears fall, and candles burn in quiet tribute to honour the fallen.
But Al did not fall alone. Others went down with him — Morgan Cibilic, Winter Vincent, Michael Rodrigues, Hiroto Ohhara, Jordan Lawler, Jacob Willy, and Dylan Moffat. Brave souls, all of them.
Hearts Still Beating
It’s a four-bison stampede for the final women’s spot. Right now, Nadia Erostarbe clings to fifth after an early exit in the round of 32. But if she dared glance over her shoulder, she’d see no sanctity — only her inevitable collapse. In her periphery are Vahine Fierro, Luana Silva, Yolanda Hopkins, and Sophia Medina—each still in the hunt, each an ant’s breath from toppling her. The rule is simple: whoever goes furthest takes the last ticket to the tour. Vahine and Sophia square off in QF2. One will bleed, one will proceed.
Three men still on the outside of the qualification line are clinging to life. Mateus Herdy has rocketed 11 spots up the live rankings to sit in 12th. Meanwhile, two American stragglers, Levi Slawson and Kade Matson, have dragged themselves out from the ditches of the rankings. They’re not dead yet, but survival demands a win. Kade, for his part, has made a habit of getting the score he needs in the dying seconds — his celebration coming after hearing the scores announced on the sand. Can he keep his clutch streak alive?
Miscellanea
Mateus Herdy is set to battle Deivid Silva in QF2. With Deivid already locked into next year’s tour, will he take it easy on Mateus, letting him through without a fight? Or is there some lingering resentment after hearing Mateus on our podcast? Time will tell.
Jacko Baker is continuing his magnificent rampage through the ranks. Throughout the event, Jacko’s been competing on a pink board, and as it turns out, it’s not just to make him look completely fabulous — he’s raising funds for International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, honouring his late mother, who was taken by the disease.
“She’s a special lady, and she still is. That will never change,” said Jacko. He’s got Kade Matson in QF1, and if he manages to win the comp, there won’t be a dry speck of sand left Saquarema.
Next Call Oct 16, 2024 6:45 AM BRT.
Comments
Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.
Already a member? Sign In
Want to join? Sign Up