Stab Magazine | Novatos: Willian Cardoso Is Not Your Average "Rookie"
223 Views

Novatos: Willian Cardoso Is Not Your Average “Rookie”

Introducing the CT wage-worker!

cinema // Feb 24, 2018
Words by stab
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Here’s something I just learned: Willian Cardoso had never officially qualified for the Championship Tour until 2017. He surfed a handful of events as a wildcard between 2012 and 2013, even beating Slater at pumping Bells, but he was never an official member of the Tour. All up, Willian has spent the last 11 years on the QS, has narrowly missed requalification exactly five times, and recently lost his main sponsor. Considering all of these facts, 2017 was meant to be Willian’s farewell tour — his way to say “thank you” to surfing and “goodbye” to all of his lifelong Qomrades. 

With no industry banking, a family to feed, and very little in the form of savings, Willian was only able to attend certain events, but he did so with gusto. A quarter in Australia, a second in Africa, a quarter in Portugal, and somehow, on his final half-funded, final attempt at requalifying, Willian only needed to make one heat in Hawaii to achieve his lifelong goal. Which he did.

So now, at the ripe age of 32, Willian Cardoso is officially a Championship Tour rookie. He joins the Top-34 alongside 19-year-old Griffin Colapinto and 21-year-old Yago Dora, whose career trajectories and 2018 outlooks will differ greatly from those of Willian.

For instance, if Griffin or Yago has a lackluster rookie season, they’ll shake it off, fall back onto the QS, and qualify one-to-three years later (all while getting paid a six-figure salary) — a la Ethan Ewing.

If Willian falls off tour, his surfing career is effectively over. He’ll be forced to relinquish his childhood dream and pick up a more consistent and professional flow of income. Gotta feed that baby somehow. 

It’ll be interesting to see if this pressure acts as a positive or negative force on Willian’s Last Stand. 

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

“We Sat On These Concrete Expansion Joints Right Under The Air Section — But For Rasta Robb We Needed A New Marker”

Bill Morris + Ryan Heywood tell the story behind 19 unseen frames from the Stab…

Oct 15, 2025

Watch: Craig Anderson in ‘Samudra Spirit Glitters’ 

"I feel people can smell the process. Chasing waves and experiences and not having it…

Oct 15, 2025

Unlocked: Kael Walsh’s 2025 Stab Edit Of The Year Entry ‘Strung’

The 2022 champ might just win it again — but sorry, no Bitcoin this time…

Oct 14, 2025

Joyride: The Twin Fin That Changed Everything

The Christenson Lane Splitter lives up to the hype, and the OP3 creates its own.

Oct 13, 2025

Your Beach Now Belongs To Someone Richer

How colonial laws and resort walls are locking Jamaican surfers out of their own island.

Oct 12, 2025

Joel Vaughan & Sierra Kerr Just Beat The World Champs At Stab High Sydney

Loci Cullen and Skai Suitt win Bottle Rockets and Ladybirds, all presented by Monster Energy.

Oct 11, 2025

Watch: Best Stab High Ever?

We're not into hyperbole — just repeating what we heard on site.

Oct 11, 2025

Watch The Replay: Finals Day At Stab High Sydney Presented By Monster Energy 

Time to give away $60k. 

Oct 10, 2025

The World vs The World Champ At Stab High Sydney x Monster Energy Day 1

No, Yago Dora did not win today. But he did surf incredibly well.

Oct 10, 2025

Full Replay: Day 1 Of Stab High Sydney Presented By Monster Energy 

271 air sections vs 53 surfers, including the 2025 world champ, pro skaters, children, and…

Oct 9, 2025

We Built An Acid Drop For The Stab High Warm-Ups

Poolside from Sydney, presented by Monster Energy.

Oct 9, 2025

SEOTY: Portugal’s Shark-Eyed Prince João Mendonça In ‘Same Same’

You won’t hear much from the young Portuguese surfer's mouth, but his SEOTY entry says…

Oct 8, 2025

How To Win Stab High, According To The Defending Champ 

“I’d rather lose first heat and have heaps of fun than win a comp being…

Oct 8, 2025

Breaking: Yago Dora And Molly Picklum To Headline Stab High Sydney 2025 x Monster Energy

World champs vs. the world.

Oct 6, 2025

Does Kelly Slater Know Who Andrew Jacobson Is?

Does anybody? Let's find out in Chapter11's latest character profile, 'This is Where I Am'.

Oct 5, 2025

The Olympic Gold Medalist Is Now World #1

And a 14-year-old girl is right there beside him — our Portugal CS Report.

Oct 5, 2025

Can Surfing Ever Stop Destroying The Places It Loves?

A critical examination of surf tourism via Rebecca Coley's new film, 'Point Of Change.'

Oct 5, 2025

What Does It Really Mean To Be An OnlyFans ‘Athlete’?

We asked Lucia Martiño and Brooke Daigneault, who've been using the platform in very different…

Oct 3, 2025
Advertisement