Praia de Itaúna, in Saquarema, was the stage for an electrifying debut for the sixth stage of the World Surfing Circuit, with ideal waves and a large audience this Friday. Five Brazilian surfers, Ítalo Ferreira, Samuel Pupo, Yago Dora, Miguel Pupo and João Chianca, secured their places in the round of 16 of the competition. However, the Rio stage saw the early eliminations of big names like Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo in the first phase.
The history of Brazilian victories in Rio de Janeiro is remarkable, with eight titles won since 2011. Names such as Adriano de Souza, Filipe Toledo, Ítalo Ferreira and Yago Dora have already lifted the trophy on national soil in the last 15 years. The most recent champion was Ítalo, who in 2024 beat Yago in a final played at Praia de Itaúna, in front of a fervent crowd, consolidating Brazilian hegemony in the event.
Despite his brilliant career, with three world titles and several international victories, Gabriel Medina is still looking for his first trophy in the stages held in Rio de Janeiro. In this edition, the three-time world champion and current runner-up in the global rankings was defeated by Matthew McGillivray in the first round, saying goodbye to the competition early. The list of eliminated also includes other Brazilians such as Lucas Chumbo, Filipe Toledo, Alejo Muniz, Mateus Herdy and Weslley Dantas.
The Brazilian team arrived in Saquarema with great momentum this season, a factor that highlights the current dominance of national surfing. For the first time in the history of the WSL, five of the six highest ranked athletes globally are from Brazil, including Ítalo Ferreira, Gabriel Medina (2nd), Yago Dora (4th), Miguel Pupo (5th) and Samuel Pupo (6th), all with excellent performances throughout the year.
The advancement of the ranking leader, Ítalo Ferreira, to the round of 16
Ítalo Ferreira’s arrival in the water was accompanied by palpable enthusiasm from the local fans, who welcomed him with applause from the stage. The current leader of the WSL rankings demonstrated his excellent form by overcoming Moroccan Ramzi Boukhiam, who had previously eliminated Lucas Chianca. Wearing the iconic yellow lycra, the surfer from Rio Grande do Norte capitalized on the support of the audience to choose the best waves, guaranteeing his passage to the round of 16 with impressive scores of 7.83 and 6.50.
The final score of Ítalo Ferreira’s heat against Ramzi Boukhiam was 14.33 to 10.97 for the Brazilian.
Gabriel Medina’s early elimination on his debut
In the 40-minute heat, Gabriel Medina watched his opponent start with scores of 7.00 and 4.83, taking the lead. The Brazilian surfer demonstrated patience, waiting for the right moment to execute his maneuvers. In a short period, with less than 10 minutes remaining, the three-time world champion managed to reverse the situation with two scores in the region of 6 points, scoring 6.80 and 6.33.
However, when victory seemed headed towards the Brazilian, South African surfer Matthew McGillivray obtained a score of 6.53, achieving a comeback and eliminating the three-time world champion. Thus, Gabriel Medina was disqualified in the debut of the sixth stage of the World Surfing Circuit.
Gabriel Medina’s clash ended with a score of 13.13 against 13.53 for Matthew McGillivray.
Yago Dora’s thrilling comeback that secured his classification
Yago Dora faced a tense scenario, similar to that of Medina, in the final moments of his heat. With time running out in the duel against Hawaiian Eli Hannemann, the Brazilian needed 6.91 points to turn the score around. The surfer, who is one of the highlights of the circuit, performed two precise maneuvers on a left wave, impressing the judges. With a score of 7.83, Yago secured his passage to the round of 16.
In the fierce dispute, Yago Dora obtained 13.83 points against 12.90 from Eli Hannemann.
Samuel Pupo and João Chianca also secure places in the round of 16
Receiving support from his family present in Saquarema, Samuel Pupo was the first Brazilian to compete in the second round of the stage. He dueled against Mexican Alan Cleland and demonstrated skill in adapting to the big waves, prioritizing the left waves that formed at Praia de Itaúna. Even facing an experienced opponent in challenging sea conditions, Samuel controlled the heat, achieved the highest score (6.00) and guaranteed his classification for the next phase of the Rio tournament.
In the seventh heat of the day, João Chianca, who is local to Saquarema, displayed in-depth knowledge of the conditions at Praia de Itaúna. He impressed the judges with the highest score of the day, completing a spectacular right hand tube followed by an aerial, maneuvers that earned him the maximum score. With this performance, the Brazilian eliminated the American Griffin Colapinto and continued in the competition.
João Chianca won the match with 14.84 points against 7.17 from Griffin Colapinto.
Weslley Dantas’ farewell in the second round
Weslley Dantas, nicknamed “King”, justified his nickname with a standout performance in the water. He surfed the best wave of his heat against Leo Fioravanti, third in the world rankings and winner of the previous stage in El Salvador. The Brazilian surfer performed two powerful backside maneuvers, generating great enthusiasm in the audience and earning 7.50 points from the judges. However, his opponent already had two average scores, but enough to maintain the lead in the match.
In the final seconds of the heat, Weslley found a wave of medium quality, performing two maneuvers and celebrating with enthusiasm. He needed 4.77 points to turn the score around, but the judges awarded 4.10, resulting in his elimination. Despite the premature departure from the stage, the young surfer has already secured his classification for the next season of the Qualifying Series (CS), where he will seek a place among the world elite in 2027.
Weslley Dantas recorded 11.60 points, but was surpassed by Leo Fioravanti’s 12.27, who advanced in the tournament.
Men’s second round results
Check out the complete results from the men’s second round:
- Jack Robinson (14.33) beat Rio Waida (12.53)
- Samuel Pupo (11.07) beat Alan Cleland (8.50)
- Leo Fioravanti (12.27) beat Weslley Dantas (11.60)
- Liam O’Brien (13.93) beat Jake Marshall (10.83)
- Morgan Cibilic (9.44) beat Connor O`Leary (9.30)
- Matthew McGillivray (13.53) beat Gabriel Medina (13.13)
- João Chianca (14.84) beat Griffin Colapinto (7.17)
- George Pittar (15.00) beat Joel Vaughan (6.53)
- Italo Ferreira (14.33) beat Ramzi Boukhiam (10.97)
- Kauli Vaast (13.73) beat Crosby Colapinto (11.50)
- Ethan Ewing (12.66) beat Alejo Muniz (10.30)
- Kanoa Igarashi (12.23) beat Cole Houshmand (11.77)
- Yago Dora (13.83) beat Eli Hannemann (12.90)
- Marco Mignot (12.74) beat Barron Mamiya (10.43)
- Filipe Toledo (14.93) faced Callum Robson (13.00)
- Miguel Pupo (12.97) beat Mateus Herdy (10.94)