For the second day in a row, the main names in world surfing met in the waters of Praia de Itaúna for the sixth stage of the sport’s World Circuit. Under the strong sun and favorable waves on Saturday, the local fans cheered intensely. After Luana Silva qualified for the quarterfinals, the male competitors also sought their place in the next phase. Yago Dora, Samuel Pupo and João Chianca triumphed in their heats in the round of 16, guaranteeing their presence in the “Finals Day”. Despite these achievements, Brazil had a significant loss with the elimination of Italo Ferreira by Kauli Vaast.
The WSL has scheduled a total of 22 new matches for this Saturday, following the 26 heats from the previous day. Some Brazilians managed to advance, while others ended their participation. World champions such as Gabriel Medina, Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo have already said goodbye to the event, leaving Yago Dora as the only surfer from Brazil with a season title still in the competition. Despite the losses, Samuel Pupo, Luana Silva and João Chianca secured their places in the quarter-finals and will now fight for an unprecedented trophy in Rio de Janeiro. Miguel Pupo still has his heat to compete today.
Surprising elimination: Ítalo Ferreira is surpassed by Olympic champion in the stage
Ítalo Ferreira, winner of the event in 2024, competed in the sixth heat of the round of 16. The Brazilian athlete tried to reverse the situation when he saw Kauli Vaast take the lead in the confrontation. In the final moments, the Potiguar needed 6.97 points, but did not get the score necessary for the turnaround. The Frenchman, who is an Olympic champion, advanced to the quarterfinals and is now preparing to face Ethan Ewing or Kanoa Igarashi in the next phase.
Kauli Vaast 14.17 x 12.87 Italo Ferreira
Confirming favoritism: Samuel Pupo and João Chianca guarantee a place in the quarterfinals
Brazil secured two places at the beginning of the quarter-finals. Samuel Pupo was the first to enter the water, facing Jack Robinson in his debut heat at the stage. The Brazilian surfer demonstrated dominance, beating the Australian without any major difficulties. With two high scores (8.17 and 7.67), Samuel guaranteed his presence in the “Finals Day” in search of his first title in this championship.
Samuel Pupo 15.84 x 9.94 Jack Robinson
João Chianca, who still doesn’t have a victory in Saquarema, also had a challenging heat this Saturday. However, he pulled off a stunning turnaround in the last wave. Performing three powerful maneuvers on the right of Point de Itaúna, the Brazilian surfer excited the crowd on the beach and guaranteed his advancement in the competition.
João Chianca 14.30 x 13.26 George Pittar
Yago Dora, current world champion, advances prominently in the dispute
In the penultimate heat of the stage, Yago Dora from Santa Catarina demonstrated his familiarity with the waves of Saquarema. With a repertoire of aerial and edge maneuvers, the Brazilian surfer achieved one of the highest scores in the championship, securing his place. If Miguel Pupo wins his last match, he and Yago will meet in the quarterfinals. This possibility guarantees Brazil, from now on, a representative in the semifinals of the Rio de Janeiro stage.
Yago Dora 15.00 x 10.33 Marco Mignot