Surfer Yago Dora won the Saquarema stage of the World Surf League (WSL) and secured a historic financial reward for the sport in Brazil. With the victory, he added 10,000 points in the global ranking, reaching third place. The unprecedented triumph provided Dora with a prize of 80 thousand dollars, approximately 420 thousand reais, in addition to a vehicle from GWM, a Chinese automaker, valued at 350 thousand reais, totaling a value of 770 thousand reais in winnings.
One of the event’s sponsors made the luxury car available as a stimulus for high performance. This special bonus was intended for the surfer, regardless of gender, who achieved the highest score in the final round. Yago Dora recorded 15 points, a remarkable mark. In comparison, the women’s final, held under more demanding maritime conditions, saw Sawyer Lindblad win by less than eight points. This type of cross award, which links a high-value asset to superior performance, intensifies competitiveness and adds a unique incentive, raising the level of awards on the Brazilian WSL circuit.
Significant changes in the men’s world surfing ranking after the stage
During the exciting decision, Yago Dora beat Italian surfer Leonardo Fioravanti, who currently occupies the lead in the world rankings, with a score of 15.00 against 13.37. This performance catapulted Yago to second place in the general classification, just behind Fioravanti. In the Brazilian scenario, the ranking has undergone changes: Ítalo Ferreira is in third place, followed by Gabriel Medina, who had a premature elimination in Saquarema, and by the brothers Miguel Pupo and Samuel Pupo, completing the list of main athletes.