Monday: Competition Called OFF for the Day at VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona

Near-Flat Conditions Cause Lay Day (thru Tuesday and Wednesday likely. A Bigger Swell Forecast last 2 days in the Waiting Period (Friday June 30th-Saturday July 1st).
Next Call: Tuesday, June 27, at 7:15 AM GMT-3

Pictured: Caitlin Simmers (USA) will surf in the women’s Elimination Round, Heat 4, when competition recommences at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Smorigo

PRAIA DE ITAÚNA, Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Monday, June 26, 2023) – A continued run of small surf has caused another lay day the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona, Stop No. 8 on the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT). The WSL Tours and Competition team is closely monitoring a new swell that is expected later in the waiting period. The next call will be Tuesday, June 27, at 7:15 a.m. GMT-3.

“Today is the smallest day of the waiting period we’ve seen and it is practically flat,” said WSL Director of Tours and Competition, Renato Hickel. “Tuesday we could see a small chance of running heats. Our next probable run day is Wednesday. A bigger swell is forecast for the last two days of the window so we are closely monitoring that.”

Pictured: CT Rookie Rio Waida (INA) hopes to survive the Elimination Round and make his second Quarterfinals appearance of the season at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Diz

When competition recommences, the women’s Elimination Round will have critical rankings points on the line. Current No. 4 Molly Picklum (AUS) and current No. 5 Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) are looking to further solidify their spots in the Top 5. They will have to overcome Johanne Defay (FRA) and Caitlin Simmers (USA) in the women’s Elimination Round, Heats 3 and 4, respectively.

Heat 6 of the men’s Elimination Round will be a battle of two fellow South Africans as Matthew McGillivray and Jordy Smith take to the water. Both are in need of a big result here to catapult themselves up the rankings.

Rookie Rio Waida (INA) hasn’t made a Quarterfinals appearance since Portugal. He hopes this event will break that pattern, but will need to take down Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) in Heat 7 of the men’s Elimination Round.

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Women’s Elimination Round Matchups (Heats 3 – 4):
HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Johanne Defay (FRA)
HEAT 4: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Caitlin Simmers (USA)

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Men’s Elimination Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
HEAT 2: Connor O’Leary (AUS) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW)
HEAT 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 4: Caio Ibelli (BRA) vs. Barron Mamiya (HAW)
HEAT 5: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 6: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Jordy Smith (RSA)
HEAT 7: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 8: Callum Robson (AUS) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN)

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Watch LIVE: VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona
The VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona holds a competition window through July 1, 2023. Once called on, the competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners. For fans watching in Brazil, coverage of the competition’s Quarterfinals and beyond will continue exclusively on WorldSurfLeague.com and SporTV.

EARLIER UPDATES BELOW

Sunday -Day Two of Competition- Called OFF at VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona
Small Surf Continues at Praia de Itauna
Next Call: Monday, June 26, at 8:45 AM GMT-3 for a Possible 9:05 AM GMT-3 Start (2am HI Time)

Pictured: Surf fans eagerly await competition to recommence at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Smorigo

PRAIA DE ITAÚNA, Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Sunday, June 25, 2023) – A lay day has been called at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona, Stop No. 8 on the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), due continued small surf at Praia de Itauna. The next call will be Monday, June 26, at 8:45 a.m. GMT-3 for a possible 9:05 a.m. GMT-3 start.

“The swell has dropped a little more than yesterday so we are calling the event OFF for today,” said WSL Director of Tours and Competition, Renato Hickel. “We will continue to monitor the conditions today and make another call tomorrow.”

Pictured: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) is eager for a win in front of her home crowd and will surf in Heat 4 of the women’s Elimination Round when competition recommences at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Diz

When competition recommences, the remaining two heats of the women’s Elimination Round will determine who continues onto the Quarterfinals. Joanne Defay (FRA) has been having a slow season due to starting the year with an injury. She is hoping this will be her breakthrough event, but will first have to take down current No. 4 Molly Picklum (AUS) in Heat 3 of the women’s Elimination Round.

Brazilian surfer Tatiana Weston-Webb is eager to win her first event of the season in front of her home crowd. She will have to overcome rookie Caitlin Simmers (USA) in the last heat of the women’s Elimination Round in order to do so.

Current World No.1 Griffin Colapinto (USA) hasn’t missed a Final in the last three events but now finds himself in danger of early elimination. His Elimination Round, Heat 1 matchup with Jadson Andre (BRA) will decide if he continues his winning streak.

Jack Robinson (AUS) had a phenomenal start to his season, but an injury has caused him early-round losses and he has slid to No. 6 on the rankings. He is hoping to bounce back into the Top 5 with a big result here in Brazil. Robinson will face Seth Moniz (HAW) in Heat 5 of the men’s Elimination Round.

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

EARLIER UPDATES BELOW

Small, Inconsistent Surf Causes Lay Day
Next Call: Sunday, June 25, at 8:45 AM GMT-3 for a Possible 9:05 AM GMT-3 Start (205am HI time)

Pictured: Current World No. 4 Molly Picklum (AUS) will surf in Heat 1 of the women’s Elimination Round when competition commences at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Smorigo

PRAIA DE ITAÚNA, Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Saturday, June 24, 2023) – The day two of competition has been called OFF at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona, Stop No. 8 on the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) due to small, inconsistent surf at Praia de Itauna. The next call will be tomorrow, Sunday, June 25, at 8:45 a.m. GMT-3 for a possible 9:05 a.m. GMT-3 start.

“We went on hold several times this morning to monitor the conditions and see if there were any waves with scoring potential,” said WSL Director of Tours and Competition, Renato Hickel. “Unfortunately, there were not, so we called the event OFF for the day. We will come back tomorrow morning to try again.”

When competition commences, the women’s Elimination Round, Heat 3 will see current World No. 4 Molly Picklum (AUS) take on Tour veteran Johanne Defay (FRA). Picklum hasn’t missed a Quarterfinal this season. She now needs to make it past Defay in order to maintain that claim.

Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) will have to overcome rookie phenom Caitlin Simmers (USA) in the last heat of the women’s Elimination Round. This matchup will have crucial points on the line as Weston-Webb currently sits at No. 5 on the rankings and Simmers at No. 6.

Current World No. 1 Griffin Colapinto (USA) had a surprising Opening Round heat loss which has put him in danger of being eliminated. He will now face injury replacement Jadson Andre (BRA) in the first heat of the men’s Elimination Round.

Heat 3 of the men’s Elimination Round will be a battle of fellow Brazilians, three-time World Champion Gabriel Medina, and event wildcard Samuel Pupo. It is sure to be a close match as they both are eager to advance to the Round of 16.