• Simmers Goes Back-to-Back, Claims First Women’s Final 5 Slot
• Ferreira Earns Emotional First Victory on Home Soil, Moves Into Top 5
• Second Runner-Up Finishes of the Season for Lindblad and Dora
• Florence and Simmers Carry Yellow Leader’s Jerseys Into Final Regular-Season Event

The win clinched a position in the Lexus WSL Finals for Simmers, the first woman to claim a slot. Simmers and John John Florence (HAW) will carry the yellow Leader’s jerseys into the final event of the regular-season, the Corona Fiji Pro Presentedby Bonsoy, as they hold their positions on top of the rankings.

As the race for the Final 5 continues, a Semifinal finish from Gabriela Bryan (HAW) saw her trade places with Johanne Defay (FRA), placing Bryan in No. 5 and Defay in No. 6. Meanwhile, Ferreira jumped back into the Top 5, in the No. 4 position, knocking Ethan Ewing (AUS) into No. 5, while Yago Dora’s (BRA) Semifinal win over Jordy Smith (RSA) sees the Brazilian in No. 6 and the South African down to No. 7.

Simmers successfully defended her 2023 VIVO Rio Pro title, leaving the Californian undefeated in Brazil. It is the fifth CT win, the third of the season, for the 2023 Rookie of the Year, who is competing in just her second year on Tour, and sees her with a significant ranking lead over World No. 2 Caroline Marks (USA). Her backhand in beach breaks over the past two seasons has proven to be near unstoppable, earning her the trophy in the 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, along with the two victories in Brazil.

“I’m feeling really good right now,” Simmers said. “I surfed with my good friend that I have been surfing with since I was really young. We live 20 minutes away from each other and it was kind of a surreal moment for us both. I’ve been feeling really good this event. My whole family is here and I’ve really just been enjoying it.”

Once again the deep bottom-turns and impeccable timing of Simmers delivered an exciting and dynamic performance as she came up against Sawyer Lindblad (USA), a fellow 18-year-old from Southern California, whom she has been competing against since her pre-teen days. Applying pressure right from the start of the Final, Simmers sold her friend on a lemon, then immediately picked up two high 7-point rides, requiring a combination of two scores from Lindblad before the CT Rookie could even find a single score of note. The Final finished similarly to how it started, with Simmers’ 15.50 heat total standing and Lindblad closing with just a 3.26 two-wave total.

“Honestly everything kind of went my way that heat,” Simmers said. “Me and Sawyer were kind of joking about it at the end, like everywhere I sat there was a wave, which is just crazy. Good job to Sawyer, she’s one of the greatest surfers and she got me last time in Tahiti and that was probably the most painful loss I’ve ever had, so I’m definitely glad I got her, but we’ll have a dance-off later, so that’ll settle it.”

The first goofy-footer to make the Final in Brazil since Bianca Buitendag (RSA) in 2015, Lindblad had an impressive run through the event before coming up short at the end. Defeating crowd favorite Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) in the Semifinals, as well as 2023 WSL Champion Caroline Marks (USA) in the Quarterfinals, the 2024 Western Australia Margaret River Pro runner-up showed herself a force to be reckoned with as she made her way to her second Final of the season. She leaves Brazil in No. 8 on the rankings, with a chance of making the Final 5.

“That was pretty incredible to share a final with Caity [Simmers],” Lindblad said. “We’ve been surfing against each other since we were 8, so that was really special. I’m so happy I made another Final this year.”

After a slow start to the season that saw him narrowly making the Mid-Season Cut, Italo Ferreira (BRA) claimed his second victory of the year, his ninth overall, which pushed him into the Top 5 where he now sits in No. 4 headed in the final event of the regular-season. The 2019 WSL Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, who collected the two highest heat totals of the event on his way to the Final, famously learned to surf on a cooler lid in his home of Baía Formosa, where he grew up with very little. His first-ever victory on home soil drew strong emotions from the 30-year-old, especially as he celebrated on the beach with his father.

“I’m emotional right now because I would love to win this comp for my dad, he’s one of my biggest inspirations in life,” Ferreira said. “We came from the bottom and then right now we’re on the top, so I just want to say thank you God for everything, my family, friends. I was dreaming for this moment right now. This is a special one.”

Coming up against the defending event winner, Yago Dora (BRA), who consistently delivered some of the best performances of the week, Ferreira didn’t hold back, aiming for the stars from the start of the Final. An early air reverse combo on his forehand earned a 7.00, which held as the high point, while Dora was unable to find more than single maneuvers, leaving the pair in fairly equal standing. A right late in the heat opened up for Ferreira to punch multiple backhand hits, but an incomplete finish kept the score low, leaving the door open. Dora launched a giant air reverse, easily a heat-winner, but he was unable to ride out and Ferreira successfully closed out another major victory.

“That was a really, really special event,” Ferreira said. “On the beach, outside, in the water. That’s going to be one of my best victories for sure.”

Along the way to his second Final in a row, Dora ignited the crowd when he opened up on a large, long left late in his Quarterfinal match against two-time event winner and two-time WSL Champion John John Florence (HAW) to earn a 9.17. The excellent 16.00 heat total he posted marked his third head-to-head win over Florence in Rio. Not done yet, Dora found another open left in his Semifinal against Jordy Smith (RSA) to deliver an aggressive opening carve connected straight into a massive blow-tail layback that collected a 9.33, beating his own previous number for the highest single wave score of the event.

“I think I just changed the mindset, changed my approach,” Dora said. “I’m just kind of freeing up right now and trying to be myself and surf the way I like to surf and I’ve been really enjoying it. It’s been the most fun events I’ve ever had on Tour and it’s been really good. I’m really happy.”

Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) had a strong opening performance on Finals Day, posting the highest heat total of the event for the women, 15.77, which included the highest single wave score, an 8.17. Major opening turns on her forehand delivered the high scores to defeat Brisa Hennessy (CRC) in their Quarterfinal match-up. However, despite massive support from the crowd, Weston-Webb was unable to earn even a 3-point ride in her Semifinal against Sawyer Lindblad (USA), leaving an opportunity to move up the rankings left hanging.

A series of strong backhand gouges from Gabriela Bryan (HAW) earned the 22-year-old an 8.00 in her Semifinal against Caitlin Simmers (USA). Repeating the drama of their shared Semifinal in the previous event, the Surf City El Salvador Pro, but with the results flipped, a last minute wave from Bryan came in just shy of her requirement to win the heat. Regardless, the 2022 Rookie of the Year leaves Brazil back within the Top 5, switching places with Johanne Defay (FRA) to take No. 5 on the rankings.

An extremely low-scoring Quarterfinal between Griffin Colapinto (USA) and three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) could prove highly consequential to the overall season, as Colapinto’s narrow win kept Medina from breaking into the Top 5. Medina now sits at No. 8 on the rankings and will head into the last event before the Lexus WSL Finals, the Corona Fiji Pro, in need of a big result to have the opportunity to claim a fourth World Title.

For highlights and more information from today’s competition at the VIVO Rio Pro, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Men’s Final Results:
1 – Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.67
2 – Yago Dora (BRA) 10.60

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Women’s Semfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 8.94 DEF. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 4.16
HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 12.74 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 12.40

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 16.60 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.27
HEAT 2: Yago Dora (BRA) 17.30 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 14.23

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 10.03 DEF. Connor O’Leary (JPN) 5.90
HEAT 2: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 10.07 DEF. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 9.44
HEAT 3: Yago Dora (BRA) 16.00 DEF. John John Florence (HAW) 11.27
HEAT 4: Jordy Smith (RSA) 10.00 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 9.73

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Women’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Sawyer Lindblad (USA) 11.06 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 5.60
HEAT 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 15.77 DEF. Brisa Hennessy (CRC) 6.43
HEAT 3: Caitlin Simmers (USA) 12.77 DEF. Luana Silva (BRA) 5.67
HEAT 4: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 10.57 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 8.93

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

• Day 2: VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona: Ferreira and Florence Set the Pace as Men’s Quarterfinalists Determined
• Houshmand Rematch Sees Medina Continue in Race for the Final 5
• Robinson’s Loss Is Colapinto’s Gain as O’Leary Delivers Rankings Shake-Up
• Long-Awaited Return to Finals Day in Brazil Keeps Smith in Top 5 Conversation

The unmatched energy of Ferreira was on full display today. Feasting on the froth of his home crowd, the 2019 WSL Champion was unstoppable as he built from a 7.83 (out of a possible 10), to an 8.50, to a 9.00 to deliver a 17.50 (out of a possible 20) heat total, easily the highest of the event so far, all within the first 15 minutes of his 35-minute Round of 16 match against Rio Waida (INA), in which he caught a total of 12 waves. The 30-year-old showed shades of the type of surfing that earned him a Gold Medal when surfing debuted in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, in similar conditions, as he utilized his infamous air game, as well as the strength of his rail work, to leave Waida in need of a combination of two scores throughout almost the entire heat. A two-turn backhand combo from Waida late in the heat earned him a 7.87 and a heat total that would have won many other heats today; however, Ferreira was on another level.

“I decided to surf,” Ferreira said. “I talked to Marcos [Casteluber] before the heat, I was like, I’m going to try to catch a wave and just surf, you know. I had a good score on my first four waves. I like to surf, you know, not to be like, trying to find a wave. I try to catch a wave like every single moment and do my tricks and then push the limit. So that’s what I did.”

Current World No. 1 John John Florence (HAW) came the closest to matching Ferreira, earning the victory with a significant lead over Seth Moniz (HAW). The two-time WSL Champion’s 14.44 heat total was amassed by utilizing both the left and right of Praia de Itaúna and sees him into his sixth Finals Day of 2024.

Tapping back into the magic that saw him take back-to-back victories on the 2023 Challenger Series on his road to CT qualification, Cole Houshmand (USA) delivered a vicious two-turn forehand combination that utilized every part of his large frame. His seamless and aggressive attack earned an 8.83 and a solid Elimination Round victory over Matthew McGillivray (RSA). The win set up a rematch of the heat that turned the 23-year-old Rookie’s year around, once again facing Gabriel Medina (BRA) in the Round of 16. In an extremely tight and low-scoring affair, Medina got one back on Houshmand, staying busy to scrappily earn victory less than half a point ahead of the Californian, who caught just two waves, the second within the final ten seconds. Progressing to his first Finals Day in Brazil since 2019, the win also keeps Medina at No. 6 on the live rankings, within reach of the Top 5.

“I just wanted to surf, really; I feel like I couldn’t surf, but that one went my way,” Medina said. “It was really tricky out there, but I’m happy with the win. Cole [Houshmand] is a great kid, it’s his first year on Tour. I’ve seen him at Trestles a few times, and I knew at some point he was going to qualify for the Tour. It’s good to inspire a new generation like him and other kids. It’s a big responsibility, you know. It’s good to see this young generation coming up really strong, make us even try harder, train more. It’s good for the Tour, this new blood. It’s been fun, we’ve had two heats head-to-head. One-one.”

In the final heat of the Elimination Round, Ryan Callinan (AUS) defeated Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) in Brazil for the second year in a row before fellow student of coach Richard ‘Dog’ Marsh, Connor O’Leary (JPN), claimed a Quarterfinals berth in the following heat, the first of the Round of 16. O’Leary immediately evened the score with Jack Robinson (AUS), who defeated him in their first-ever head-to-head CT match-up in the previous event, the Surf City El Salvador Pro. It will be O’Leary’s first Finals Day appearance since the season’s kick-off at the Lexus Pipe Pro.

Robinson’s loss opened the door for Griffin Colapinto (USA) to move back into the No. 2 position on the live rankings, which the Californian secured by locking in his best result yet in Brazil after he defeated Liam O’Brien (AUS) in the Round of 16. Colapinto remains undefeated against O’Brien after five head-to-head match-ups, his 7.17 for a two-turn backhand combo the high point of a slow heat that nevertheless had big implications in the race for the Final 5.

“After making that heat, I feel good,” Colapinto said. “The start of the contest yesterday was a bit of a roller-coaster for me. I lost the first round, and the two events before that I had lost to wildcards so that was my third wildcard in a row with Sammy [Pupo]. I was pretty nervous going into that just because he’s so good out here. I feel like getting over that made me feel so free, just getting over that hurdle. I had so much stacked against me too, you know, you say you’re not trying to pay attention to the rankings, but you are, or I am, at least. Yesterday, the first round, everyone around me on the rankings won their heat and I was the only guy in the Elimination Round. So that was definitely weighing on me a bit. So to get through that and to get through this last heat with Liam and into Finals Day feel insane.”

2013 event winner Jordy Smith (RSA) continues to surprise in a consistent season that has kept him in the Top 5 conversation from the start of the year. The 36-year-old is currently the oldest on Tour, and has never really slipped, but his current form is proving to deliver. A win in the final heat of the day over Ryan Callinan (AUS) saw Smith progress to his first Finals Day in Brazil since a runner-up finish in 2019 and is so far keeping the Brazilian trio of Medina, Ferreira, and Dora out of the Top 5 picture.

“I’m really excited,” Smith said. “As far as my career goes, never in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought I would have been a professional surfer, especially for close to 20 years, so it’s an amazing thing for me, but I’m not done, you know. I’m still in it and just keep swinging”

For highlights and more information from today’s competition at the VIVO Rio Pro, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

• • Day 2: Competition Called ON at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona
  • Completion of Men’s Elimination Round Starts at 9:35AM (GMT-3) (2:35am HI Time)
  • Men’s Round of 16 to Follow

Pictured: Gabriel Medina (BRA) after his Opening Round victory at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Thiago Diz

• Battle for the Final 5 Sparks in Opening Rounds and First Eliminations of VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona
• Goofy-footers Sweep Opening Round, Joined by Wildcard Silva
• Simmers, Picklum, and Hennessy Progress to Quarterfinals, Hold Top 5 Positions
• Strong Start for Brazilian Men Hoping to Crack the Top 5
• Top Ranked Men Push Through to Round of 16, Led by Australian Teammates Robinson and Ewing

As the penultimate event before the Lexus WSL Finals, the race for the Final 5 is running hot, especially after six of the ten currently across the women’s and men’s Top 5’s found themselves in the Elimination Round today.

All three goofy-footers in the women’s draw, Sawyer Lindblad (USA), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), and 2023 WSL Champion Caroline Marks (USA), claimed Quarterfinal slots in back-to-back Opening Round heats, utilizing their forehand in the predominant lefts. Marks was the only surfer in the Top 5 to skip the Elimination Round.

“It was kind of challenging out there, there’s a lot of water moving this morning, and I didn’t think it was going to be this big,” Lindblad said. “I brought my step-up just in case and I ended up riding it out there, and I’m glad I did because there’s so much power in the surf today. I was pretty relaxed. It was so beautiful here every single day during the lay days, so it was actually really fun. I’ve been enjoying my time in Saquarema.”

“The cheering that we get from the Brazilian crowd is the best in the world,” Weston-Webb said. “To surf in front of my home crowd is just such a blessing, I feel very at home here. Sometimes, the rhythm is just on one person’s side or the other, and I felt like I had the rhythm in the beginning of the heat. So it went my way and I’m really grateful because a heat win is a heat win and now I’m on to the Quarters. Super grateful.”

Luana Silva (BRA) is one of three Brazilian women in the draw to be qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, along with Weston-Webb and Hinckel. After falling off Tour at the Mid-Season Cut, Silva was excited to take a heat win as a wildcard over World No. 3 Brisa Hennessy (CRC) and No. 6 Gabriela Bryan (HAW), in her first CT appearance in Brazil and move through to her third Quarterfinals of the season.

With four of the Top 5 surfers relegated to the Elimination Round, there was the potential for a rankings shake-up, however three of those four, Caitlin Simmers (USA), Molly Picklum (AUS), and Brisa Hennessy (CRC) were able to earn heat wins to move into the Quarterfinals. Current World No. 5 Johanne Defay (FRA) was eliminated by No. 6 Gabriela Bryan (HAW), but hangs on to her position for now due to a tie-break.

Event wildcard Taina Hinckel (BRA) managed to put Simmers on the ropes in the first heat of the Elimination Round before a buzzer-beater from the Californian kept the yellow Leader’s jersey on her back.

“That was just a case of, ‘What are you doing Caitlin?'” Simmers said, “I was kind of just punching myself because I blew it. I had priority, and then she got that wave. Then I was like, there’s so many waves out here, I can get [the score]. So I just found a little rip curl left and did some turns, and after the first two, I was like, ‘I think that might be it’. It’s pretty funny because, in those situations, I’m so hyper-aware of what I’m doing. You’re half blacked out but half so aware that you have to make this turn. It’s a pretty scary feeling, but I love the feeling, that’s why I do it. So I have a good time.”

Picklum claimed her fourth head-to-head win of the season over Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), while Hennessy stayed just ahead of wildcard Sophia Medina (BRA) in a tight battle. The younger sister of three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) was able to share her first-ever CT appearance with her brother.

Brazil’s three qualified CT men, three-time WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA), 2019 WSL Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA), and defending event winner Yago Dora (BRA) found back-to-back Opening Round heat wins to advance straight into the Round of 16. Currently sitting at No. 6, 7, and 8 on the rankings, respectively, all three are hopeful to crack into the Top 5 with their results at home in Brazil.

Medina had the most impressive start, picking up the first excellent score of the event, an 8.00 (out of a possible 10) for a diverse combination of forehand maneuvers, including a smooth opening full rotation. Sporting fresh rail sprays on his surfboards that feature the Brazilian flag, the crowd favorite backed it up with a 6.93 for another critical forehand air reverse to post the highest heat total of the day, 14.93. Despite his massive international success and a Challenger Series win in the 2022 Corona Saquarema Pro, Medina has yet to make it past the Semifinals at the CT level in his home nation.

“Stoked to make that first heat,” Medina said. “It’s kind of hard out there, but there’s waves, you know, we’ve been waiting a few days for it, so it feels good to get a few good waves and get going and I’m really happy with the win. Brazil is a special one for me. I really want to do good here. I’ve been doing what I know, like training and keeping the faith. One day the Brazilian event is going to come for me, but I’m just letting go and hopefully I can make heats.”

Meanwhile, Ferreira kept the huge local crowd on their toes. Looking at his watch as he took off with 40 seconds to go and in need of a 6.95, the Olympic Gold Medalist took to the lesser-used right and launched a near full-rotation on his backhand, before closing it out with two solid reentries. The beach erupted after a long wait for the score revealed a 7.50 and the heat win over Liam O’Brien (AUS) and Crosby Colapinto (USA), who held the highest single wave score of the day, an 8.17.

Mixed Opening Round results for the men’s Top 5 saw two-time WSL Champion and current World No. 1, John John Florence (HAW), and World No. 3, Griffin Colapinto (USA), sent to the Elimination Round, while No. 5 Jordy Smith (RSA) joined No. 2 Jack Robinson (AUS) and No. 4 Ethan Ewing (AUS) in maintaining their positions with heat wins.

Robinson and Ewing, the two members of Australia’s men’s Olympic surfing team, scored equal heat totals of 12.87 to progress into the Round of 16. Robinson’s 7.00 proved to be one of the morning’s highlights. The Western Australian has strong ties to Brazil, with both his wife and coach coming from there, allowing him to feel an extra level of comfort while competing.

“It’s super good energy here,” Robinson said. “Everyone’s super excited, and it feels like another home when I come here, you know, I have everybody that I travel with all year. So yeah, I love it.”

Florence was able to defeat Saquarema local and wildcard João Chianca (BRA) in the first heat of the Elimination Round, continuing his dominance of their rivalry and pushing through to the Round of 16 with the yellow Leader’s jersey firmly in his grasp. Colapinto also survived a solid challenge from a wildcard, 2022 event runner-up Samuel Pupo (BRA), to solidify the current men’s Top 5 in the Round of 16.

For highlights and more information from today’s competition at the VIVO Rio Pro, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

• Opening Rounds Called ON at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona
• Women’s Opening Round Starts at 7:05AM (GMT-3)
• Men’s Opening Round to Follow
• Women’s and Men’s Elimination Rounds Also Scheduled fpr Today

Pictured: Molly Picklum (AUS) at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Daniel Smorigo

Pictured: No. 3 ranked surfer Brisa Hennessy (CRC) at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona . Credit: © WSL / Daniel Smorigo

Pictured: No. 1 ranked surfer John John Florence (HAW) at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Daniel Smorigo

Pictured: No. 6 ranked surfer Gabriel Medina (BRA) at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Daniel Smorigo

For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.