Colapinto Continues to Rise, Knocking on the Door of the Top 5
Also arriving at Stop No. 7 in Margaret River, Western Australia in danger of the Mid-season Cut, Griffin Colapinto (USA) has turned his season around, now making at least Semifinals in four out of the last five events, including today’s runner-up finish, and the same placing in Margaret River. The 26-year-old now sits just outside the top 5 as World No. 6. On his road to the Final, Colapinto defeated current World No. 1 Jordy Smith (RSA), who claimed the victory over him in Western Australia, as well as his closest rival on the rankings, Ethan Ewing (AUS) at No. 5.
“Congratulations to one of my best friends, Cole Houshmand, for taking the win,” Colapinto said. “I think [this week was about] just trusting life and not getting too stressed out about the results and what’s going to happen and just letting the ocean call the shots, because that’s really what it comes down to at the end of the day. We don’t really know what’s going to come and how it’s all going to unfold. So you just do your best to show up every day, be the best person you can, and let the rest unfold on its own.”
Pupo and Ewing Gain Rankings Ground at the Expense of Former Winners Dora and Ferreira
The Tour’s elder statesman of the Brazilian Storm, 33-year-old Miguel Pupo (BRA), took down another of his countrymen in the Quarterfinals, current World No. 2 and 2023 VIVO Rio Pro winner Yago Dora (BRA), after his emotional defeat of two-time World Champion and four-time event winner Filipe Toledo (BRA) in the Round of 16. Pupo stayed sharp on his rail as both he and Dora attacked the right on their backhand. Now ranked within the top 10, the Semifinal finish is Pupo’s first since his sole CT victory at the Tahiti Pro in 2022. It also marks his best result yet at home in Brazil and comes after two seasons away from the event, having missed competing here since last making the Mid-season Cut in 2022.
“There were big names that I had to beat to be here,” Pupo said. “It’s about keeping going, I still have work to do. It’s been three long laydays and just trying to rest, you know, trying to keep my mind focused on the job. I know I don’t have the airs, so I was focusing on my turns and the waves I had to choose. I’m happy to come out with the win.”
In a battle of two of the most diverse styles on Tour, 2023 VIVO Rio Pro runner-up Ethan Ewing (AUS) defeated defending event winner Italo Ferreira (BRA). Ewing’s effective use of the rail delivered the only excellent score of the Quarterfinals, an 8.00, and earned him advancement to the Semifinals for the second time in Brazil. With the two surfers sitting next to each other on the rankings, the heat win allowed Ewing, at No. 5, to gain ground on Ferreira, at No. 4, as the race for the Final 5 begins to tighten.
“[Italo Ferreira’s] definitely the crowd favorite,” Ewing said. “Every time he runs down, the beach just erupts, so I was definitely playing into it a bit. I was kind of focusing on getting the better waves, the bigger waves, just to kind of show what I can do. We’re polar opposites, like styles of surfing, so yeah, stoked to get through.”
For more information and highlights from today’s competition at the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero Women’s Final Results:
1 – Molly Picklum (AUS) 15.00
2 – Luana Silva (BRA) 9.23
VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero Men’s Final Results:
1 – Cole Houshmand (USA) 16.90
2 – Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.40
VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero Women’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Luana Silva (BRA) 10.43 DEF. Caroline Marks (USA) 6.57
HEAT 2: Molly Picklum (AUS) 13.06 DEF. Erin Brooks (CAN) 7.60
VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero Men’s Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Cole Houshmand (USA) 15.06 DEF. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.83
HEAT 2: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.84 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.20
VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero Women’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Caroline Marks (USA) 12.16 DEF. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 4.10
HEAT 2: Luana Silva (BRA) 12.80 DEF. Tyler Wright (AUS) 8.84
HEAT 3: Molly Picklum (AUS) 10.50 DEF. Arena Rodriguez (PER) 7.17
HEAT 4: Erin Brooks (CAN) 9.84 DEF. Lakey Peterson (USA) 8.94
VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Cero Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.33 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 10.30
HEAT 2: Cole Houshmand (USA) 13.50 DEF. Jake Marshall (USA) 13.26
HEAT 3: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 14.90 DEF. Jordy Smith (RSA) 9.80
HEAT 4: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 14.43 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.40
Next Stop: Corona Cero Open J-Bay