Stop No. 3 on the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Presented by Corona, has been called ON in three-to-five foot surf, starting with the men’s Opening Round at 8:00 a.m WET at Supertubos.
“We’re ON, on the opening day!” Renato Hickel, Director of WSL Tours and Competition, said. “We’re going to start right away with the men’s Opening Round followed by the women’s Opening Round with 30-minute heats. We have good surf today and light offshore winds so we have to take advantage of these beautiful conditions.”
When competition gets underway, CT rookie Cole Houshmand (USA above) will surf for the first time at Supertubos against Connor O’Leary (JPN) and Jake Marshall (USA) in the first heat this morning. Callum Robson (AUS), one of the overall standouts last year in Peniche, who scored an incredible 10 point ride, will take on Griffin Colapinto (USA) and a last-minute replacement surfer Matias Canhoto (POR) in Heat 3. The young Portuguese was called on to replace Kelly Slater (USA), who withdrew from the event due to ongoing hip issues.
The current rankings leader John John Florence (HAW) will take on rookie Jacob Willcox (AUS) and wildcard Marco Mignot (FRA) in the following heat. The rest of the round is stacked as well, all the way to the last heat which features Portugal’s own Frederico Morais (POR) as well as Yago Dora (BRA) and Liam O’Brien (AUS).
The women’s Opening Round promises non-stop action as well with matchups for the ages, starting with the defending event winner Caitlin Simmers (USA) against Isabella Nichols (AUS) and Alyssa Spencer (USA) in the first heat.
The current World No.1 Molly Picklum (AUS) will quickly follow in the second heat and the reigning World Champion, a former winner here in Peniche, Caroline Marks (USA) in the third matchup. Local crowds will cheer on the event wildcard Francisca Veselko (POR) in that heat as she faces the toughest competition of her young career.
Watch competition LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com.
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Connor O’Leary (JPN), Jake Marshall (USA), Cole Houshmand (USA)
HEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW), Imaikalani Devault (HAW), Deivid Silva (BRA)
HEAT 3: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Callum Robson (AUS), Matias Canhoto (POR)
HEAT 4: John John Florence (HAW), Jacob Willcox (AUS), Marco Mignot (FRA)
HEAT 5: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Rio Waida (INA), Joan Duru (FRA)
HEAT 6: Jack Robinson (AUS), Crosby Colapinto (USA), Joaquim Chaves (POR)
HEAT 7: Jordy Smith (RSA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Kade Matson (USA)
HEAT 8: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Seth Moniz (HAW), Eli Hanneman (HAW)
HEAT 9: Ryan Callinan (AUS), Miguel Pupo (BRA), Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
HEAT 10: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA), Gabriel Medina (BRA), Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 11: Ian Gentil (HAW), Italo Ferreira (BRA), Caio Ibelli (BRA)
HEAT 12: Yago Dora (BRA), Liam O’Brien (AUS), Frederico Morais (POR)
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Caitlin Simmers (USA), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Alyssa Spencer (USA)
HEAT 2: Molly Picklum (AUS), Luana Silva (BRA), Sophie McCulloch (AUS)
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Francisca Veselko (POR)
HEAT 4: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Lakey Peterson (USA), Sawyer Lindblad (USA)
HEAT 5: Johanne Defay (FRA), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), India Robinson (AUS)
HEAT 6: Tyler Wright (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRC), Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
