North Devons Laura Crane is on a mission.
Join her as she shares the challenges and triumphs of professional sport and what lead her to want to tackle the world’s biggest waves.
“It’s not just about surfing, it’s about breaking free and finding the courage to be yourself.”
The MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal presented by Corona, Stop No. 3 on the 2024 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), has been called back ON and could potentially crown its 2024 winners later today, in clean, three-to-four foot surf at Supertubos.
The women’s Quarterfinals will hit the lineup first at 7:03 a.m and be followed by the men’s Quarters. Both men and women’s Semifinals and Finals are on standby for a potential later start. Event officials will monitor conditions as waves have decreased in size overnight.
In both fields the World No.1 has failed to make Finals Day and this promises big shifts in the rankings before the Tour moves down-under for the next two CT stops at Bells Beach and Margaret River. Massive points are up-for-grabs today in Portugal for those fighting to keep their spot among the world’s best ahead of the Mid-season Cut.
Watch it all go down LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com.
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Women’s Quarterfinals Matchups:
HEAT 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
HEAT 2: Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)
HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
HEAT 4: Luana Silva (BRA) vs. Johanne Defay (FRA)
MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal Men’s Quarterfinals Matchups:
HEAT 1: Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA)
HEAT 2: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR)
HEAT 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA)
HEAT 4: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Joan Duru (FRA)
3x World Surfing Champion Tom Curren, Ireland’s cold surf warrior Gearoid McDaid, and Argentinian national hero Leandro Usuna take on Ireland’s coastline in Search of adventure, camaraderie, and connection with the local community.
Documented by Wasted Talent’s keen eye and brought to life with Rip Curl’s Search spirit, the clip is shot on location in the raw, verdant landscapes of Ireland. ‘FÁILTE’, which means “welcome” in Irish, is not just a greeting but an exploration of cultural connections, shared passions, and the spirit of welcoming the surf community into the fold.
Tricky forecasts, fun sessions in thick wetsuits, and epic gigs that only a place like McIntyre’s Saloon in Ballyshannon can host.
We caught up with Tom, Gearoid & Leandro to chat about the trip…
Gearoid McDaid
Gearoid, as the local legend, what spot were you most amped to show the guys?
I was pretty amped on showing the guys all the waves to be honest, there’s a lot of waves that are so amazing that no one ever knows about. Everyone always sees Mully and Aileens in Ireland but it was a super cool trip to be able to show the guys all the other waves we have on offer.
How did it feel to have surf royalty like Tom Curren join the Irish lineup?
It was definitely a surreal feeling having Tom in the water. It was pretty funny. Usually it’s the groms frothing over the pros being over, messaging me trying to find out where we were surfing, but having Tom on the trip, it was all the older boys that were super frothing on Tom being in the water and trying to find out where we were gonna be surfing.
What’s one thing about the Irish surf community that you think surprised Tom and Leandro?
I think just how welcoming and nice the whole Irish surf community is. It’s not like anywhere in the world. I don’t think everyone is always super nice and there’s very rarely any anger in the water, everyone gets waves and everyone shows respect to each other. People are frothing to surf no matter what, howling winds, rain or snow there’s always people in the water. It’s pretty sick how dedicated everyone is.
Leandro Usuna
Leandro, coming from Argentina, what was the biggest culture shock you experienced on the Irish coast?
The coast of Ireland is a giant country that ends in the sea, with its impressive, phosphorescent greenery. That impressed me a lot.
Then, the culture is very European, but it also has a mix of countryside.
In Argentina, it’s very lively, but there are many buildings, castles, it’s very old.
What impressed me the most was the culture, the history of Ireland, and how beautiful the landscape is, with those mountains, some of the biggest mountains in the world, the largest cliffs in the world, with that phosphorescent green next to that impressive sea and obviously the waves.
How did the warmth of the Irish people compare to the chill of their waters?
There was so much energy, and it made me feel a bit like I was at home in that sense. I felt like I was with many Latins, same as us Argentinians. It made me feel like they were just more Latins, because they are too friendly, too good-natured.
And well, they also make you feel very happy in the water. In the water, they respect you a lot. Seeing you in the water, surfing the waves with them, enjoying that place.
Putting that energy into putting on your suit and being far away from the world, surfing those waves in the middle of nowhere. With that cold, they make you feel very respected, they make you feel very much a part of them, part of the community. The truth is, I felt as if the Irish were my brothers.
How does it feel to go on The Search with Tom Curren?
It was something very special and something I will never forget. It was a unique trip that will never be repeated. Hopefully, it can be repeated somewhere else, but Ireland with Tom Curren, I don’t think that will happen again.
But the truth is I had an incredible time and I want to thank Rip Curl very much. I want to thank Tom Curren, Borja, and everyone who made this trip possible. We had a blast.
Tom Curren
Tom, after two decades, how’d it feel to surf in Ireland again?
Ireland looks about the same, although the surfing community has grown, and there is a lot of amazing surfing going on.
What was your most memorable moment during this Irish surfari?
Most memorable moment for me this time was getting to jam with Johnny Gallagher, and a couple of fun surf sessions with Gearoid, Lele and Frank!
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)
NE charger Sandy Kerr’s brother took his own life in 2020. In 2023 his father did the same. It’s a tragic story but in this podcast Sandy opens up about the darkest of times to hopefully help others and discusses his love of surfing.
Pls share to help others.
Sweden, the coldest start to winter in living memory. Sea temp of -1, air temp of -25. Let’s join Freddy Meadows on a surf trip!
