Perfect Chapter

Perfect Chapter

Aritz Aranburu won the Perfect Chapter today in offshore six-foot barreling waves at Carcavelos Beach in Cascais, Portugal. In the final, the Basque Country surfer scored a total of 12 points, besting Cory Lopez who scored 10,25. In third and fourth place came local surfer Pedro Boonman (6,05) and Hawain Kiron Jabour.

Aritz also won the Go Chill Best Score and 58 Surf Best Tube awards. Besides the winner’s cheque, Aritz also took home an electric bike courtesy of ElectrikFatBike.

The Best Portuguese Surfer Award went to Pedro Boonman, sole Portuguese surfer in the final Russel Bierke won the Ricard dos Santos Attitude award, and Clay Marzo took home the G-Shock Best Wipeout award.

“It’s amazing to win here in Carcavelos, with a huge crowd on the beach, the support was incredible. The level during the contest was amazing, with everyone getting some really good barrels. I’m really stoked to win this contest in perfect conditions and with such great surfers,” said a visibly pleased Aritz Aranburu.

"We have the best open-air stadiums for the surfing in Cascais. We want to continue to show both in Portugal and abroad what Cascais has to offer and the quality of our waves. But we also look at surfing in a social context, as sport means reducing social asymmetries and reinforcing territorial cohesion. You can count on us for the next editions of the Perfect Chapter," said Marco Pina, from the Cascais City Council.

“It’s a real win to be able to hold the contest on a Saturday in Cascais, with a packed beach. It’s a really great way to showcase surfing in Portugal: Perfect 6 foot plus waves, offshore winds all day, and a group of amazing surfers pushing the level in every heat,” said Rui Costa, who’s been organizing the Perfect Chapter since 2012.

“We work hard every year to put on a great show, and with conditions like we had today it’s easy to motivate surfers, sponsors and the fans to keep coming back year after year.”

For further information and full results, check out
capituloperfeito.com

Hennessy & Mamiya Victorious

Hennessy & Mamiya Victorious

• Hennessy Becomes First Costa Rican to Win Championship Tour Event
• Hawaii’s Mamiya Clinches Wildcard Win
• Runner-ups Manuel and Igarashi Head To Portugal Second on World Rankings

Brisa Hennessy (CRI) and Barron Mamiya (HAW) won the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO, the second stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), in six-to-eight foot surf. This win marks the first CT victory for both surfers, and for Hennessy, the first time a Costa Rican has won a CT event. Hennessy and Mamiya now climb to World No. 1 on the WSL rankings, while runner-ups Malia Manuel (HAW) and Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) sit at World No. 2.

Hennessy Becomes First Costa Rican to Win Championship Tour Event
22-year old Hennessy (above) earned her first CT victory after besting Manuel in the Final and rookie Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) in the Semifinals today at Sunset Beach.
A Final with hefty implications unfolded as Hennesy and local charger Manuel battled to see who would take the No. 1 spot on the World Rankings. Hennessy started off her first-ever CT Final with an early lead but Manuel’s opening 6.33 put her right back in the heat and quick in-and-out to take the lead before making a priority error halfway through the affair.
Hennessy’s 5.23 put her back into the lead and required a 4.73 of Manuel heading into the final six minutes as the Kauian went for it all on a major maneuver and fell from the top to the bottom. The Costa Rica representative found one last opportunity and turned in a 7.00 to secure her a massive victory, the country’s first on the CT.

“I’ve just dreamed about this moment and never thought it was possible,” said Hennessy. “It was an honor to surf against Malia. I feel like she has such an amazing connection out here and just all the people in my life, thank you. This is the reason I was able to do this today.” 

“You definitely reflect and think about all those moments that brought you here and made you who you are,” added Hennessy. “I barely made it back into the CT. I had to go to the Challenger Series and that was an emotional rollercoaster. I think it’s the people that are behind you and in your village that make you who you are and really are your light. My family, my friends, my mom and dad, my grandparents, Glen Hall who was with me since the beginning in my rookie year and has seen me grow and has seen me at my lowest. Costa Rica’s given me so much, it’s literally given me the gift of surfing. The gift of the ocean and the gift of connection to so many people around the world. I hope I can carry the love of Pura Vida around the world and hopefully inspire people.” 

An immaculate run through the competition for eventual runner-up Manuel (above) ended in dismay after taking down event threat and in-form rookie Gabriela Bryan (HAW) for their Semifinal duel. Manuel’s final effort, a 7.33, was enough to secure the heat win and take her into her seventh-career CT Final. Manuel came into the season as a WSL wildcard and now sits at No. 2 in the world. 

“It was a tough end to my year coming so close,” said Manuel.”I’m very thankful to Jessi and everyone at WSL for giving me an opportunity to have a wildcard in this first half of the year. It really gave me motivation to prove to myself that I still wanted it and I’m here. I’m back.”

Wildcard Mamiya Takes Down CT Veterans at Men’s Hurley Pro Sunset Beach Presented by SHISEIDO
The men’s Final also featured a battle for the yellow jersey between wildcard Mamiya and CT veteran Igarashi that unfolded in historic fashion. Mamiya is the first men’s wildcard to win an event since 2008.
A slow start gave way to fireworks as Igarashi put pressure on the wildcard after a priority mistake by Mamiya, who recovered brilliantly with back-to-back scoring waves to accrue a 15.00 heat total and left his seasoned competitor in need of a near-perfect 9.50. But the local North Shore competitor wasn’t done yet and dropped the hammer on a major, two-turn combination to earn an 8.83 and leave Igarashi in need of two new waves with just two minutes remaining.

“I can’t believe it, I literally can’t believe it,” said Mamiya. “I thought Pipe was going to be the event I was going to do really well in. I’m so comfortable at Pipe and I wasn’t really super prepared for this event but in my mind I just had to adapt to whatever the conditions are and figure it out. It doesn’t even feel real. I want to thank all my friends and family, my mom and my dad sacrificed so much for me, and I want to thank Shaun Ward too. He’s been with me since day one, and he’s really helped me so much through a lot of tough times.”

“At the end of last year I was really bummed with my performance in 2021,” added Mamiya. “I didn’t make a heat on the QS and was coming off an injury. There were just a lot of things not going my way. I wasn’t even on Tour and got into Pipe through a wildcard and got another wildcard here so I’m just super stoked.”

Eventual runner-up Igarashi (above) battled his way to the Final after matching with even threat Jack Robinson (AUS), 2019 Vans World Cup winner here at Sunset, in phenomenal fashion. The 24-year-old then had to overpower Ethan Ewing (AUS), who looked to be unstoppable in his event run, but Igarashi was able to score a near-perfect 9.03 (out of a possible 10) and left the Australian talent in need of an excellent score heading into the final minutes.
The current World No. 2 will now look for his second-career CT win heading into the MEO Portugal Pro after falling short to Mamiya’s Cinderella story.

“I’m actually really happy,” said Igarashi. “Coming to Hawaii for so many years now, growing up in Huntington Beach, this has always been the place where I’ve really needed to work. I’ve always had a lot of struggles and just with my surfing, and over the years I’ve had to really work on it. Now just coming here and seeing so many familiar faces, I have so many friends here now and it just means a lot because somewhere where I felt so uncomfortable before I’m able to feel a little bit more comfortable and get some scores, and get some results.”

The 2022 Championship Tour Continues in Portugal
The holding period for the MEO Pro Portugal, the third stop of the 2022 Championship Tour, runs from March 3 to March 13, 2022.

The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and WSL’s YouTube channel, as well as the free WSL app. For fans watching in Brazil, coverage of the MEO Pro Portugal Quarterfinals and beyond will continue exclusively on worldsurfleague.com and SporTV. Also, check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners.

Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Women’s Final Results:
1 - Brisa Hennessy (CRI) 12.83
2 - Malia Manuel (HAW) 7.46
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Final Results:
1 - Barron Mamiya (HAW) 17.00
2 - Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 12.33
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Women’s Semifinals Results:
HEAT 1: Malia Manuel (HAW) 12.66 DEF. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 10.23
HEAT 2: Brisa Hennessy (CRI) 15.17 DEF. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) 8.23
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Semifinals Results:
HEAT 1: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 10.37 DEF. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 9.80
HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 16.20 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.83
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Quarterfinals Results:
HEAT 1: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 16.03 DEF. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 13.23
HEAT 2: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 13.50 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 8.43
HEAT 3: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.70 DEF. Jake Marshall (USA) 10.87
HEAT 4: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 16.27 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 13.27

Sonic Souvenirs Vol 2

Sonic Souvenirs Vol 2

Vans Surf proudly presents Volume Two of Sonic Souvenirs, a series focused on the intersection of surf, art and culture told through the lens of one of the world’s most stylish surfers, Mikey February.

In the second instalment of this exploration, Sonic Souvenirs: Cotê di’Ivoire, Mikey is joined by Vans’ LeeAnn Curren and Alex Knost along West Africa’s Ivory Coast. The crew also garnered insights from local musician Steven Amoikon and local surfer Souleymane Sidibe on their travels, providing an authentic look into the origins of many regions’ cultures and spotlighting a variety of musical styles, instruments, dance, and deep-rooted traditions. Nestled in smaller, niche communities, each region has its own ideas and interpretation of surfing, independent of existing perceptions or definitions.

“West Africa as a whole is such a beautiful area, but what is particularly exciting about the Ivory Coast is that a lot of it is undocumented and we were super excited to explore what this part of Africa has on offer,” Mikey said. “There is almost no modern influence on their surfing, so it is unlike most other places in the world that I’ve traveled to surf. From the outside looking in, you know it is only the beginning. The positive effect and endless opportunities that surfing can provide to the youth in these communities is really exciting.”

Immersed in the culture and energy of these communities, Mikey and crew draw inspiration and insight from each location and the people they meet along the way. The result is a beautiful reflection of art, surfing and music, and the interconnectedness of these shared passions that bring people together from different parts of the world.

Launched in 2021, Sonic Souvenirs is a series of visual essays on the influences of music and sound on style-master Mikey February’s surfing. Taking inspiration from music and finding different rhythms within surfing sets the tone for this ongoing series, which documents Mikey’s travels and immersion into local communities around the globe.

Sunset Hurley Pro

Sunset Hurley Pro

• WSL Champions Slater, Florence and Ferreira Advance to Round of 32
• Rookies Tackle Tough Conditions, Imaikalani deVault Leads the Charge

Photos: WSL / Bielmann / Heff

The Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO, the second stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), kicked off in sizeable conditions after four-consecutive off days. Men’s Opening Round 1 and Elimination Round 2 were completed in 10-to-15 foot surf ahead of a week of promising swell.

WSL Champions Slater, Florence and Ferreira Advance to Round of 32
Event replacement surfer Barron Mamiya (HAW) and CT rookie Callum Robson (AUS) upset World No. 1 Kelly Slater (USA) in a relatively low-scoring affair as the pair sent the recent Pipeline winner into the treacherous Elimination Round.
The 11x WSL Champion came out swinging in Elimination Round Heat 1 against wildcard Koa Smith (HAW) and injury replacement Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) with a 6.67 (out of a possible 10) to put pressure on the heat leader Smith at the halfway mark. However, McGillivray’s impeccable forehand and positioning for time behind the curtain earned him a 7.67 under the five-minute mark to steal a heat win from Slater. In second place, Slater also advanced and eliminated Smith from the draw.

“It’s not easy out there,” said Slater. “I don’t surf Sunset very much, so I was trying to work out my lineup on the fly and on the way out I figured out a pretty good lineup about how far I was, where those things were cornering, and how deep on the point I was. I felt good. I wouldn’t say I was relaxed. I didn’t feel calm at all, my blood sugar felt wrong, the whole energy of the heat felt wrong to me and didn’t feel like it was my day. I had to go home and kind of reset, and give myself a little mantra, telling myself just to enjoy it. I channeled Sunny (Garcia) out there a little bit. Just thinking about all the things he’d used to tell me if I was messing up.”

Two-time World Champion John John Florence (HAW, above) advanced in first out of his opening matchup at Sunset, drawing his signature long carves on the open face for two good scores and the win. Behind him the battle between Owen Wright (AUS) and Ethan Ewing (AUS) came down to the final-second fireworks by Ewing who started late on a bomb and committed to two massive turns for the second advancing spot ahead of his compatriot.
A matchup of heavy-hitters in Heat 5 between World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) and Hawaii's Ezekiel Lau and Billy Kemper produced highlights and came down to the wire. Ferreira controlled his fate from the get-go with the biggest scores early and battle ensued between Lau and Kemper, eventually going Lau’s way with a buzzer-beater to finally take first place.

Familiar Faces Light Up at Hurley Pro Sunset Beach Presented by SHISEIDO
In the day’s opening heat, Jordy Smith (ZAF, above) matched the ocean’s power with his own, pushing the limits on a massive layback snap and a big re-entry to post the day and the event’s first excellent score of 8.00 points (out of a possible 10). Smith, who won a Qualifying Series event at Sunset before, faced compatriot Matthew McGillivray and Ryan Callinan (AUS) and advanced straight into the Round of 32.

“It’s definitely reassuring that my surfing suits this wave,” said Smith. “I’ve had some great success out here right from the very first time I surfed in that event. But this is a whole separate deal, coming up against the best surfers in the world you just got to lay it all on the line.”

Kanoa Igarashi (JPN, below) put together a solid performance in the following matchup. Igarashi seemed in total control of the rogue sets at Sunset to post his own 8 point ride, backed up by a 7.33. The Japanese surfer’s wave selection was perfect as he made it look very easy to navigate the big-water lineup at Sunset.

“It’s just classic Sunset out there,” Igarashi said. “It’s a hard wave to surf physically and mentally. You get given a lot of options and you kind of have to pick the eyes out of them and find the ones that you want. I knew what I wanted out there and luckily two came, that’s all I needed.”

Upsets continued later in the day with current World No. 2 Seth Moniz (HAW) bested by CT veterans Kolohe Andino (USA) and Nat Young (USA). Andino took control of the affair with powerful flow through two major maneuvers to earn a 7.17 as Young’s backhand garnered a 6.00 to put Moniz in the treacherous third-place position from which he couldn’t recover. This marked Andino’s first heat win of the year as the former World Title threat looked to rebound after an early exit at Pipeline.

“It’s the world’s best so it’s always going to be super hard,” said Andino (above). “You’re also dealing with maxed out Sunset and if the contest wasn’t on there wouldn’t be too many free surfers out there - it’s a washing machine. It’s man vs. ocean vs. competitor. I was excited for it to be big so there wouldn’t be that many tactics involved and it was cool to have a heat with Nat."

Moniz recovered from his first heat and found himself locked into another battle with Brazilian duo Caio Ibelli and Miguel Pupo during his Elimination Round. The ocean became unruly as sets grew even bigger heading into the final minutes of the heat in which Ibelli had control over with Moniz securing his place over Pupo and salvaging himself from early elimination. 

The Big Wave Champion Kemper (above) felt right at home as he battled Australians Wright and Morgan Cibilic in Heat 2 of the Elimination Round. Maui, Hawaii’s own unleashed his detrimental forehand to claim a 7.93 over the CT veteran Wright and newcomer, 2021 World No. 5, Cibilic. In a low-scoring affair, Wright’s interference on Kemper proved to be too much to overcome as time expired.

“These are the nitty-gritty days at Sunset Beach,” said Kemper. “It’s crazy. Fifteen minutes feels like so long in a heat, you feel like you’ve wasted the heat. But, I felt calm. I’ve been working a lot. I have my son here, my wife’s over at Pupukea watching with my other boys and just feel really comfortable at home. I’m not out here trying to qualify or win a World Title, I’m just trying to win in my own backyard and really enjoy every minute of it, and being able to compete with the world’s best. Owen, Morgan, I look up to these guys. As much as I’m a surfer, I’m also a surf fan and I love what they do on Tour and it’s an honour to share the ocean with them.” 

Rookies Tackle Tough Conditions, Imaikalani deVault (above) Leads Charge
An immaculate performance from Maui’s Imaikalani deVault put the field on notice, garnering a 14.76 heat total (out of a possible 20) over fellow rookie Samuel Pupo (BRA) and Cibilic in their Opening Round battle. The young Hawaiian is no stranger to waves of consequence and put everything he had into each powerful maneuver to earn the day’s single-wave best of 8.93. 

“It felt really good to just open up on a clean face,” said deVault. “It’s kind of filtering through right now and it’s pretty tricky with a lot of washthroughs. And it’s really hard to figure out which ones are walling up but as soon as I saw that wave and the wall to it I knew that this is the wave I’ve been waiting for.”

Australia’s Jackson Baker (above) has a history at the famed Sunset Beach with multiple years of qualification runs coming up short at its intimidating lineup. But, Baker brought out his best to overtake the explosive talents of Griffin Colalpinto (USA) and Deivid Silva (BRA). 
An impressive showing from California’s Jake Marshall earned him a massive Opening Round win over Jack Robinson (AUS), the last competitor to win a WSL competition at Sunset Beach, and Miguel Pupo (BRA). Marshall’s familiarity with Sunset’s reef helped the rookie showcase his surfing in the massive swell pulsing through during their heat.

“That was a tough heat, any time you get Jack (Robinson) in your heat at Sunset he’s not one of the guys you want to draw because he’s so good out here. I knew if I could get some good waves and do my surfing I had a good chance. I feel really confident out here and I’ve surfed it a ton, and it really suits my surfing. I’ve been coming out here almost every winter since I was 10 and a lot of times when I was younger, Pipe was pretty crowded so I’d surf out here a lot. Especially this winter with swells washing through at Pipe I would just surf out here and just getting comfortable when it’s big.”

Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Opening Round 1 Results:
HEAT 1: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 12.50 DEF. Ryan Callinan (AUS) 8.33, Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 6.84
HEAT 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 15.33 DEF. Lucca Mesinas (PER) 10.17, Caio Ibelli (BRA) 7.64
HEAT 3: Barron Mamiya (HAW) 11.40 DEF. Callum Robson (AUS) 9.83, Kelly Slater (USA) 8.94
HEAT 4: Jadson Andre (BRA) 11.50 DEF. Conner Coffin (USA) 9.10, Jordan Lawler (AUS) 7.90
HEAT 5: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.43 DEF. Italo Ferreira (BRA) 11.67, Billy Kemper (HAW) 9.86
HEAT 6: Filipe Toledo (BRA) DEF. Joao Chianca (BRA) , Kai Lenny (HAW)
HEAT 7: Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 14.76 DEF. Samuel Pupo (BRA) 9.00, Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 8.43
HEAT 8: John John Florence (HAW) 12.83 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 11.20, Owen Wright (AUS) 9.84
HEAT 9: Jackson Baker (AUS) 10.77 DEF. Deivid Silva (BRA) 9.63, Griffin Colapinto (USA) 8.73
HEAT 10: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.20 DEF. Nat Young (USA) 10.93, Seth Moniz (HAW) 7.97
HEAT 11: Jake Marshall (USA) 13.27 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.40, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 5.87
HEAT 12: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 9.33 DEF. Frederico Morais (PRT) 8.43, Connor O'Leary (AUS) 1.33
Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Elimination Round Results:
HEAT 1: Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 13.57 DEF. Kelly Slater (USA) 13.00, Koa Smith (HAW) 12.77
HEAT 2: Billy Kemper (HAW) 11.66 DEF. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) 6.43, Owen Wright (AUS) 5.67
HEAT 3: Connor O'Leary (AUS) 13.54 DEF. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.17, Jordan Lawler (AUS) 6.60
HEAT 4: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 10.70 DEF. Seth Moniz (HAW) 9.26, Miguel Pupo (BRA) 6.83

Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Women’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Johanne Defay (FRA), Gabriela Bryan (HAW), Molly Picklum (AUS)
Heat 2: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Malia Manuel (HAW), Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
Heat 3: Carissa Moore (HAW), Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW), Moana Jones Wong (HAW)
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Brisa Hennessy (CRI), Luana Silva (HAW)
Heat 5: Lakey Peterson (USA), Isabella Nichols (AUS), Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Heat 6: Tyler Wright (AUS), Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), India Robinson (AUS)

Hurley Pro Sunset Beach presented by SHISEIDO Men’s Round of 32 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Conner Coffin (USA) vs. Caio Ibelli (BRA)
HEAT 2: Kolohe Andino (USA) vs. Lucca Mesinas (PER)
HEAT 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Jackson Baker (AUS)
HEAT 4: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
HEAT 5: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Barron Mamiya (HAW)
HEAT 6: Deivid Silva (BRA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS)
HEAT 7: Morgan Cibilic (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA)
HEAT 8: Seth Moniz (HAW) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA)
HEAT 9: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Billy Kemper (HAW)
HEAT 10: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA)
HEAT 11: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Connor O'Leary (AUS)
HEAT 12: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Jake Marshall (USA)
HEAT 13: Kelly Slater (USA) vs. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)
HEAT 14: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Callum Robson (AUS)
HEAT 15: Frederico Morais (PRT) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
HEAT 16: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Imaikalani deVault (HAW)

Makoa & Yael

Makoa & Yael

A short featuring Makoa Gómez Vidal and Yael Peña Suárez titled, "MAKOA & YAEL".
Documenting two weeks of swell in the Canary Islands.

Edited by Yael Peña Suárez.
Animation by Laura Rodríguez Corona.
Filmed by Charly y Davinia - David Torivio - Martxel Txintxurreta - Alberto García - Teo Hortega - Germán Pinelo - Carlos

Music When the Curtain Falls - Greta Van Fleet