Caption: California's Griffin Colapinto (USA) will join the elite men's Championship Tour in 2018. 
Credit: © WSL / Cestari

LOS ANGELES, California/USA (Tuesday, December 19, 2017) - The 2017 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) season has come to a close, with John John Florence (HAW)and Tyler Wright (AUS) both defending their respective maiden world surfing crowns to become two-time WSL Champions.

The 2018 elite men’s Championship Tour (CT) will be contested by the WSL Top 34, made up of the top 22 finishers on the 2017 CT season, the top 10 finishers on the 2017 Qualifying Series (QS) and two WSL wildcards.

2017 Top 22 CT:
John John Florence (HAW)
Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Julian Wilson (AUS)
Jordy Smith (ZAF)
Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Owen Wright (AUS)
Kolohe Andino (USA)
Adriano de Souza (BRA)
Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Filipe Toledo (BRA)
Sebastian Zietz (HAW)
Mick Fanning (AUS)
Connor O’Leary (AUS)
Frederico Morais (PRT)
Jeremy Flores (FRA)
Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Caio Ibelli (BRA)
Michel Bourez (PYF)
Conner Coffin (USA)
Joan Duru (FRA)
Italo Ferreira (BRA)

2017 Top 10 QS (minus double qualifiers from CT):
Griffin Colapinto (USA)
Jesse Mendes (BRA)
Wade Carmichael (AUS)
Tomas Hermes (BRA)
Yago Dora (BRA)
Willian Cardoso (BRA)
Keanu Asing (HAW)
Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
Michael Rodrigues (BRA)
Patrick Gudauskas (USA)

WSL Wildcards: Kelly Slater (USA) and Ian Gouveia (BRA)

CT Men’s Replacement Surfers:
Michael February (ZAF)
Bede Durbidge (AUS)
Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Wiggolly Dantas (BRA)

The 2018 elite women’s Championship Tour (CT) will be contested by the WSL Top 17, comprised of the top 10 finishers on the 2017 CT, the top six finishers on the 2017 QS and the WSL wildcard.

2017 Top 10 CT:
Tyler Wright (AUS)
Stephanie Gilmore (AUS)
Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)
Courtney Conlogue (USA)
Carissa Moore (HAW)
Lakey Peterson (USA)
Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
Sage Erickson (USA)
Johanne Defay (FRA)
Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW)

2017 Top 6 QS (minus double qualifiers from the CT):
Silvana Lima (BRA)
Bronte Macaulay (AUS)
Coco Ho (HAW)
Caroline Marks (USA)
Keely Andrew (AUS)
Paige Hareb (NZL)

WSL Wildcard: Malia Manuel (HAW)

CT Women’s Replacement Surfers:
Macy Callaghan (AUS)
Pauline Ado (FRA)
Dimity Stoyle (AUS)
Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)

The 2018 WSL Championship Tour season will commence with the Quiksilver and Roxy Pro Gold Coast from March 11 - 22, 2018.

For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com. 

THE OI RIO PRO AND THE WSL DONATE OVER 90 SURFBOARDS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

- GOVERNMENTAL FUNDING PROVIDED EQUIPMENT TO LOCAL SURF SCHOOLS IN THE AREA AS PART OF THE BRAZILIAN CHAMPIONSHIP TOUR EVENT.
- MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT WORLDSURFLEAGUE.COM

Caption: Distribution ceremony 
Credit: © WSL / Pedro Monteiro

As part of a program to provide incentive for youths to partake in a healthy and active lifestyle, the World Surf League and the State Secretary for Youth, Sports and Leisure (SEELJE) donated over 90 surfboards to surf schools in Rio de Janeiro in connection with the Oi Rio Pro. The ceremony took place at the Women’s QS 1,500 Neutrox Weekend at Barra da Tijuca and was the second installment of the program. The first occurred during the Championship Tour event in Saquarema. Each school received a kit including 10 surfboards, surf leashes and fins.
 
“This is the kind of legacy that a large event like the Oi Rio Pro can provide to unlock the potential of talented young surfers in Rio de Janeiro where the event took place,” said Xandi Fontes, the WSL South America General Manager. “We participated in a large donation during the Oi Rio Pro in Saquarema and now we’re taking advantage of the women’s event at Barra da Tijuca to donate an additional 90 boards to local surf schools in partnership with the World Surf League and SEELJE. This will certainly support the development of the future of surfing in the state and we hope that this project can help a young surfer reach the CT level or the Olympics,” concluded Fontes.
 
“It’s very important to focus on the athlete base and not just on the top stars,” said Thiago Pampolha, Secretary for SEELJE. “The projects that promote surfing in Rio are doing a great job at not only finding new talent, but transforming lives as well. That’s why SEELJE is proud to support these surf schools, especially now that the sport is receiving such visibility since it will be a part of the Olympics.”
 
One of the schools chosen for the program was Escola da Associação de Surf da Rocinha (The Rocinha Surf School Association) which has been running for five years and fosters the development of 9 to 16 year olds at Praia de São Conrado.
 
“When I first started surfing in the 80’s, we had one board between six people because no one could afford their own,” said Márcio Pereira, founder of the project at Rocinha. “We know that there are many people that don’t have enough money to buy equipment, so we’re extremely grateful to be receiving these donations. The project at Rocinha gives kids an alternative to a life of crime and surfing makes a big difference in their lives.”
 
Below is a list of the surf schools that were chosen as part of the Oi Rio Pro project in Rio de Janeiro:
 
Escola de Surf de Guaratiba na Barra de Guaratiba
- Projeto Surf no Alemão na Praia da Macumba
- Escola de Surf Andrea Lopes na Barra da Tijuca
- Escola de Surf Jerônimo Telles no Recreio dos Bandeirantes
- Escola de Surf CADES no Recreio dos Bandeirantes
- Escola de Surf Rico de Souza no Recreio dos Bandeirantes
- Escola de Surf Team Bispo na Praia do Arpoador
- Escola da Associação de Surf da Rocinha na praia de São Conrado
- ADAPTSURF na Barra da Tijuca

Caption: 2015 WSL Champion Adriano de Souza (BRA) won the Oi Rio Pro presented by Corona today after taking down Adrian Buchan (AUS) in the Final. 
Credit: © WSL / Smorigo

2015 WSL Champion De Souza will now move up to second place on the Jeep Leaderboard, just 350 points behind World No. 1 John John Florence (HAW), heading into Fiji. De Souza’s win today is his seventh victory on the elite Championship Tour and second win in his home country of Brazil.

“It has been a while since I have stepped onto the podium,” De Souza said. “But, I have been working for so long to be here. I am so grateful for all the support, especially all the fans here in Brazil. You can count on me because I am back in the game.”

De Souza looked in fantastic form throughout this event with wins in every heat leading up to the Final. The Brazilian has been one to watch throughout the Australian leg and today’s win in Saquarema strengthens his World Title campaign with his best result of the 2017 season.

The final witnessed Buchan and De Souza battle in a game of tactics and precision for the win. De Souza got to an early lead with two 7-point rides, forcing Buchan to seek out a 9.50 (out of a possible 10). The Australian answered with a near-perfect 9.20, but still needed a second score to combat the Brazilian with ten minutes left on the clock. Under Buchan’s priority, De Souza improved his situation with a critical 9.80 to increase his lead. Buchan hunted the lineup and made a final attempt, but the score fell just short of the 8.44 that was required, leaving the Brazilian with priority and the win.

Buchan now climbs to 12th on the Jeep Leaderboard after sitting in the 24th position going into this event. The runner-up result marks the Australian’s best finish of the 2017 season and first Finals appearance since 2013, when he won in Tahiti. Buchan has had a slow start to the year with one 25th place finish and two 13th places finishes, but his new ranking proves that he is back in the mix this season.

“I’ve really enjoyed myself here in Saquarema,” said Buchan. “I think the surfing we’ve seen in the last ten days has been incredible and has shown the world that Brazil has great waves and incredible surfers. Brazilians do beach culture better than everyone else. I am looking forward to coming back next year. It was really special to have a Final with Adriano [de Souza]. He is an amazing role model for all the young Brazilian surfers and I just want to say a huge congratulations to him. ”

Caption: Runner-up Adrian Buchan (AUS) earned his best result of the season and will now vault to 12th on the Jeep Leaderboard. 
Credit: © WSL / Poullenot

Event wildcard Yago Dora (BRA) wreaked havoc at this event with major wins over three WSL Champions, Mick Fanning (AUS), Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Florence, but met his match in the first Semifinal against eventual winner De Souza. The all-Brazilian match-up saw an intense clash between the veteran and the newcomer as both surfers battled for control. De Souza locked in a near-perfect 9.57 and an 8.40 to set the pace and put Dora in a difficult situation, unable to battle back. In his career-first CT event, Dora will leave determined to qualify for the elite tour in 2018 after his amazing 3rd place finish.

“I want to get on tour next year,” Dora said. “I am learning a lot at this event and it is helping my confidence. I feel like I am more ready with every heat. Both Gabriel Medina and Mick Fanning are my idols and to beat them is amazing.”

Matt Wilkinson (AUS) had a great run at the Oi Rio Pro, but will exit with a 3rd place result after losing to Buchan in the second Semifinal. Wilkinson previously dispatched Owen Wright (AUS) in the Quarterfinals and Kanoa Igarashi (USA) in Round 5 en route to his second Semifinal of 2017. Wilkinson will now move up from 9th to 5th on the Jeep Rankings.

De Souza previously took down 2012 WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) in the Quarterfinals. Parkinson’s Equal 5th place result will move him up to 6th on the Jeep Leaderboard.

Smith will remain at No. 2 on the Jeep Leaderboard despite failing to make it out of his Quarterfinal matchup against Buchan and closes the gap on Florence with just 350 points between them. Smith has been in great form all season, especially with his recent win at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach, but will need to post another top result in order to claim the coveted Jeep Leader Jersey.

Australians Wright and Fanning were eliminated in the Quarterfinals by Wilkinson and Dora, respectively. Wright will remain in Equal 2nd on the rankings and will look to reclaim the Jeep Leader Jersey in Fiji, where he earned the historic Perfect 20 and win in 2015. Three-time WSL Champion Fanning moves up from 19th to 12th with his second Quarterfinal berth of the season.

The next stop on the 2017 WSL CT will be the Outerknown Fiji Women’s Pro May 28 - June 2, 2017, followed by the Outerknown Men’s Fiji Pro from June 4 - 16, 2017. The events will be broadcast LIVE via WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and on Facebook LIVE via the WSL's Facebook page. Also check the local listings for coverage on CBS Sports Network in the U.S., Fox Sports in Australia, ESPN in Brazil, Sky NZ in New Zealand, SFR Sports in France and Portugal and as part of the EDGEsport Network.

For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com.

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Final Results:
1 - Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.63
2 - Adrian Buchan (AUS) 17.23

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.97 def. Yago Dora (BRA) 11.97
SF 2: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.97 def. Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 11.60

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 18.50 def. Joel Parkinson (AUS) 11.00
QF 2: Yago Dora (BRA) 12.44 def. Mick Fanning (AUS) 12.34
QF 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 16.37 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 13.47
QF 4: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 17.23 def. Owen Wright (AUS) 14.70

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Round 5 Results:
Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 16.00 def. Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 14.16
Heat 2: Yago Dora (BRA) 15.67 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.83
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.70 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 5.13
Heat 4:  Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 14.33 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 12.97

2017 WSL Men’s Jeep Leaderboard (After Oi Rio Pro):
1 - John John Florence (HAW) 24,750 points
2 - Jordy Smith (ZAF) 24,400 points
2 - Adriano de Souza (BRA) 24,400 points
2 - Owen Wright (AUS) 24,400 points
5 - Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 16,750 points

Caption: Reigning WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) successfully defended her Oi Rio Women's Pro title today after defeating Johanne Defay (FRA) in the Final. 
Credit: © WSL / Smorigo

Wright’s victory today is her first of the 2017 season and third in Rio de Janeiro (2013, 2016, 2017), which earns her a place in the record books alongside Australian legend Pauline Menczer for tied wins at this event. In addition, the feat boosts Wright to the top of the Jeep Leaderboard. The Reigning WSL Champion will now share the coveted Jeep Leader Jersey with six-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) heading into the OK Fiji Pro.

“It is sick to be sharing the Jeep Leader Jersey with Steph [Gilmore],” said Wright. “It is going to be a good year. It has always been a part of my plan after the Australian leg to be in this position. I am feeling really good. It is cool to be working on stuff over the last year and put it into action. Thanks to everybody. I also want to wish my mom a Happy Mother’s Day!”

Wright surfed through every heat of the Oi Rio Women’s Pro to defend her event title against a tough field of competitors, including 2017 World Title contender Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) in the Semifinals and Defay in the Final.

“This has been a good week,” continued Wright. “The crew is absolutely amazing here at the moment. I have my brother Owen [Wright], Matt [Wilkinson], Laura [Enever], Fletchy [Ryan Fletcher] and Mick [Fanning]. I’ve put in a massive block of work before I came over, making sure that my backhand was where it needed to be. It is cool to be able to focus on performance and what I’ve actually got to do. I am psyched on that.”

The Final witnessed the tenth head-to-head matchup between Wright and Defay. The Australian came charging out the gates with a 7.50 (out of a possible 10) on her opening exchange and quickly locked in a near-perfect 9.67 to put the pressure on the Frenchwoman. Defay fought back with a 7.43 to escape the combination, but was not able to find the 9.74 required to win.

“I just want to thank the crowd here at Saquarema,” said Defay. “The waves have been so much fun and I think everyone enjoyed being here. It was so good and I am happy with my performance. Thank you to everyone for all of your support. I am excited for Fiji.”

Defay’s runner-up finish marks her best result of the 2017 season and vaults her from seventh to fourth on the Jeep Leaderboard. Defay will head into Stop No. 5 on the Championship Tour, the OK Fiji Pro, eager to defend her event title after her stunning win last season.  

En route to her win, Wright knocked out Fitzgibbons in the second Semifinal. In a rematch of this year’s Drug Aware Margaret River Pro Final, Wright got the upper-hand this time with a 17.87 combined score to Fitzgibbons’ 13.77 heat total. This is the second 3rd place result for Fitzgibbons this year, in addition to her 1st at Margaret River and 5th at Bells Beach. Fitzgibbons will now move to third on the Jeep Leaderboard.

Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) was eliminated by eventual runner-up Defay in the first Semifinal. Van Dijk, who has been in form all event, continued to showcased her quick, vertical surfing to post a 7.50 and 5.87. Defay locked in an excellent 8.00 but still needed a backup score to stay competitive. The final minute of the heat saw an exchange between Defay and Van Dijk for the win. Defay got the edge with a 6.33 to halt the Australian’s run for her career-best result. Van Dijk will now go from eighth to sixth on the rankings heading into the OK Fiji Pro.

After the completion of the women’s event, the men ran through non-elimination Round 4 to determine the first four Quarterfinalists.

Adriano de Souza (BRA), 2015 WSL Champion, earned his place in the Quarterfinals after taking the win in his stacked Round 4 heat against 2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) and Wiggolly Dantas (BRA). In a close battle between the Brazilian superstars, De Souza’s excellent 17.27 two-wave total put him just 0.73 points ahead of Dantas and 0.74 points ahead of Medina.

“I am pretty happy that I could put it all together in this heat, especially against Gabriel [Medina], who is a World Champ, and Wiggolly [Dantas] who has been on fire,” De Souza said. “I am so happy to move into the Quarters. I am glad to do well in front of my crowd and friends. I would like to dedicate this heat to my mom.”

Mick Fanning (AUS), three-time WSL Champion, defeated event wildcard Yago Dora (BRA) and 2012 WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) in Round 4 Heat 2 and will advance to the Quarterfinals for the second time this season.

“Yago [Dora] has been in great form and took down John [Florence],” Fanning said. “He is incredible on these lefts and surfed amazing. Joel [Parkinson] and I have had some history since we were thirteen, so it is always fun surfing against him. You’ve got to think about the backwash out there. It is always tricky, but I am stoked to get through.”

In the dramatic final heat of Round 4, Owen Wright’s (AUS) win came down to dying seconds of the heat. Wright held a commanding lead with his powerful backhand snaps for a near-perfect 9.73, but Kanoa Igarashi (USA) and Julian Wilson (AUS) kept  fighting back to put pressure on the World No. 2. The last exchange saw Wright and Igarashi battle for the win, but Igarashi fell just 0.40 points short of advancing straight through to the Quarterfinals.

Adrian Buchan (AUS), current World No. 24, edged past current World No. 2 Jordy Smith (ZAF) and World No. 9 Matt Wilkinson (AUS) to claim his first Quarterfinal berth of the season. Buchan has struggled to bounce out of the early elimination rounds this year, but his win today guarantees a top five finish.

“The Australian leg was rough because I did not get results,” said Buchan. “But, to be honest, I really enjoyed myself. My wife had another little baby and we made it to the end of the leg. I felt like I did some good surfing, so when it was all said and done, it was like a victory for my family. I came out of that leg feeling good about the energy and effort I was putting into it. It is nice to see it is working.”

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:45 am local time to assess conditions and make the next call.

Surfline, official forecaster for the event, are calling for:

Fun, clean surf prevails Sunday off a mix of S/SSW swell. Strong SSW to S windswell/swell mix should build Monday afternoon/evening, peak Tuesday and ease on Wednesday. Variable onshore flow is expected during this time, although Tue and Wed morning should be manageable. Confidence is increasing that another strong swell, this one from the SSE, will fill in for the end of the week, likely peaking late Thur-Fri before easing by Saturday. While winds don’t look ideal, manageable conditions should again continue, especially considering the possible size of the swell.

The event will be broadcast LIVE via WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and on Facebook LIVE via the WSL's Facebook page. Also check the local listings for coverage on CBS Sports Network in the U.S., Fox Sports in Australia, ESPN in Brazil, Sky NZ in New Zealand, SFR Sports in France and Portugal and as part of the EDGEsport Network.

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Final Results:
1 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.17
2 - Johanne Defay (FRA) 13.20

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Semifinal Results:
SF 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 14.33 def. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 13.37
SF 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.87 def. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.77

2017 WSL Women’s Jeep Leaderboard (After Oi Rio Women’s Pro):
1 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 29,700 pts
1 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 29,700 pts
3 - Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 28,200 pts
4 - Johanne Defay (FRA) 23,000 pts
5 - Courtney Conlogue (USA) 21,800 pts

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 17.27, Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 16.54, Gabriel Medina (BRA) 16.53
Heat 2: Mick Fanning (AUS) 17.50, Yago Dora (BRA) 15.13, Joel Parkinson (AUS) 12.54
Heat 3: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 15.67, Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.24, Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 12.66
Heat 4: Owen Wright (AUS) 17.23, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 16.83, Julian Wilson (AUS), 15.94

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Round 5 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) vs. Joel Parkinson (AUS)
Heat 2: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
Heat 4:  Kanoa Igarashi (USA) vs. Matt Wilkinson (AUS)

Caption: Reigning WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) dominated the Praia de Itaúna lineup today to earn her place in the Semifinals of the Oi Rio Women's Pro presented by Corona. 
Credit: © WSL / Poullenot

Six-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) will exit the Oi Rio Women’s Pro with an Equal 5th place result after her loss to Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) in the Quarterfinals. Van Dijk landed huge frontside maneuvers to earn two 8-point rides for a 17.44 (out of a possible 20). Van Dijk’s excellent-range scores forced Gilmore into a combination situation with ten minutes on the clock. The Jeep Frontrunner was not able to find the required scores and will leave with her worst result of the 2017 season.

“That is one up on Stephanie [Gilmore] and I am so excited to make the Semis,” said Van Dijk. “I feel like sometimes I get in a Quarterfinal rhythm and, as great as that is, I want Semis and upwards from now on. I have been working hard and I felt in rhythm out there. I love Brazil and I’ve just been enjoying it everyday. Feeling comfortable and inspired here.”

Reigning WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS) dominated her Quarterfinal heat against Sage Erickson (USA) with an authoritative 17.97 combined score. Wright unleashed a series of massive snaps to earn her place in the Semifinals against Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS).

“I feel a little bit sore and tired, but I’m happy to be continuing,” Wright said. “This felt like the first time in the event that I had set a rail and pushed it further than what I have been doing. Keeping Sage [Erickson] off of those lefts was fifty percent of the game. The conditions are better than what I thought they would  be.”

Earlier today, Erickson earned the highest combined score of the day with a commanding 18.26 in Round 3, but will be eliminated in 5th place. Erickson will head into the next event with another final series locked in, but she is still on the hunt for a Finals berth.

Fitzgibbons, current World No. 2, took down 2016 WSL Rookie of the Year Keely Andrew (AUS) in the last Quarterfinal heat to close out the day. Fitzgibbons found the waves to fire off two 7-point rides, while Andrew struggled to find a strong backup score. Fitzgibbons will advance to the Semifinals for the the third time this season. Andrew leaves with her second 5th place finish of the year. 

The opening Quarterfinal saw close friends Johanne Defay (FRA) and Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) go head-to-head for the opportunity to advance to the next round. Defay looked unstoppable with a near-perfect 9.00 and 8.50 for the win. Injury replacement Buitendag fired a strong 7.77, but lacked a second-wave score to turn the heat. 

“It is always hard to be against Bianca [Buitendag] and she usually beats me more than I beat her,” Defay said. “But, it is our job so we have to deal with it. I was expecting much smaller waves, but we got some really good waves in my heat. I feel like these conditions in Brazil fit my surfing really well. At some breaks, I’ve felt out of position but I understand the break here so I hope to get a good result.”

Courtney Conlogue (USA), current World No. 4 on the Jeep Leaderboard, was eliminated today by Van Dijk in Round 4 Heat 2. Conlogue will exit Rio with a 9th place finish despite her recent win the at third stop on the CT, the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. Conlogue will now look to the OK Fiji Pro to strengthen her World Title campaign.

Yago Dora (BRA), event wildcard, upset the competition today with the dramatic elimination of John John Florence (HAW), reigning WSL Champion and defending event winner, in Round 3 Heat 6. The heat was slow to start, but Dora found his rhythm as he took to the air for an excellent 8.33 and 7.17. Florence was not able to find the scores to combat the local favorite and will exit with his worst result of the 2017 season.

“I was feeling a little nervous,” said Dora. “I was trying to not feel anything because it is my only CT event this year, but I was feeling nervous because everyone was talking about our heat. After that first wave, the nerves went away and I was pretty excited out there with the two waves back-to-back. I am taking things round-by-round and hope to continue to do well in the event.”

"The result is obviously not what I wanted, but I'm not super bummed,” said Florence. “The waves were fun, but Yago [Dora] surfed really well and things didn't go my way this morning. If anything, it's motivation to refocus and get prepared for the next event in Fiji."

Jordy Smith (ZAF), current World No. 2, was next up after Florence’s elimination against Brazilian threat Jadson Andre (BRA) in Round 3 Heat 6. In a close heat, Smith took the win with a narrow 0.63-point lead. With Florence out of the draw, Smith will try to make a break at the coveted Jeep Leader Jersey at this event.

“I knew I had to go out there and pick my waves,” Smith said. “Jadson [Andre] was obviously feeling the vibe out there with Yago [Dora] winning in the heat before ours. I knew he would go to the airs on the left, but I just had to stick to the game plan and choose the best waves. It is a tricky wave so you really have to be focused and paying attention.”

Tied with Smith for second on the rankings is Owen Wright (AUS), who will also continue to the next round after his win over injury replacement Nat Young (USA). Wright will also have his eye on the Jeep Frontrunner position as he advances in the event.

Kanoa Igarashi (USA) made his way through to Round 4 with his elimination of 2017 World Title contender Filipe Toledo (BRA). The heat opened with a tense exchange as both surfers tried to paddle into the first wave, but with an interference called on Toledo for hindering Igarashi's takeoff. With the interference call, Toledo was not able to find the scores to combat Igarashi and will leave Saquarema in 13th place.

“That wave was pretty good, so of course I wanted to go,” said Igarashi. “I was kind of confused why Filipe [Toledo] even paddled for that wave. He kind of bumped my rail and I was off balance the whole wave. I did not have the rhythm that I wanted, but I think that was the best wave of the heat. It was a slow heat and I’ll take it. That is not the way I want to win a heat, but I am going to put that behind and keep going.”

Frederico Morais (PRT), the last rookie in the draw, was not able to overcome his Round 3 heat against Julian Wilson (AUS) and will be eliminated from the event.

Matt Wilkinson (AUS) and Adrian Buchan (AUS) will also compete in Round 4 after winning their match-ups today against Josh Kerr (AUS) and Caio Ibelli (BRA), respectively.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:45 am local time to assess conditions and make the next call.

Surfline, official forecaster for the event, are calling for:

Lingering swell mix expected for the weekend with conditions looking most favorable in the mornings both Saturday and Sunday. Larger SSW/S swell builds in on Monday but W-SW winds look to be an issue. Solid S swell peaks on Tuesday with lighter winds. Solid S/SSE swell is due for mid/late next week.

The event will be broadcast LIVE via WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and on Facebook LIVE via the WSL's Facebook page. Also check the local listings for coverage on CBS Sports Network in the U.S., Fox Sports in Australia, ESPN in Brazil, Sky NZ in New Zealand, SFR Sports in France and Portugal and as part of the EDGEsport Network.

Oi Rio Pro Remaining Men’s Round 3 Results:
Heat 6: Yago Dora (BRA) 15.50 def. John John Florence (HAW) 10.16
Heat 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 14.90 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 14.27
Heat 8: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 13.16 def. Caio Ibelli (BRA) 11.24
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) 13.00 def. Josh Kerr (AUS) 12.73
Heat 10: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 11.73 def. Filipe Toledo (BRA) 8.57
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) 16.23 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 16.13
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS) 17.00 def. Nat Young (USA) 15.86

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Round 4 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA), Wiggolly Dantas (BRA), Gabriel Medina (BRA)
Heat 2: Joel Parkinson (AUS), Mick Fanning (AUS), Yago Dora (BRA)
Heat 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF), Adrian Buchan (AUS), Matt Wilkinson (AUS)
Heat 4: Kanoa Igarashi (USA), Julian Wilson (AUS), Owen Wright (AUS)

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 15.44, Johanne Defay (FRA) 14.74, Courtney Conlogue (USA) 11.60
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 17.33, Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 16.50, Coco Ho (HAW) 11.10
Heat 3: Sage Erickson (USA) 18.26, Tyler Wright (AUS) 15.03, Keely Andrew (AUS) 13.23
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 16.57, Lakey Peterson (USA) 16.04, Laura Enever (AUS) 12.07

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Round 4 Results:
Heat 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 14.96 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 13.50
Heat 2: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 14.93 def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.77
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 16.07 def. Laura Enever (AUS) 8.33
Heat 4: Keely Andrew (AUS) 13.43 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.63

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Quarterfinal Results:
QF 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) 17.50 def. Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 13.44
QF 2: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 17.44 def Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 13.43
QF 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 17.97 def. Sage Erickson (USA) 12.74
QF 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.80 def. Keely Andrew (AUS) 11.30

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Semifinal Match-Ups:
SF 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. Nikki Van Dijk (AUS)
SF 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS)

Caption: Injury replacement Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) upset the competition today with her win over three-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in elimination Round 2 Heat 4 of the Oi Rio Women's Pro. 
Credit: © WSL / Poullenot

2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) lit up the Praia de Itaúna lineup with his exciting win over Bede Durbidge (AUS) in elimination Round 3. The match-up saw multiple lead changes and big maneuvers, resulting in an exciting battle between the two competitors. Medina posted a 14.30 (out of a possible 20) two-wave combined score. A priority mistake by Medina in the dying minutes of the heat left the door open for Durbidge to take advantage. Durbidge was not able to complete his last ride and will be eliminated in Equal 13th place.

“It is good to have the support here in Brazil,” said Media. “That was a hard heat against Bede [Durbidge]. The waves are tricky and the current was strong, but I am stoked to win. When I got up the beach, I heard everyone screaming and it is good. It pushes us to surf our limit and try to do our best and put on a show for them.”

2015 WSL Champion Adriano de Souza (BRA) took down 2017 CT Rookie Ian Gouveia (BRA) in the opening heat of elimination Round 3. The dramatic all-Brazilian clash had the entire beach to their feet as De Souza landed an excellent 8.50 and 7.17. Gouveia has yet to move out of Round 3 and will leave with his third 13th place result of the season.

“It feels good to be in Brazil, this is my home,” said De Souza. “You travel all over the world and now I’m in my country. The people here really cheer for all of the Brazilians. It’s the only event we have all year and it’s a prestigious event so it’s really special.”

Mick Fanning (AUS), three-time WSL Champion, closed out the day with the elimination of rookie Connor O’Leary (AUS) in a fiery Round 3 battle. The heat was left to a nail-biting last exchange in the final minutes, with O’Leary first gaining control, but Fanning then throwing down a critical 7.17 for the win.

“As surfers and competitors we all want to progress and keep moving forward,” said Fanning. “I’m just having fun with it. I’ve never had a year where I’ve been so relaxed - this year I’m focused on upping my performance and doing my best. It was a really fun here in Saquarema back in 2002 so it’s great to come back and revisit after so long. I really like this town, it’s so mellow.”

Despite his loss today, O’Leary showcased a new level to his surfing with his authoritative Round 2 win against Stuart Kennedy (AUS). O’Leary dominated with two near-perfect 9-point rides for an incredible 18.20 combined score.

2012 WSL Champion Joel Parkinson (AUS) also earned his place in the next round with his win against veteran Jeremy Flores (FRA) in Round 3 Heat 4.

Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) put on an incredible display during his Round 2 heat against Sebastian Zietz (BRA) and netted two excellent 9-point rides for an 18.27 heat total, the highest of the day. Zietz was left in a combination situation.

“I feel pretty good,” Dantas said. “I just tried to do big turns. I have good confidence here. My entire family is here and the whole crowd is amazing, and it helps a lot. When I found out the contest was going to move to here, I was so happy because I know this wave and I can surf well here. Saquarema is an amazing place.”

Rookies Ethan Ewing (AUS), Joan Duru (FRA) and Ezekiel Lau (HAW) were not able to win their Round 2 match-ups against Zietz, Caio Ibelli (BRA) and Dantas, respectively. The young competitors will be eliminated in Equal 25th place.

Injury replacement Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) played spoiler today as she took down three-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in elimination Round 2 of the Oi Rio Women’s Pro. The South African gained the edge over Moore with her aggressive backhand attack for a strong 7.17 and 5.67. Moore earned a 5.17 and 5.43, but could not score the 7.41 required to advance. Moore has not finished in last place in a CT event since 2010.

“I am very happy about the opportunity to come to Brazil,” Buitendag said. “Carissa [Moore], I think I could write a book about her. You think her surfing is strong and she is talented, but behind the hype and decoration, her personhood is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met and I have privilege of calling her a friend. It was a privilege for me to compete against her.”

Tyler Wright (AUS), reigning WSL Champion and defending event winner, powered through her Round 2 heat against 14-year-old wildcard Taina Hinckel (BRA). Wright found clean right-handers to post a phenomenal 18.00 two-wave combined score to put Hinckel in a difficult combination situation. The young Brazilian was not able to combat Wright and will be eliminated from her career-first CT event.

“That heat worked out really well,” said Wright. “With conditions like this, it kind of throws more variables into the mix. When you go out in a heat, you have to be on point with what you are doing and find those corners and get your rail set in. I went left the entire time from Bells to here, and it turns out that it is a right, which is funny. I’ve been training to go left because of this wave and also for Fiji. I am trying to even the odds on both sides.”

Local favorite Silvana Lima (BRA) was not able to defeat Keely Andrew (AUS) and will leave this event with a 13th place finish. Throughout the heat, Lima tried to challenge Andrew and even posted a solid 7.33, but it was not enough to take down the Australian.

In her first heat win of the 2017 season, Laura Enever (AUS) upset the competition after eliminating top seed Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) from the draw. The close battle went all the way to the dying seconds of the heat, with Enever narrowly capturing the win with a 12.03 two-wave score to Weston-Webb’s 11.33.

2017 CT Rookie Bronte Macaulay (AUS) was eliminated by compatriot Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) in Round 2 Heat 2. Macaulay’s exit marks her third consecutive 13th place finish of the season and she will now look to make a comeback in Fiji.

Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:45 am local time to assess conditions and make the next call.

Surfline, official forecaster for the event, are calling for:

Lingering swell mix expected for the weekend with conditions looking most favorable in the mornings both Saturday and Sunday. Larger SSW/S swell builds in on Monday but W-SW winds look to be an issue. Solid S swell peaks on Tuesday with lighter winds. Solid S/SSE swell is due for mid/late next week.

The event will be broadcast LIVE via WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL app and on Facebook LIVE via the WSL's Facebook page. Also check the local listings for coverage on CBS Sports Network in the U.S., Fox Sports in Australia, ESPN in Brazil, Sky NZ in New Zealand, SFR Sports in France and Portugal and as part of the EDGEsport Network.

For more information, check out WorldSurfLeague.com.

Oi Rio Pro Remaining Men’s Round 2 Results:
Heat 5: Jadson Andre (BRA) 11.00 def. Michel Bourez (PYF) 10.27
Heat 6: Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 10.90 def. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 5.07
Heat 7: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 14.87 def. Joan Duru (FRA) 12.40
Heat 8: Bede Durbidge (AUS) 14.60 def. Conner Coffin (USA) 10.16
Heat 9: Connor O’Leary (AUS) 18.20 def. Stuart Kennedy (AUS) 15.16
Heat 10: Adrian Buchan (AUS) 14.94 def. Miguel Pupo (BRA) 12.67
Heat 11: Frederico Morais (PRT) 14.40 def. Jack Freestone (AUS) 13.53
Heat 12: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 15.60 def. Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.26

Oi Rio Pro Men’s Round 3 Results:
Heat 1: Adriano de Souza (BRA) 15.67 def. Ian Gouveia (BRA) 12.33
Heat 2: Wiggolly Dantas (BRA) 18.27 def. Sebastian Zietz (HAW) 11.73
Heat 3: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.30 def. Bede Durbidge (AUS) 13.86
Heat 4: Joel Parkinson (AUS) 15.43 def. Jeremy Flores (FRA) 11.44
Heat 5: Mick Fanning (AUS) 13.40 def. Connor O’Leary (AUS) 11.90

Oi Rio Pro Remaining Men’s Round 3 Match-Ups:
Heat 6: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Yago Dora (BRA)
Heat 7: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs. Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 8: Caio Ibelli (BRA) vs. Adrian Buchan (AUS)
Heat 9: Matt Wilkinson (AUS) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
Heat 10: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (USA)
Heat 11: Julian Wilson (AUS) vs. Frederico Morais (PRT)
Heat 12: Owen Wright (AUS) vs. Nat Young (USA)

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Round 2 Results:
Heat 1: Laura Enever (AUS) 12.03 def. Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 11.33
Heat 2: Nikki Van Dijk (AUS) 15.54 def. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 6.54
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) 18.00 def. Taina Hinckel (BRA) 5.93
Heat 4: Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 12.84 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 10.60
Heat 5: Lakey Peterson (USA) 13.60 def. Pauline Ado (FRA) 10.34
Heat 6: Keely Andrew (AUS) 13.87 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 11.60

Oi Rio Women’s Pro Round 3 Match-Ups:
Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA), Johanne Defay (FRA), Bianca Buitendag (ZAF)
Heat 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Nikki Van Dijk (AUS), Coco Ho (HAW)
Heat 3: Tyler Wright (AUS), Sage Erickson (USA), Keely Andrew (AUS)
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS), Lakey Peterson (USA), Laura Enever (AUS)

Caption: 2014 WSL Champion Gabriel Medina (BRA) is passionate about the opportunity to represent his country in the Olympic Games.
Credit: © WSL / Poullenot