2018 OI RIO PRO -SAQUAREMA, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL OVERVIEW by surfworldtour.blogspot.com by Paulo Piqueres

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2018 OI RIO PRO -SAQUAREMA, RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL OVERVIEW by surfworldtour.blogspot.com by Paulo Piqueres
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The fourth event of the Championship Tour(CT#4) will start next Friday, May 11th, in Itaúna Beach, Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The main structure will be in Itaúna Beach, but also there will be an alternative structure, in Barrinha Beach, in case of lack of waves in Itaúna, or something else.

Last year, in the OI Rio Pro in Saquarema(RJ), the 2015 World Champion, A. de Souza(BRA)surfer of Guarujá(SP) won all the heats since the beginning of the competition, we mean the Round 1, Round 3, Round 4, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and the most important, the Final, against the Australian surfer A. Buchan(AUS)that surfed very well in the long and heavy waves of Saquarema(RJ).In 2017 in Saquarema(RJ)G. Medina(BRA)was defeated by Y. Dora(BRA)in the Round 5 for small difference, both Brazilians surfers gave a surf show with aerials.

 We started working on surfing in 2008 in Hang Loose Pro, since this year, A. de Souza(BRA)disputed the Final in 2009 and was overcame by K. Slater(USA) in Vila Beach, Imbituba, Santa Catarina, Brazil. In 2011, A. de Souza(BRA)won the event Billabong Rio Pro in Arpoador Beach in Rio de Janeiro, over the great Australian surfer T. Burrow(AUS).T. Burrow(AUS)won the event in Brazil for three times: in 1999 in Rio de Janeiro; in 2002 in Saquarema(RJ) and in 2004 in Florianópolis(SC).(See the Tribute to Taj Burrow on this blog in 2017 May.)The Australian D. Macaulay(AUS)won the event in Brazil for four times.

In 2013, A. de Souza(BRA)disputed the Final in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, and was overcame by the South African J. Smith(SAF)-2017 4th position in Jeep Leaderboard Ranking. A. de Souza(BRA)usually surfs very well in Brazil, where he has many and many fans on the beach.

The 2016/17 World Champion J. J. Florence(HAW)won the event in Brazil twice, in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro in 2012 over the World Champion of that year, the Australian J. Parkinson(AUS)and in 2016 in Grumari/Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro over another Australian surfer J. Freestone(AUS)that defeated the 2014 World Champion G. Medina(BRA)in the Semifinals.

 In 2014, the Tahitian M. Bourez(PYF)overcame the American surfer K. Andino(USA)-the 7th position in 2017 Jeep Leaderboard Ranking- and was the champion of Billabong Rio Pro in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro. In 2015, F. Toledo(BRA)was the champion of the first OI Rio Pro in Barra da Tijuca, when defeated the Australian B. Durbidge(AUS)in the Final. B. Durbidge(AUS)won the first event we went in 2008 - Vila beach, Imbituba, Santa Catarina. We can not forget the rookies, that are surfing very well this season, as the Brazilians: J. Mendes(BRA), M. Rodrigues(BRA), T. Hermes(BRA), Y. Dora(BRA); the American G. Colapinto(USA).

So as we can check above many top surfers are able to win the great event in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, considered the "Maracanã" of surfing in Brazil.

The Australian top surfers J. Wilson(AUS)-3rd in 2017 Jeep Leaderboard Ranking, A. Buchan(AUS), M. Wilkinson(AUS), O. Wright(AUS), all experienced athletes with good shape and performance also surfed very well in Saquarema(RJ) in 2017.

 So let's wait till the beginning of the competition this Friday, to check the performance of the best surfers of the world in Brazilian waters.Finally we can never forget the talentous surfer of Maresias, São Sebastião(SP)G. Medina(BRA)2014 World Champion,2015 and 2016 third position in the Final Ranking, and 2nd in 2017, that is fighting for his second World Championship, but however still did not win the main event in Brazil.

The 2018 Jeep Leaderboard Ranking after the events in Australia  has two leaders: the Australian J. Wilson(AUS) and the Brazilian I. Ferreira(BRA)so both top surfers will wear the Yellow jersey in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

note: Maracanã is soccer stadium in Rio de Janeiro, considered the best in Brazil.

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