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Day 1 - Tuesday, May 9th
The first day of competitions in Itaúna beach the waves broke with power and the Sea was high, till midday, then the Sea began to go down. In the last heats was more difficult to find the waves. There were no surprises, except the current World champion J. J. Florence(HAW) that won the heat over two Brazilians, Miguel Pupo, and Yago Dora, who won the Trial, and almost passed directly to the Round 3 - he scored 16.64 against 16.67 of J.J. Florence(HAW).
Day 2 - Wednesday, May 10th
The contest started in the Round 2 -the Recap, but the Sea conditions were worsting, so the organization decided to stop on the heat 4. At opening heat the highlight Yago Dora(BRA) defeated the 5th position of Ranking -Jeep Leaderboard -kolohe Andino(USA);in the second heat Owen(AUS) overcame B. Lopes(BRA), G. Medina(BRA) passed by Jesse Mendes(BRA) in a fierce home duel.Later Matt Wilkinson(AUS),that already won a WQS event in 2012 in Itaúna beach, also garanteed his place in the Round 3.
Day 3 -Thursday, May 11th
The Sea went down, with small waves, so was determined day OFF already in the first Call at 6:45 BRT.
Day 4 - Friday , May 12th,
The contest continued On from heat 5 of Round 2, till the heat 4 of the Round 3.The world champions Adriano de Souza(BRA), Gabriel Medina(BRA), Mick Fanning(AUS) and Joel Parkinson(AUS)passed the Round 3, and were garanteed in the Round 4.
Day 5 -Saturday, May 13th
The event continued On, from heat 6 of Round 3. At opening heat, Yago Dora(BRA) this time, defeated the Hawaiian J.J. Florence;J. Smith(RSA) defeated Jadson Andre(BRA)for little difference, and the Australians, Adrian Buchan, Matt wilkinson,, Julian Wilson and Owen Wright also passed to the round 4. Unfortunately in the heat 10, according to the judges Filipe Toledo did interference on the opening wave against Kanoa Igarashi(USA), when was still with no priority. F. Toledo(BRA) complained a lot and tried to invade a restricted area in the structure of the event in Itaúna.After, with "cold head" he apologized to WSL, fans, sponsors, media, and so on, however was suspended in the next event in Fiji. .In the round 4, Adriano and the Australians, Mick Fanning, Adrian Buchan and Owen Wright all were surfing very well in Itaúna, won and went directly to the Quarterfinals.
Day 6 - Sunday, May 14th
The event was stopped, only had competitions of Women's championship. The sea was not high.
Dat 7 - Monday, May 15th
The Sea went down and contest was OFF for the day.
Day 8 - Tuesday, May 16th
The swell that was forecasted since the beginning of the contest, arrived so strong, but let the Sea without conditions for surfing even the outside was as they call "wash machine".
Day 9 - Wednesday May 17th
The event stayed in Stand By for two times, but started at 8:35 am, with the Round 5 - the recap -.J. Parkinson(AUS) defeated the surfer of Ubatuba, São Paulo, Wiggolly Dantas(BRA) that surfed very well in Saquarema, in his third year in the elite. On second heat Gabriel Medina(BRA)was defeated for detail by Yago Dora(BRA). Sharply in the final of the heat, a series was approaching the beach break, and Gabriel Medina(BRA) had the "priority"; the 2014 World Champion with his excellent Sea reading waited a "big wave" what could facilitate his manuevers, as aerials with full rotation. In the last seconds of the heat, the wave arrived, Gabriel surfed an high aerial with rotation; so behind Yago surfed an aerial not high with full rotation on the end of the wave. When the scores came out, Gabriel turned the heat, but Yago won with the score of his last wave of the heat. Perhaps one of the best heat of the new generation. After, in the second heat, J. Smith(RSA)defeated J. Wilson(AUS)that is edge surfer too, but did not find the waves in Itaúna.In the third heat, M. Wilkinson(AUS) defetaed K. Igarashi(USA),the unique Northamerican that passed the Round 3, is surfing better this year than last one, and already has many fans in our country. So the event continued to the
Quarterfinals.
In the opening heat Adriano de Souza(BRA) overcamed Joel parkinson(AUS), that also surfed well on heavy waves of Itaúna. Right after, in the second heat, the highlight Yago Dora defeated Mick fanning(AUS) the third World Champion in the contest.He had already won J.J. Florence(HAW)and Gabriel.Medina(BRA).In the heat number 3, the goofy "Ace " Adrian Buchan(AUS), surfed very well, on long and heavy waves of Saquarema, overcame Jordy smith(RSA);and in the last heat, a duel of giants between two Australians; Matt wilkinson(AUS) passed to Semifinals over his friend Owen Wright(AUS)than, the contest would be disputed between Brazil and Australia. The Australia surfers had an excelent performance in Itauna beach.
Semifinals.
At opening heat, Adriano de Souza(BRA)2015 World Champion, defeated Yago Dora(BRA) with his manuevers on the lip, accurate with speed, throwing much "water"; Seems that A. de Souza(BRA) calculated the manuevers, and rarely lost a wave or slip on the surfboard. It is worth to point out that Leandro Dora is the coach of both surfers in this heat:his son, Yago Dora; that turns 21, today.And also is the coach of Adriano de Souza(BRA) and was the coach of Mineirinho when was World Champion in 2014. In the second heat, Adrian Buchan (AUS)won another compatriot Matt Wilkinson(AUS) the final was defined. Adriano x Adrian , duel of As.
So the organization left the contest stand by for 30 minutes, as usual, for resting of the surfers. In the final, the conditions were classic, with series of big waves approaching the beach break, Sea with high and heavy walls.The waves broke to the left. This contest in Saquarema, certainly was the most beautiful and high level surfing contest I had seen so far.In the final of the heat, Adriano de Souza(BRA)was leading of the heat, and Adrian Buchan(AUS) had the priority, so choose a good wave, and last small time on floating to take the wall of the wave. He scored 8.03 and needed 8.44, so Adriano de Souza(BRA) was the Champion in Saquarema, in the best heat of the contest at my opinion; Adriano de Souza won in Brazil by the second time; - the first time was in Arpoador Beach in 2011, against the Australian Taj Burrow-check the blog post -a Tribute to great surfer Taj Burrow(AUS),in my first event in Rio de Janeiro.-
In Saquarema, Itaúna Beach was a great dispute on the water, with the shore so crowded. It was a cloudy day, the Sun showed sometimes witn a strong wind in the Final..
The competition for the 2017 WORLD TITLE
After the contest in Saquarema, with early defeat of J.J. Florence(HAW), that stays leader with Yellow jersey, the CT Championship Tour is balanced, there are three edge surfers in the second position: Adriano de Souza(BRA), Jordy Smith(RSA)and Owen Wright(AUS); Four top surfers of different countries fighting for the title of the season. I would like to comment that the participation of Yago Dora(BRA) in Oi Rio Pro, in Itaúna Beach, with his accurate techical manuevers, looked like "skating". Yago also is a skater and plays soccer, stopped the Hawaiian J.J. Florenche(HAW) that had a sprint with more than 10,000 points over the second place . He had balanced a little the World Circuit, as the waves of Itaúna, with power. The next event is the 5th of the season. It will be in Fiji, in the middle of the year.Gabriel Medina(BRA) also surfed well in Itauna, perhaps with some pressure, that I already wrote may disturb his performance.Seems that Gabriel Medina(BRA) surfs much better overseas, and is defeding champion in Fiji. In the last seasons-2015 and 2016, Gabriel Medina(BRA) did a kind of recovery campaign, however, in 2014, he already arrived in Brazil with yellow jersey. Let's wait because Gabriel Medina(BRA)is always a dangerous surfer that is able to change the things in seconds, or in last wave as in Pipeline, when defeated Mick Fanning(AUS)in the Semifinals, helping Adriano de Souza(BRA)to conquer the World Title. Gabriel Medina(BRA)was the first Brazilian surfer to be World Champion of Surfing in 2014, and the first to clinch the glamorous and tradition title of theTriple Crown in Hawaii in 2015
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May 19th, 2017 by Paulo Piqueres
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