Francisco Ordonhas has clinched his inaugural Portuguese surfing championship, securing the title through a cumulative points advantage despite an early exit in the season’s final event in Peniche.
The 20-year-old surfer expressed happiness at achieving his long-standing goal, acknowledging a challenging final day as he watched his rivals compete. Ordonhas admitted to “biting my nails on the sand” after his elimination on Saturday, with his fate depending on other results.
“My goal was to be champion, but things didn’t go well for me yesterday,” Ordonhas stated in comments released by the National Surfers Association (ANS). “Despite being eliminated yesterday, today things went well for me.”
His 9th-place finish in the Bom Petisco Peniche Pro, the fifth and final stage of the Liga Meo Surf 2025, proved sufficient to seal the national championship.
Ordonhas, also the reigning junior European champion, had built a strong lead throughout the circuit. He won the Azores stage, placed second in Figueira da Foz, and secured ninth in an event covering Porto and Matosinhos.
“This was a goal I already had. As soon as I realized I had possibilities, I gave my all in the last stages to try and reach the title,” Ordonhas said. “Winning in the Azores put me in a good position, and it ended up happening. Now, I’ll take advantage of this to focus on the future and bring this motivation to the next championships.”
In the women’s division, Olympian Teresa Bonvalot had already secured her sixth national title in June at the São Miguel stage in the Azores.
The final Bom Petisco Peniche Pro event, held on Lagido beach, saw Francisca Veselko and Afonso Antunes take the top honors in the women’s and men’s categories, respectively.