The Saquarema Pro, a crucial stop on the World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series, kicked off with some early upsets for the Portuguese men’s contingent. Both Frederico Morais, known as ‘Kikas,’ and Afonso Antunes faced an unexpected exit during the first elimination round on Saturday in Rio de Janeiro. This event marks the fifth and second-to-last stage of the highly competitive series.
Frederico Morais found himself in a tough Heat 7, ultimately finishing in fourth and last place. His total score was 7.90 points, combining his best two waves at 4.17 and 3.73. The heat saw Basque surfer Adur Amatrian advance with 11.03 points, alongside Brazilian Kaue Germano who scored 10.00 points. American Ryan Huckabee also surpassed Morais, hitting 9.37 points.
Afonso Antunes also felt the heat in his Sixth Heat. He placed third, earning a total of 10.06 points with wave scores of 5.73 and 4.33. Ahead of him, Brazilian Rafael Teixeira dominated with 12.23 points. Hawaiian Luke Tema also moved on, scoring 10.50 points. Australian Tully Wylie rounded out the heat in fourth place, scoring 8.73 points.
While the men’s early departure was a setback, the focus now shifts to the women’s competition, where three Portuguese surfers are battling for a historic spot on the Championship Tour. No Portuguese woman has ever reached the top-tier circuit. Luckily for them, Yolanda Hopkins, Francisca Veselko, and Teresa Bonvalot all received a pass, skipping the first round of eliminations.
Yolanda Hopkins, currently sitting strong in second place on the Challenger Series rankings, is set to surf in the eighth and final heat. She already knows one of her competitors: Australian Ellie Harrison. Hopkins will await the qualifiers from the last two heats of the opening round to complete her lineup.
Francisca Veselko is also in a promising position, ranked fourth in the Challenger Series, placing her within the qualification spots for the main tour. Her challenge comes in the third heat against Australia’s Sophie McCulloch, Basque surfer Janire González Etxabarri, and Japan’s Mirai Ikeda.
Teresa Bonvalot, currently ranked eighth, is just outside the automatic qualification places. She will compete in the sixth heat, facing American Kirra Pinkerton, who is one spot ahead of her in the rankings. Also in her heat are Peru’s Arena Rodriguez and Brazil’s Taina Hinckel. This round will be crucial for Bonvalot’s Championship Tour aspirations.