Brazil’s surfer Ítalo Ferreira wins Abu Dhabi event and takes WSL lead
Brazil’s Ítalo Ferreira, the first Olympic surfing champion in history, claimed victory on Sunday (Feb. 16) at the Abu Dhabi event in the Middle East. This marks the country’s debut on the World Surf League (WSL) tour, featuring the world's largest artificial wave pool.
In the final, the Brazilian defeated Indonesia’s Rio Waida with a total score of 17.27 to 14.50. This victory in the second WSL event of the season propelled Ferreira to the top of the rankings with 16,085 points. Hawaiian Barron Mamiya sits in second place with 11,330 points, followed by fellow Brazilian Miguel Pupo in third with 9,490.
"I'm proud to represent Brazil, a country of great warriors and great stories. That motivates me a lot. Thank God I won this competition. A few years ago, I finished second in a [wave pool] event, and that pushed me to train even harder. I gave 100 percent to this, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity," Ferreira said in an interview, referring to his runner-up finish at the Surf Ranch in California (USA) in 2023.
Ferreira set the tone early in the final, scoring 8.67 on right-breaking waves and 8.60 on left-breaking ones, while Waida posted lower scores of 7.83 and 6.67.
Two other Brazilians competed on Sunday in the artificial waves of Abu Dhabi but fell in the quarterfinals, beaten by Australians. Miguel Pupo lost to Ethan Ewing, while Yago Dora to Jack Robinson.
In the women’s competition, American Caitlin Simmers took the title with a total score of 16.13 (8.67 + 7.43), edging out Australian Molly Picklum, who finished with 15.70 (8.00 + 7.70).
The third of 11 regular-season WSL events will take place in Peniche, Portugal, starting March 15.
