Adriano. Man strength. Photo: Kolesky/Nikon/Lexar
Adriano de Souza won the Australian Open just one week after making a final against Slater in the Volcom Pipe Pro. Wiggolly Dantas was the runner-up of the latter. Thomas Hermes waged a hard battle against local favorite Julian Wilson and got a third place in Manly, still a great result. This is a good phase for Brazilian surfing, and it has been going on for some time now. In the first jewel of the Triple Crown in Haleiwa, Adriano was once again the Brazilian standout, finishing 5th. In another great accomplishment by a Brazilian athlete, a sponsor-less Raoni Monteiro conquered a much needed 3rd place in Sunset, clinching his spot among the ASP’s Top 34. Why am I pointing this out? Because all these accomplishments might just set the tone for the Brazucas in 2014, both in WCT and in WQS.
Extra attention must be given to De Souza. Even though his victory in Manly wasn’t much of a surprise to some – he has a history full of stellar results in Australian waters – the final confrontation didn’t go exactly as the majority of the spectators on that beach that day might’ve wanted it to. Though the odds were against Adriano, Julian simply got smashed in the final, being comboed for the entire heat. Adriano’s capacity to cope with the pressure is what makes him one of the best contestants in the game and a strong candidate for the World Title. He has proved himself to be an all-around surfer, ranging from an aerialist in mushy beach breaks to a tube rider in twelve-foot-Pipe.
Great results are expected from the other contenders representing the green and yellow nation, especially the ones in the WCT, but 2013 was a dull year for flying boy Gabriel Medina, whose best result was a second place in France. His lack of good results has been attributed by many fans to his excessive appearances on local television and apparent social media addiction. Last year could’ve also been better for Miguel Pupo, if he hadn’t missed the first two events because of an injury to his angle. He nearly failed to re-qualify for the World Tour, but a 5th place in the Pipe Masters guaranteed him a spot for this year’s world championship run. Filipe Toledo is a surfer that has yet to unveil his true potential. Although he’s undoubtedly skilled, he still lacks the experience, a facet that does make a difference in competitive sports. It won’t be long until we see him winning more heats, though. Alejo Muniz didn’t get any good results in 2013’s WCT, but he did win the US Open back in July against all-American boy Kolohe Andino and re qualified for this year. Jadson André returns to surfing’s elite in 2014. After a year away from the WCT he qualified through the recently extinct combined ranking system. Jadson’s QS campaign was pretty solid, and he just might be a man to watch for this year.
It might seem a bit too early to make assumptions, but one thing is clear: the Brazilians are killing it, and they will be a lot more present on the podium throughout the year.
