In clean, albeit tiny, beachbreak near Peniche, Portugal, San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto captured his first Championship Tour win while Tatiana Weston-Webb wrangled her third CT victory – and the 2022 season begins to take shape.
Colapinto went on a serious run, beating fellow San Clementian Kolohe Andino before taking out John John Florence in the semis, and then small-wave favorite Filipe Toledo in the final. Colapinto made Supertubos look like quality T-Street as he matched the Brazilian air-for-air in the win.
Meanwhile, Weston-Webb ran through India Robinson and Carissa Moore before taking out Lakey Peterson in the final. Making a final was a victory in itself for Peterson who missed a good portion of last season with a back injury.
The event shook up the rankings, moving Kanoa Igarashi into yellow-jersey position, with Mr. Kelly Slater bumping up to number two with a ninth place finish. Barron Mamiya remains in the top three despite bowing out way early in Portugal following two good results while Filipe Toledo and Seth Moniz round out the top five. Colapinto helped himself to seventh in the rankings, well within striking distance and just ahead of John John Florence.
On the women’s side, Brisa Hennessy remains number one, followed by Moore, Peterson, Weston-Webb, and Malia Manuel.
The Tour now takes a month-long break as surfers prepare for Bells Beach April 10-20.
