Filipe is carried through the sea of Brazilian fans. Photo: / Kelly Cestari
Has surfing ever witnessed anything like what down on the beach at the Oi Rio Pro? When the World Tour went to metropolitan beaches in the 1980s under the “bums on seats” strategy–designed to lure thousands to surfing contests–they could only have dreamed of the spectacle that unfolded in Rio this past week. For an idea of what Medina and the Brazilian storm has done for surfing in Brazil, one need look no further than the Oi Rio Pro. Thousands flocked to cheer the Brazilian contingent, and they did not disappoint. The Brazilian storm wreaked havoc on the World Tour, ripping off roofs, shattering windows and reducing thought to a whir of deafening whistles and screeching. Filipe Toledo won the event in a canter, the 21-year-old Brazilian in another league in beach break conditions that oscillated between some of the best barrels we’ve seen all year, a whole lot more closeouts, and some classically rampy and rippable stuff for the finals.
There was no room on the sand to see the action. Strider Wasilewski was forced into the shore break to do his bits to camera. Such is the strength of the Brazilian storm that even when the big names falter, the slack is picked up by the rest. In this case it was gold jersey wearer and still world number one, Adriano De Souza who sputtered, losing out in a shock round three loss to Kiwi rookie Ricardo Christie. The New Zealander copped an absolute barrage of boos and whistles upon returning to the beach following what is the biggest win of his World Tour career. It was a bad look for Brazil. Medina was next to go down, this time to Hawaiian rookie Keanu Asing, who squeezed out a clutch full rotator alley-oop. Medina never looked likely at Rio, and hasn’t at any point this year. My World Tour spies tell me the only spins and jumps this kid’s been doing has been on the dance floors of the world’s nightclubs. He’s been partying it up big time after claiming his nation’s first ever world title last year, and who could blame him? Certainly not Brazilians. Look at the momentum he’s generated for his countrymen. Don’t expect much from Medina this year. He’s going to enjoy this one and hopefully not be too hungover make a real run at the title in 2016.
But the Oi Rio Prowas all about Filipe Toledo. The son of a Brazilian National Surf Champ, he grew up with the Padaratz brothers (Brazilian surf heroes from the nineties) cutting sick in his kitchen, and was raised on a steady diet of heavy metal, his father’s froth, and wedgey beach breaks, was untouchable in Rio. He is a freak. The fastest surfer on tour by a mile with the hardest spinning rotations in the world and a make ratio that can’t be touched with a 10’6 Rhino Chaser by the rest of the Tour.
Once the swell faded and Rio became a skate park of teepees and wedges, he was untouchable and really never looked like losing was a possiblity. He destroyed giant killer Ricardo Christie in the quarters with a corked, turbo-speed air rev, did the same against Brazilian rookie and small wave specialist Italo Ferreira in the semis, and left the best for last–a perfect ten for an impeccably timed projection off a heaving lip into a fully rotated air reverse in the flats. His board creased as he landed, but it wasn’t enough to stop him tagging it a few more times with lightning foam climbs and a re-entry. As the tour heads for the cylindrical blue water perfection of the Pacific, Toledo now sits in second place behind fellow countryman Adriano De Souza.
Slater fans will be tugging at their shirt collars after his third round loss to Aussie rookie Matt Banting in sub-par conditions. You’ve got to wonder how long the champ’s patience will last when he’s surfing that kind of dross against the latest whizz-fizz cheese-whizz grommet. He was in fine form in the opening round, locking in a 9.5 for a dreamy green cavern, and might have done the job on Banting had he not opted for an audacious attempt at his patented 540 air reverse on the best scoring opportunity of the heat. He never found another quality ramp after that.
John John Florence, meanwhile, also provided a fresh breath of freak power in the tricky conditions, locking in one of the event’s highest heat totals, an 18.77 against Adam Melling, with a rodeo flip on his first wave followed by dirty brown drainer for a 9.77. He also stuffed the wave of the event, a rotund orb of a tube that wouldn’t have looked out of place at Pipeline, but fell victim to the conditions and the creative backside attack of local Italo Ferreria.
