San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto wins big in Portugual
World surf league news in Portugal
Latest news and stories about world surf league in Portugal for expats and residents.
Latest news and stories about world surf league in Portugal for expats and residents.
American Griffin Colapinto defeated Brazilian Gabriel Medina this Friday, 23 October, in the elite surfing final in Peniche, repeating his 2022 and 2024 victories and becoming the first person to win three times in Portugal. With 'dream' conditions at Supertubos Beach, Colapinto scored 17.60 points (out of a possible 20) on his two best waves, while three-time world champion Medina, who won in Portugal in 2017, scored 16.77. Following this win, Colapinto moved up three spots in the world rankings to third place, trailing Brazilians Yago Dora and Ítalo Ferreira. In the women's event, reigning world champion Molly Picklum from Australia won her first title in Portugal by beating American Caitlin Simmers in the final. The Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the 10th and penultimate stage of the World Surf League (WSL) championship tour, concluded this Friday.
Australian Molly Picklum, the reigning world champion, won the World Surf League event at Supertubos, Peniche, this Friday, October 23, beating American Caitlin Simmers in the final to secure her first victory in Portugal. In the decisive heat, Picklum scored 13.33 points out of a possible 20, overcoming the 2024 world champion and 2023 Peniche winner, Simmers, who scored 12.84. With this first win of the season, the 23-year-old surfer moved to the top of the world rankings with only two events remaining. The Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, the 10th stage of the tour, began on October 16 at Praia de Supertubos and concludes today following the men's final between Gabriel Medina and Griffin Colapinto. The event featured a record number of five Portuguese surfers.
Caitlin Simmers, the 2024 world champion and winner of the Portuguese stage in 2023, scored 11.33 points across her two best waves, while reigning world champion Molly Picklum scored 8.63 points.
The Australian Molly Picklum, defending world champion, is in the semi-finals of the elite surfing event at Supertubos Beach in Peniche and revealed to Lusa that she has set the goal of winning in Portugal this season.
The Brazilian Ítalo Ferreira will face compatriot Gabriel Medina in the first semi-final of the elite world surfing event in Peniche, pointing to another “very special” moment in a long history of confrontations between the two.
The first day of the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal featured intense competition, with three Portuguese surfers advancing to the quarter-finals at the iconic Supertubos Beach.
The two-time national champion scored 10.33 points. Frederico Morais, despite his 11.17 points, lost against the highest-scoring wave so far (15.73), surfed by the Australian Ethan Ewing.
Five Portuguese athletes will compete in the Meo Rip Curl Pro Portugal, marking a new milestone for the country.
Portugal has become a hub for the world’s best surfers, with three major competitions spread across the country turning its coastline into what the World Surf League has described as The post Portugal becomes world surfing ‘epicentre’ as elite descends on Peniche appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina has arrived in Portugal to prepare for the upcoming competition in Peniche.
The World Surf League has confirmed the four local surfers who will receive wildcards to compete in the upcoming event in Portugal.
Despite a second-round defeat against Molly Picklum, the Portuguese surfer secured a spot “inside the cut” for the upcoming stages at the “supertubos” in Peniche and in the Philippines.
The event is part of the 2026/27 World Surf League Challenger Series, and the 26-year-old surfer secured the title in an all-Portuguese final.
Portuguese surfer Yolanda Hopkins was eliminated today at the Gold Coast Pro, the third stage of the World Surf League (WSL) championship tour, losing in the round of 16 to Australian Molly Picklum, the reigning world champion.
The main World Surf League (WSL) circuit begins on Tuesday in Australia, featuring significant changes to the competitive format in a new season marked by the return of some 'sharks' and the absolute debut of Portuguese athletes.
