- 2019-06-24
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SPORTS
World Surf League: Filipe Toledo and Sally Fitzgibbons Win Oi Rio Pro, John John Florence Injures Again
WSL Men's and Women's Championship Tour the 5th stop, Oi Rio Pro took place at Saquarema in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil between June 29th and June 28th.
Men's event, Filipe Toledo (BRA) claimed his first victory of the season since 2018 Corona Open J-Bay. This marks the third time he has won in Brasil.
Filipe Toledo defeated Frederico Morais (PRT) in the Semifinals, Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) in the Semifinals and Kelly Slater (USA) in Round 4, then advanced to the Final.
He competed with Jordy Smith (ZAF) in the Final in four-to-six foot (1.2 – 1.8 meter) waves. Filipe Toledo earned 9.37 and 8.67 with aerial and tube riding.
Also over 20,000 Brazilian fans pushed him with cheering. Finally, he took down Jordy Smith.
“Once I get into the Quarters and Semis, it’s like something clicks in my head, especially here in Brasil,” Filipe Toledo said. “The crowd just gets me pumped and I just want to do my best. But it’s so hard, surfing can be anybody’s game. With Jordy (Smith) you never know. I had eighteen points, but he could’ve easily gotten two nines as well. I was tense until the last thirty seconds, but that first wave got me feeling pretty confident and I was stoked to get that one.”
Current Jeep Leaderboard No. 1, John John Florence (HAW) injured his knee again in Heat 5 of Round 4. He injured last year and spent to recovery a half of the season. In the Heat, he tried big air for several times, “I had a ton of speed on my last wave and I was going to do a turn and it was kind of breaking already and so I just tried to do a fly away, but the wave broke on my back leg and buckled the same knee I injured last year,” said Florence.
Eventually, he withdrew from this event and finished at 5th place.- Meanwhile, in women's event, Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) won for the first time in two years. Her last victory was 2017 Drug Aware Margaret River Pro.
Also, this marks her third victory in Brazil, following 2012 and 2014.
Sally Fitzgibbons beat Carissa Moore (HAW), Keely Andrew (AUS), Lakey Peterson (USA) and Johanne Defay (FRA).
This season, she has secured consistent results with four Final Series appearances, including two Finals.
“It’s definitely one of those feelings where you feel so alive,” said Fitzgibbons. “The whole process of running down through the crowd cheering and paddling out is pretty sick when it all comes together. After all these years it’s still special and to be in the Final with a friend like Carissa (Moore) is pretty amazing. It could’ve gone either way and it just went my way today, it was unbelievable, this is insane. I knew I needed something special at the end when that set wave came through. When I paddled in, I knew there was some opportunity and I just gave it everything. I just wanted to commit and everything just came together.”
Oi Rio Pro Men’s Final Matchups:
F 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 18.04 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 8.43
Oi Rio Pro Men’s Semifinal Matchups:
SF 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 16.00 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 10.30
SF 2: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.06 def. Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.40
Oi Rio Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Matchups:
QF 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 11.00 def. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 7.57
QF 2: Frederico Morais (PRT) 13.17 def. Julian Wilson (AUS) 11.83
QF 3: Jordy Smith (ZAF) vs John John Florence (HAW) Injured
QF 4: Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.10 def. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 12.00
Oi Rio Pro Men’s Round of 16 (Round 4) Results:
Heat 1: Filipe Toledo (BRA) 17.84 def. Kelly Slater (USA) 14.83
Heat 2: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 13.17 def. Joan Duru (FRA) 10.83
Heat 3: Frederico Morais (PRT) 12.83 def. Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 7.43
Heat 4: Julian Wilson (AUS) 14.00 def. Jesse Mendes (BRA) 13.60
Heat 5: John John Florence (HAW) 12.66 def. Wade Carmichael (AUS) 10.33
Heat 6: Jordy Smith (ZAF) 15.53 def. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 9.67
Heat 7: Kolohe Andino (USA) 14.07 def. Deivid Silva (BRA) 11.53
Heat 8: Gabriel Medina (BRA) 14.43 def. Michel Bourez (FRA) 9.27
Oi Rio Pro Women’s Final Matchups:
F 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.64 def. Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.57
Oi Rio Pro Women’s Semifinal Matchups:
SF 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 7.63 def. Keely Andrew (AUS) 4.40
SF 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) 15.30 def. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 14.83
Oi Rio Pro Women’s Quarterfinal Matchups:
QF 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.17 def. Lakey Peterson (USA) 1.20
QF 2: Keely Andrew (AUS) 7.24 def. Silvana Lima (BRA) 6.46
QF 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) 12.33 def. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 12.04
QF 4: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 10.90 def. Courtney Conlogue (USA) 10.66
Oi Rio Pro Women’s Round of 16 (Round 3) Results:
Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 12.66 def. Macy Callaghan (AUS) 6.60
Heat 2: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 13.84 def. Johanne Defay (FRA) 10.94
Heat 3: Keely Andrew (AUS) 8.63 def. Caroline Marks (USA) 8.50
Heat 4: Silvana Lima (BRA) 11.27 def. Malia Manuel (HAW) 7.17
Heat 5: Carissa Moore (HAW) 11.00 def. Taina Hinckel (BRA) 7.40
Heat 6: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 13.83 def. Coco Ho (HAW) 11.57
Heat 7: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 9.50 def. Paige Hareb (NZL) 5.67
Heat 8: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 12.10 def. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 6.43- source : World Surf League