"All good things...," Geoffrey Chaucer predicted in a 14th century poem about a love story set during the siege of Troy, "must come to an end." On the eve of the final day of the waiting period of the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais, with just three heats left to surf, it seems that, even in regard to QS 10,000 events, Chaucer was almost certainly right. Today, Guincho had the chance to live up to being a good thing before the event reaches its conclusion, with vastly improved conditions through most of the day giving rise to a series of electric performances.
Griffin Colapinto pushed Hawaii's Ezekiel Lau to the brink, but the Californian became the final QS surfer to fall victim to the CT stars. - WSL / WSL/POULLENOT
Meaty lines marched into the deep-water bay that flanks mainland Europe's most westerly outcrop, in the form of genuine organized groundswell. By the time the Quarterfinals were underway in the late afternoon, a bit of breeze ruffled up the lips, but nothing like the chaotic seas witnessed over the past few days.
Kanoa Igarashi is back on pace to double-qualify in 2017, but he's behaving like he's way behind. - WSL / WSL/MASUREL
Italo Ferreira must surely feel that the injuries that plagued his 2017 campaign are now well and truly behind him. While he's been back competing since mid-summer -- after missing three events due to an awkward backside air landing at Duranbah in March -- sometimes the mental effect can endure long after the body has healed. If he did harbor any trepidation about launching, none of it was on show today as he repeatedly took to the air to dispatch roommate and compatriot Jadson Andre with the highest heat total of the event (17.20 points), leaving Andre in a deep combo.
Italo Ferreira shot down his buddy Jadson Andre by fighting air power with air power. - WSL / WSL/MASUREL
"I'm so glad to make another heat," beamed the Brazilian CT sophomore, currently No. 23 on the Jeep Leaderboard. "Jadson's my really good friend, we're staying together here. I did a big air-reverse, but fell on first one. Then I landed the next one and that felt really good. "
Frederico Morais kept his impressive run alive by out-muscling Willian Cardoso. "Steady Freddy," as he's becoming known, for an uncanny knack of posting an early score and building from there, looked to have full mastery of the troublesome end-section. He knew just how much to commit to the inside's air-drop floater section, while managing to avoid the exploding closeout.
Ezekiel Lau is making a big push up the QS rankings at a time when he needs it most, as he's fighting to keep his CT status at this point. - WSL / WSL/POULLENOT
"I feel like I just know this place so well, I've been surfing Guincho my whole life," said Morais afterward, clearly delighted to have made finals day in front of an adoring Portuguese public. "There's a good connection that I have here, so I hope I can keep it going tomorrow. It's going to be a tough Semifinal, I just want to enjoy myself and give a good show."
With Ferreira matching up against Kanoa Igarashi, who pipped a fired-up Joan Duru, and Morais facing Ezekial Lau -- who overcame Griffin Colapinto in a late see-saw tussle -- an all-CT Semi roster will please Qualifying Series surfers on and around the bubble. No more great strides points-wise will be made on the rankings.
Whatever pressure might come from having his face on billboards all over town, Morais dominated his opening heat in Cascais.
Cardoso and Colapinto, meanwhile, have solidified their claims for Top 10 status come year-end (which, in turn, will qualify them for the 2018 CT, if numbers were to remain the same), each earning 5200 points for equal-5th finishes. And while accruing points surely feels infinitely more important than putting in performances at this late stage in the season, Colapinto can take heart from a standout showing in beefed-up conditions today at Guincho. Showing extra energy off the bottom and considerable flair off the top, where others were looking to place stock turns, Colapinto was trying to shine. Should he find himself able to make the cut on to the elite stage, he promises a dazzling skill set to help him take full advantage of it.
UPCOMING EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS:
SF 1: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) vs. Italo Ferreira (BRA)
SF 2: Frederico Morais (PRT) vs. Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 14.84 def. Joan Duru (FRA) 14.20
QF 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 17.20 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.40
QF 3: Frederico Morais (PRT) 14.73 def. Willian Cardoso (BRA) 10.06
QF 4: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 13.77 def. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 13.26
Morais Leads CT Stars Into Semis at EDP Billabong Pro
Paul Evans
"All good things...," Geoffrey Chaucer predicted in a 14th century poem about a love story set during the siege of Troy, "must come to an end." On the eve of the final day of the waiting period of the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais, with just three heats left to surf, it seems that, even in regard to QS 10,000 events, Chaucer was almost certainly right. Today, Guincho had the chance to live up to being a good thing before the event reaches its conclusion, with vastly improved conditions through most of the day giving rise to a series of electric performances.
Meaty lines marched into the deep-water bay that flanks mainland Europe's most westerly outcrop, in the form of genuine organized groundswell. By the time the Quarterfinals were underway in the late afternoon, a bit of breeze ruffled up the lips, but nothing like the chaotic seas witnessed over the past few days.
Italo Ferreira must surely feel that the injuries that plagued his 2017 campaign are now well and truly behind him. While he's been back competing since mid-summer -- after missing three events due to an awkward backside air landing at Duranbah in March -- sometimes the mental effect can endure long after the body has healed. If he did harbor any trepidation about launching, none of it was on show today as he repeatedly took to the air to dispatch roommate and compatriot Jadson Andre with the highest heat total of the event (17.20 points), leaving Andre in a deep combo.
"I'm so glad to make another heat," beamed the Brazilian CT sophomore, currently No. 23 on the Jeep Leaderboard. "Jadson's my really good friend, we're staying together here. I did a big air-reverse, but fell on first one. Then I landed the next one and that felt really good. "
Frederico Morais kept his impressive run alive by out-muscling Willian Cardoso. "Steady Freddy," as he's becoming known, for an uncanny knack of posting an early score and building from there, looked to have full mastery of the troublesome end-section. He knew just how much to commit to the inside's air-drop floater section, while managing to avoid the exploding closeout.
"I feel like I just know this place so well, I've been surfing Guincho my whole life," said Morais afterward, clearly delighted to have made finals day in front of an adoring Portuguese public. "There's a good connection that I have here, so I hope I can keep it going tomorrow. It's going to be a tough Semifinal, I just want to enjoy myself and give a good show."
With Ferreira matching up against Kanoa Igarashi, who pipped a fired-up Joan Duru, and Morais facing Ezekial Lau -- who overcame Griffin Colapinto in a late see-saw tussle -- an all-CT Semi roster will please Qualifying Series surfers on and around the bubble. No more great strides points-wise will be made on the rankings.
Cardoso and Colapinto, meanwhile, have solidified their claims for Top 10 status come year-end (which, in turn, will qualify them for the 2018 CT, if numbers were to remain the same), each earning 5200 points for equal-5th finishes. And while accruing points surely feels infinitely more important than putting in performances at this late stage in the season, Colapinto can take heart from a standout showing in beefed-up conditions today at Guincho. Showing extra energy off the bottom and considerable flair off the top, where others were looking to place stock turns, Colapinto was trying to shine. Should he find himself able to make the cut on to the elite stage, he promises a dazzling skill set to help him take full advantage of it.
UPCOMING EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS SEMIFINAL MATCHUPS:
SF 1: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) vs. Italo Ferreira (BRA)
SF 2: Frederico Morais (PRT) vs. Ezekiel Lau (HAW)
EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 14.84 def. Joan Duru (FRA) 14.20
QF 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 17.20 def. Jadson Andre (BRA) 9.40
QF 3: Frederico Morais (PRT) 14.73 def. Willian Cardoso (BRA) 10.06
QF 4: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 13.77 def. Griffin Colapinto (USA) 13.26
Jadson Andre
The 10th stop on tour and the final proving ground as the world's best look to clinch their spots in the Rip Curl WSL Finals. Take a look
The former CT veteran Jadson Andre shocked the world twice in one day by shutting down reigning World Champion and new World No. 1, Filipe
Jadson Andre is a hero once again in Brazil after taking out World No. 1 Girffin Colapinto. Colapinto's dreams of clinching Final 5 will
Featuring Miguel Tudela, Justin Becret, Jake Marshall, Jadson Andre, Morgan Cibilic, Taj Lindblad, Sally Fitzgibbons, Sophie McCulloch,
Former CTer Jadson Andre showing no signs of struggle from tour ending injury through our first two Challenger Series stops as he locks in
EDP Billabong Pro Cascais
Following his second career HIC Pro victory, the Hawaiian is now well positioned to return to the Championship Tour next year.
After his recent QS 10,000 win in Cascais, the Hawaiian will try to take control of his destiny at the MEO Rip Curl Pro in Peniche.
O potiguar ficou perto da quinta vitória consecutiva do Brasil no WSL Qualifying Series perdendo o título do EDP Billabong Pro Cascais.
Fully recovered from injury, the Brazilian is back to scintillating form.
The local hero's incredible run at the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais was ended by Zeke Lau in the Semifinals.