Check out highlights from the opening day of competition at the QS3,000 Caparica Surf Fest where Europe's best take on stormy surf for a spot in the Challenger Series!
PRAIA DO PARAISO, Costa da Caparica - Portugal (Tuesday, March 26, 2024) - The QS3,000 Caparica Surf Fest, final stop on the 2023/24 World Surf League (WSL) European Qualifying Series (QS), got underway today in building three-to-five foot surf and ran through a big opening day of competition.
The women's Round of 48 paddled out first and witnessed good surfing from some of the talented younger competitors vying for a spot in the top seeded round. Aelan Vaast (FRA) was the overall standout of the round, collecting two nice numbers on single maneuvers performed in the shorebreak of the South bank where odd heats were surfed.
Sarah Leiceaga (FRA) and Lucia Machado (CNY) took advantage of longer, better waves on the North podium to string together combinations of turns on their forehand as the better option were the lefts. The overall hierarchy was respected with the highest ranked surfers taking out all advancing spots into the Round of 32.
Check out highlights from the previous European QS events of the 2023/24 season.
The men's Round of 96 also ran using double banks before conditions really deteriorated on the South bank, forcing everyone to come back to the North to continue with 12 heats of the men's Round of 64.
As the tide came in, waves got a lot bigger in the afternoon and the men's top seeds were put to the test, bringing our favorite part of surfing, solid wipeouts, into play. Experience paid dividends and the likes of Gatien Delahaye (FRA), Kauli Vaast (FRA), Joaquim Chaves (POR), Marc Lacomare (FRA) dominated in the moving lineup.
Arran Strong (GBR) was particularly impressive as well, finding the right sections and hitting them with powerful turns for the biggest combined heat total of the day, a solid 13.73 (out of a possible 20). Rankings leader Tiago Carrique (FRA) surfed a good heat and advanced as well.
Joaquim Chaves (POR) - WSL / Pedro Mestre
After a massive day of competition and testing conditions, competitors will have a little bit more time to wake up and get ready tomorrow as the next call will be at 9 a.m on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
Find all results, highlights and recaps from the Caparica Surf Fest on WorldSurfLeague.com.
Watch LIVE
The Caparica Surf Fest will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the free WSL app, and the WSL's YouTube channel.
The Caparica Surf Fest is scheduled from March 26-30, 2024 at Praia do Paraiso, Costa da Caparica - Portugal. It is brought to you by WSL, sponsored by Almada City Council, Estrella Galicia, MEO, Millennium BCP, Wotels, Hertz, Cabreiroa with media partners SIC, SportTV, Radio Comercial, M80, Cidade FM, Expresso, Record, Onfire and MEO Beachcam.
Caparica Surf Fest Gets Underway in Wild Conditions
WSL
PRAIA DO PARAISO, Costa da Caparica - Portugal (Tuesday, March 26, 2024) - The QS3,000 Caparica Surf Fest, final stop on the 2023/24 World Surf League (WSL) European Qualifying Series (QS), got underway today in building three-to-five foot surf and ran through a big opening day of competition.
The women's Round of 48 paddled out first and witnessed good surfing from some of the talented younger competitors vying for a spot in the top seeded round. Aelan Vaast (FRA) was the overall standout of the round, collecting two nice numbers on single maneuvers performed in the shorebreak of the South bank where odd heats were surfed.
Sarah Leiceaga (FRA) and Lucia Machado (CNY) took advantage of longer, better waves on the North podium to string together combinations of turns on their forehand as the better option were the lefts. The overall hierarchy was respected with the highest ranked surfers taking out all advancing spots into the Round of 32.
The men's Round of 96 also ran using double banks before conditions really deteriorated on the South bank, forcing everyone to come back to the North to continue with 12 heats of the men's Round of 64.
As the tide came in, waves got a lot bigger in the afternoon and the men's top seeds were put to the test, bringing our favorite part of surfing, solid wipeouts, into play. Experience paid dividends and the likes of Gatien Delahaye (FRA), Kauli Vaast (FRA), Joaquim Chaves (POR), Marc Lacomare (FRA) dominated in the moving lineup.
Arran Strong (GBR) was particularly impressive as well, finding the right sections and hitting them with powerful turns for the biggest combined heat total of the day, a solid 13.73 (out of a possible 20). Rankings leader Tiago Carrique (FRA) surfed a good heat and advanced as well.
After a massive day of competition and testing conditions, competitors will have a little bit more time to wake up and get ready tomorrow as the next call will be at 9 a.m on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
Find all results, highlights and recaps from the Caparica Surf Fest on WorldSurfLeague.com.
Watch LIVE
The Caparica Surf Fest will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the free WSL app, and the WSL's YouTube channel.
The Caparica Surf Fest is scheduled from March 26-30, 2024 at Praia do Paraiso, Costa da Caparica - Portugal. It is brought to you by WSL, sponsored by Almada City Council, Estrella Galicia, MEO, Millennium BCP, Wotels, Hertz, Cabreiroa with media partners SIC, SportTV, Radio Comercial, M80, Cidade FM, Expresso, Record, Onfire and MEO Beachcam.
Tiago Carrique
An eventful week ultimately crowned proper warriors as the 2024 Caparica Surf Fest winners.
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