With the exception of Connor O'Leary, it's been a challenging year for most of the rookies taking their first laps around the globe on the Championship Tour (CT). At the OK Fiji Pro, however, things have changed, specifically for Joan Duru and Leonardo Fioravanti. Coming into Fiji, Fioravanti was staring at a string of four 25th place results and had yet to progress out of Round Two. Now he's looking at a Quarterfinal matchup versus Michel Bourez, that's flipping the script.
Leonardo Fioravanti - WSL / Kelly Cestari
O'Leary, for his part, has been the star of the Class of '17. By surfing into the Quarters in Fiji, he's guaranteed to at least match his 5th at Snapper. Of the three surfers, though, Duru's performances in Fiji may be the standout of the group. Despite a dearth of experience at Thundercloud reef, the goofyfoot from Bayonne, France, has found his joie de vivre, tapping into the elusive pace Cloudbreak requires -- a delicate dance between twisting the throttle and buffeting the brakes.
Connor O'Leary - WSL / Ed Sloane
Rookies Roll In Fiji
WSL
With the exception of Connor O'Leary, it's been a challenging year for most of the rookies taking their first laps around the globe on the Championship Tour (CT). At the OK Fiji Pro, however, things have changed, specifically for Joan Duru and Leonardo Fioravanti. Coming into Fiji, Fioravanti was staring at a string of four 25th place results and had yet to progress out of Round Two. Now he's looking at a Quarterfinal matchup versus Michel Bourez, that's flipping the script.
O'Leary, for his part, has been the star of the Class of '17. By surfing into the Quarters in Fiji, he's guaranteed to at least match his 5th at Snapper. Of the three surfers, though, Duru's performances in Fiji may be the standout of the group. Despite a dearth of experience at Thundercloud reef, the goofyfoot from Bayonne, France, has found his joie de vivre, tapping into the elusive pace Cloudbreak requires -- a delicate dance between twisting the throttle and buffeting the brakes.
Connor O'Leary
Episode 68
Championship Tour surfer Connor O'Leary talks about his unlikely and inspiring road to getting (and staying) on tour.
Ahead of the resumption of the CT in Australia, Tour surfer Connor O'Leary talks about how going back to basics reinvigorated his surfing.
Australian surfers who had been scoring waves on the North Shore have been arriving home to begin two weeks in quarantine.
The humble Australian surfer has been an underdog for most of his career.
Through the Quarters on another pumping day at Ribeira d'Ilhas, Finals day is set for Sunday.
Outerknown Fiji Pro
Looking back on the event at the world's most amazing wave, Cloudbreak.
Top 2017 waves from the champ.
Two powerhouses leave it on the waves at the 2017 Outerknown Fiji Pro finals.
Epic clash in the semifinals of the 2017 Outerknown Fiji Pro.
Semifinals clash between two powerhouse shredders, 2017 Outerknown Fiji Pro.