The young surfer from the Algarve João Mendonca was the Squids (Under-10) champion at the Rumblefish @ Costa de Caparica, Event 3 of the European leg of the Volcom’s world circuit Totally Crustaceous Tour (TCT) 2015-2016. The victory was achieved this Tuesday, March 29, and was the third consecutive for the surfer of Arrifana on TCT, which guarantees him the single European Squids spot on the world circuit finals, the TCT Global Championships, which will be held at Lower Trestles, California, USA, in June.
The Algarve was present at the event in Caparica with a total of 12 surfers, including a ‘surf trip’ party with 9 athletes from the Portimão Surf Clube. Leon Schneider (Groms, U-13), Ricardo Augusto (Juniors, U-16) and Louis Escudeiro (Squids, U-10) have won one heat in their age groups. Bruno Gregório (Juniors, U-16) advanced two rounds. Concha Balsemão (Girls), Tomás Pietz (Juniors, U-16), Constância Simões (Squids), Boedi Wright (Groms, U-13) and Egor Volkov (Juniors, U16) lost on their first heats. The sea was ruff, with strong rips and big waves.
Two surfers from the Clube Naval the Portimão, Francisco Duarte and Frederico ‘Martim’ Magalhães have entered with the ‘big guns’ in the main Pro Am (U-20) age group. Both lost in the semi-finals (3rd in their heats), completing the event in 5th place both. ‘Martim’ lost with the best wave of the two semi-finals (a 6.93 pints ride) and needing a low backup (3.01 points) to advanced to the final, which he couldn’t get.
Francisco Duarte was the european Pro Am ‘ranking’ leader before the event at Caparica, with 2 runner-up finishes at the previous events. He lost the lead to Portuguese fellow surfer Miguel Blanco, who won today in Caparica. ‘Martim’ Magalhães, who won Event 1, at Amado Beach (August, 2015), was the ‘ranking’ nº2 and lost some places on the board.
Both surfers from the Algarve – Francisco Duarte and Frederico ‘Martim’ Magalhães – remain in the fight for the three European Pro Am tickets for the world finals at Trestles. Francisco is now runner-up ranking leader. Martim is a little far behind, but he has one victory result. The european Pro Am global finalists will be known in Event 4 (last) of the European TCT leg, at Hossegor, France, 23th and 24th of April.
Michael Conlan, from the Algarve, also surfed today at the TCT event in Caparica. He surfs for the Portimão Sirf Club but is training with de Academia Profissional de Surf. Michael Conlan competed in the Juniors age group and lost in his first heat, in 3rd.
The sea in Caparica was very difficult today, with size and a lot of current. Miguel Blanco, Pro Am winner has guaranteed his presence at the global final at Trestles, as did João Mendonça (from de Algarve) in Squids and the Caparica local Afonso Antunes, by finishing runner-up Groms.
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Finals Rumblefish @ Costa de Caparica
Pro-AM
1. Miguel Blanco (PT)
2. Leon Glatzer
3. Charly Quivront
4. Kalani da Silva
Girls
1. Ariane Ochoa
2. Leticia Canales
3. Inês Bispo (PT)
4. Malania Diaz
Juniors
1. Lenni Jensen
2. Simão Penha (PT)
3. Yael Pena Suarez
4. Diego Suarez Diaz
Groms
1. Guilherme Ribeiro (PT)
2. Afonso Antunes (PT)
3. Adur Amatriain
4. Martim Paulino (PT)
Squids
1. João Mendonça (PT – Algarve)
2. Mario Molina
3. Matias Canhoto (PT)
4. André Ramos (PT)
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