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Brazil’s Italo Ferreira won the Tahiti Pro in giant, glass Teahupo’o tubes to show the wave’s potential two months before the break hosts the Olympics.
The Tokyo Games gold medalist defeated Hawaii’s John John Florence, who will be surfing for the USA at the Paris Olympics, with a flawless five-meter stroke.
Ferreira got off to a perfect start to the final, watching Florence get beaten on her first wave, before catching two absolute bombs for a pair of excellent scores.
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Florence (17.16) hit back with the highest wave of the final, 9.33 out of 10 for a ferocious barrel.
But he couldn’t reel in Ferreira, who finished with a two-wave heat total of 17.70 out of 20.
One of the first to congratulate Ferreira was the jet ski-riding president of French Polynesia, Moetai Brotherson.
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Australia’s Ethan Ewing was beaten by Kelly Slater to lose their round of 16 clash earlier in the day, while Ryan Callinan lost a gripping quarter-final shootout with Brazil’s Gabriel Medina, 18.96 to 15.94.
With the Olympics due to start in less than two months, Teahupo’o’s choice of the French overseas territory for the surfing competition seemed inspired on Friday (AEST).
In the best surf conditions for several years on the world championship tour, almost every competitor had their highlight reel moments fired from the giant blue barrels to the cheering crowds of spectator boats in the channel.
But mistakes were severely punished.
Florence was left spewing blood after a wipeout earlier in the day, while Medina was clipped by the sharp coral reef at the end of an incredible cave in his semi-final.
Ferreira, who missed Brazil’s squad for Paris, such is the depth of surfing in the country, had earlier ousted compatriot Iago Dora in the quarter-finals and then Olympic-bound Moroccan Ramsey Bouquiam in their semi-final.
Ewing (14.17) looked destined for the final eight before Slater (14.46), who had earlier clocked a near-perfect 9.73, stole victory by 4.73 points in the final seconds of the heat.
The 11-time world champion and five-time Tahiti title winner went one better in his quarter-final only to be undone by the in-form Bukiam.
Slater, surfing in Tahiti with a wildcard, is due to bid farewell to the tour at the season-ending Cloudbreak event in Fiji at the end of August.
Jack Robinson will join Ewing in Tahiti for the Games in July-August, along with Australian women’s contingent Molly Picklum and Tyler Wright.
All four Australians are genuine contenders for gold in the sport’s second appearance at the Games.
Tahitian wildcard Wahine Fierro established herself as the favorite for Olympic gold on her home holiday with a win over Costa Rican world No.1 Briza Hennessey on Thursday.
With Reuters
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