Vitor Oliveira

How are surfers distributed in heats? Can two top-ranked athletes match up against each other in the opening round of a contest? Here's how seeding works in the Championship Tour (CT). The World Surf League (WSL) introduced a new competition format in the 2019 CT. The goal was to fine-tune an athlete's past achievements while simultaneously rewarding performance in a running season. Seeding is the process of assigning a rank or position to a surfer based on their previous achievements or current performance. Seeding aims to create a structured bracket or draw for the surf competitions, ensuring that higher-seeded athletes are initially paired against lower-seeded ones, theoretically providing a more balanced and competitive progression throughout the event. In modern competitive professional surfing, each elite surf contest features the following stages: Seeding Round; Elimination Round; Round of 32; Round of 16; Quarterfinals; Semifinals; Final; The Seeding Ro...

Depression Louis brought some of the largest swells of the decade to Portugal, Spain, and France, courtesy of the North Atlantic winter storms. The extreme weather event raised national alerts and put big-wave surfers on hold on Europe's infamous XXL surf breaks. Most storm-chasing fraternity converged in Praia do Norte, Nazaré, for another go at the Guinness World Record race. The Portuguese underwater canyon has been the gold mine of many athletes and media professionals eager to ride and capture the sport's superlative stunts. The Code Black swell brought a lot of wind, gusts, and heavy rain but also plenty of record-breaking opportunities for the usual suspects. Three names in particular have been making a living in Nazaré in recent years: Lucas "Chumbo" Chianca, Sebastian Steudtner, and Rodrigo Koxa. Whenever Praia do Norte fires its most brutal missiles, they're either strapped to their surfboard or towing someone into the massive avalanches of wate...

Robbie Crawford calls himself a multimedia specialist, but he's certainly more than that. Meet the 21st-century digital artist who has dreamed of waves since childhood. He's been pushing the boundaries of graphical 3D wave simulation and sharing the developments with the world in the form of art and creative imagination. Robbie is also a surfer and passionate lensman, two sides of his personality that surely help us understand his extremely popular work in social media. However, the Huntington Beach-based imagery creator is not your typical professional surf photographer or videographer with a creative, hipster-driven vein. Crawford operates mainly on the side of fantasy. In the past couple of decades, the Californian has significantly contributed to establishing the compact action camera as a legitimate tool in professional media. With the experimentations made with standard waterproof shooting devices showcasing their capabilities and features, Crawford's work has ...

The 10th edition of La Vaca Gigante has etched its mark in history. In a stunning display of skill and courage, 24 surfers, both local and international, embraced the formidable Cantabrian waves, reaching heights of over 23 feet (seven meters). The waves crashed dramatically against the Cantabrian coast, creating an epic day of XXL surfing in Santander. Ultimately, the day belonged to Indar Unanue, who emerged victorious, shaking the cowbell and hoisting the coveted milk jug that signifies triumph in this prestigious competition. The day commenced under cloudy skies in Cueto, with minimal wind. The only sound disrupting the silence was the eager anticipation of waves awaiting their moment to shine. As the tide rose, the La Vaca Gigante 2024 competition kicked off around noon with the trial round. Seven surfers vied for the last coveted spot in the main event. The action commenced swiftly, featuring impressive waves and powerful surfing, notably by Frenchman Pierre Rollet, who do...

Jack Robinson and Molly Picklum claimed the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The finals got underway in six-to-eight-foot perfect rights at Sunset Beach. The proving grounds of Oahu's North Shore once again offered a real challenge to the best surfers in the world with solid waves and shifting lineups, but overall, plenty of opportunities to showcase their talent and kick off the new season.  A monumental change in women's professional surfing happened over the course of the season's first two events, with the top 17 taking on serious conditions at Pipe and Sunset and some of the youngest competitors showing up with massive performances and commitment to raise the bar. Picklum was an integral part of the charge in making history this month as she collected huge scores for her relentless approach to hitting the biggest sections of the waves, holding nothing back. Today, she earned back-to-back titles at Sunset. This win marks Picklum's s...

Hip replacement surgeries are relatively common among surfers, and it's easy to understand why. A surfer's body is constantly pivoting and absorbing impacts. On top of that, the surfer's regular or goofy stance generates uneven and unbalanced pivoting, for instance, when cutting back or carving. Therefore, professional surfers and highly-active recreational surfers experience repeated stress and trauma to the hip joint. Last but not least, surfing in challenging conditions for several years and decades can lead to various injuries and wear and tear on the hips. Kelly Slater, Laird Hamilton, and Griffin Colapinto are some of the few examples of different-generation athletes who had to undergo surgery to replace a hip. But what exactly causes excessive wear and tear to the hip region, especially among the wave-riding community? Causes of Damaged Joints Some reasons why hip replacement surgeries are more prevalent among surfers include: Repetitive Stress and Sudden ...

Local charger Tiago Stock claimed the 10th annual Capítulo Perfeito at Carcavelos Beach, Portugal, by defeating Rob Machado, Dylan Graves, and Balaram Stack in the final. Carcavelos Beach dished up a day of punchy, barreling waves for all 16 contenders, with the world's best tube specialists and the top Portuguese locals performing a full-day surfing exhibition in the 10-year anniversary of Capítulo Perfeito. In the end, the 18-year-old Portuguese surfer claimed the top honors, bagging the €20.000 winner's check as the first trialist to ever win the event. Adding up to local dominance, 16-year-old Salvador Vala won the Next Generation Special Heat, which opposed the young surfers featured in this year's New Generation category (U-18). An 8.25 ride set Vala apart from his opponents, granting him €1,000 in cash, a €500 travel voucher, and a 7-day double stay at the Hiddenbay Resort in the Mentawai islands. He also took the Worst Wipeout by Nixon prize (€500). Despite f...

Surfers tend to think they perform better than they actually do. But that's just human nature and applies to every aspect of our lives as social individuals. Generally speaking, we are all better at pointing out others' flaws, faults, and deficiencies than assessing and improving ourselves. Judgment is one of our most over-developed characteristics. Whether we're watching a pro surfer in the heat or someone tearing a wave to bits in front of us, there's always something wrong or could be improved. The problem is when we decide to share our thoughts and experiences with others in the form of a condescending lesson or tip. This free, unrequested wave-riding consultancy-style advice may be authentic, honest, and truly helpful, but the receiver could not be open or interested in it. Despite the consistent changes witnessed in the 21st century, surfing is still a sexist sport. The male surfer's inclination for mansplaining women in the lineup is out there all ov...

Morning seasickness in surfing refers to the temporary, rough, and messy ocean conditions experienced by surfers during early morning sessions, particularly prevalent in locations like California, Hawaii, and Bali. Surfers are a sports tribe that usually wakes up early to enjoy glassy, uncrowded waves. The so-called dawn patrol enthusiasts tend to believe that when it comes to getting the best ride, the earlier, the better. But is it always like this? Do the early morning hours only bring perfect, windless swell lines? Maybe not. If you've been surfing for a while or have watched a surf contest's online broadcast, you might have heard about the concept of "morning sickness." It's obviously not the same as the condition women experience during pregnancy. The key to understanding morning seasickness, the ocean's ailment, lies in the dynamics of the early morning environment. Dawn's Seasickness The meteorological and oceanographical phenomenon is a...

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and Global Forecast System (GFS) are the leading global numerical weather prediction systems. But what are the differences between them? A global numerical weather prediction system/model is a sophisticated computer-based tool that uses mathematical equations to simulate and forecast atmospheric conditions on a worldwide scale. These models employ numerical methods to represent the complex interactions and processes occurring in the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land surface, including temperature, pressure, humidity, wind patterns, and other relevant parameters. The Earth's atmosphere is divided into a multi-dimensional grid, and the models calculate the state of the atmosphere at each grid point over time. Numerical weather prediction models use data assimilation techniques to incorporate real-time observational data from various sources, such as satellites, weather stations, ocean buoys, balloons, and airc...

In an emotional message shared on his social media accounts, Filipe Toledo announced his withdrawal from the remainder of the 2024 Championship Tour season. The decision, as Toledo expressed, was not an easy one and followed days of discussions with those closest to him. Toledo acknowledged the support of the World Surf League (WSL), expressing gratitude for being granted a wildcard for the start of the 2025 season. Despite the challenges and difficult decisions, he remains committed to returning to the competitive scene better than ever. The two-time world champion opened up about the toll that a decade of competing at the highest level has taken on both his physical and mental well-being. Toledo has been candid about his struggles, not only with injuries but also with mental health, emphasizing the need for a break to recover and prepare for the next chapter of his career. "The platform of the CT has given me everything - it is a dream life that has allowed me to support ...

Barron Mamiya and Caitlin Simmers claimed the 2024 Pipe Pro at Banzai Pipeline, Oahu, Hawaii. The finals days were held in picture-perfect six-to-eight-foot waves at Pipeline. The swell showed up and offered a dreamy canvas for the world's best athletes to showcase their talent on one of the heaviest waves on earth. A huge day of competition in incredible conditions delivered the first-ever Perfect 10 in a women's Championship Tour (CT) at Pipeline, highlighting an iconic day that featured matchups that will go down in history. In just her second season among the world's best surfers, Caitlin Simmers claimed a statement win at Pipeline, fearlessly attacking the solid Backdoor and Banzai waves all day. This marks the 18-year-old's third victory on the CT and cements her place as one of the brightest stars of professional surfing. "This wave is terrifying; I respect everyone who wants a part of it and everyone who doesn't because it's really scary out ...

He calls himself a multi-sport athlete, and you can barely describe him better. Meet Chuck Patterson, the world's greatest wave skier. Only a few humans can dream of riding humongous moving mountains of water at Jaws, Mavericks, and Nazaré on a surfboard. Professional big-wave surfers are highly trained individuals who put their lives at risk every time they paddle or get towed into these massive and heavy giants. Most of these athletes rely on guns, long and narrow surfboards with quick wave entry and average maneuverability characteristics, or short and heavy boards equipped with foot straps to tame the XXL swells. These are the weapons of choice for breaking Guinness World Records, winning contests, and free-chasing storms. However, there's always someone ready to try something new in high waters. In the past, we've seen windsurfers, kiteboarders, and even skimboarders adventuring themselves in some of the world's most extreme wave-riding arenas . Recently, f...

A father, husband, and family man with a past of mental health issues enters a bar. Everyone is drinking alcoholic beverages. He asks for a bottle of still mineral water. Immediately after, the man hears insults; some question his masculinity, others his bravado. "If you don't drink a beer, you don't belong here." Sigmund Freud's mob psychology is in full effect, and everything the man says is irrelevant and only fuels the crowd's anger and rage even more. They don't want to know the reasons behind his abstinence. They just feel the need to judge him - for whatever he is, and he is not. This could be the parallel story of Filipe Toledo. Reality, though, may be a bit harder to cope with, especially in the social media-ruled world we live in. The Brazilian committed a crime. Toledo withdrew from the 2024 Pipe Pro, citing illness. And the public court was quick to react. The Court of Public Opinion Here are some of the comments that people were wil...

They break close to the shore, and because of that, they can be life-threatening. Here's what you should know about shorebreak waves. Shorebreak waves, also known as insiders, inside breaks, or shoreys, are a striking yet perilous phenomenon occurring when waves rapidly peak and break directly onshore. These liquid detonations unfold on sharply sloping beaches, where incoming waves eschew the gradual breaking process and instead crash abruptly and steeply onto the shore. This distinctive behavior poses a substantial risk to beachgoers, with the primary hazard being trauma injuries, a danger that escalates with increasing wave height. The Mechanics of a Shorebreak Shorebreak waves represent a nuanced version of a beach break, breaking on or very close to the shore. They're not a rare event and could take place anywhere where swells can reach. These waves share characteristics with traditional beach or reef breaks but distinguish themselves by breaking extremely close to ...