Airborne in Bali

HACK ATTACK: Those frontside hack backs are becoming a trademark. Photo WSL / Cestari

Ferreira is an unbelievable surfer, and it took an unbelievable performance to vanquish Jordy to third place. Jordy posted two excellent rides, an 8.0 and an 8.93, but an emphatic 10 pointer sealed the win by a mere 0.20 points. Ferreira took off on a reeling right-hander and drove off a deep bottom In the final, he posted an explosively good 18.87turn to launch a huge backhand full-rotation aerial. The landing was clean and smooth, followed by two powerful turns and another big air on the end-section. Ferreira's surfing is next level, and a joy to watch. In the final, he posted an explosively good 18.87 points against a hapless Michel Bourez (PYF), who just wasn't on his game, posting a mere 9.83.

Lakey Peterson’s emphatic win in the first-ever women’s CT event in Bali sees her reclaim the Jeep Leader Jersey, continuing her red-hot form in 2018. The Californian had only two final appearances last season and settled for second on both occasions. After only four completed events this year, Peterson has secured three finals and won two. Her wave selection and execution were on point at Keramas all week. The Santa Barbara native beat two-time WSL Champion Tyler Wright (AUS).

TO THE TOP: Lakey Peterson would be the first US champ since Lisa Anderson. Photo WSL / Cestari

Peterson’s historic moves her a step closer to claiming the USA’s first women’s World Title since Lisa Andersen in 1997: “I’m over the moon,” said Peterson. “This is just so crazy. Seeing Steph (Gilmore) win in Brazil really lit a fire in me, and I came here and knew what I had to do. I’ve just been keeping calm all week. That chair up the beach was so cool. There are people dancing everywhere.”

Ferreira held the two highest single-wave scores and three of the top heat totals.Ferreira cemented himself as a bonafide title contender by reclaiming the Jeep Leader Jersey and taking his second win of the 2018 season. Ferreira held the two highest single-wave scores of the event and three of the event’s top heat totals. The goofy-footer launched and landed massive aerials, attacked the lip with precision, and threaded backhand tubes throughout to prove himself as the worthy winner of the Corona Bali Protected. Bourez and Keramas were a perfect match all week with the Tahitian’s tube-riding ability and powerful rail-game trumping everyone he came up against. Unfortunately he failed to surpass his previous second-place finish at Keramas (2013). He moves to 4th on the Jeep Leaderboard and will now turn his focus to the upcoming CT event at the fabled lefthander of Uluwatu, which replaces the cancelled Margaret River Pro. The holding period opens in the next 48 hours and closes on 13 June.

KING OF BALI: Balinese ritual and the great surf juggernaut rolled together. Photo WSL / Sloane

“It was a shame that the waves slowed down on Finals Day, but I’m still really happy,” Bourez said. “It was cool to come up against Italo (Ferreira) in the Final. He has been ripping all week. He and I have been the first ones in the water every morning and been on the same program. He is such a good guy, so I’m really stoked for him.”

On his way to the Final, Bourez dispatched event wildcard and standout Mikey Wright (AUS), who has continued to take down the biggest names in surfing. Wright’s performance saw him finish a career-topping Equal 3rd and rockets to 12th on the Jeep Leaderboard, giving the 21-year-old a huge chance of qualifying for the CT in 2019 as a full-time competitor.

In the upcoming Uluwatu event, 24 competitors remain (as it was when Margie was cancelled) and competition will recommence with Round 3. In the women's event, eight competitors remain in the Quarterfinals. For more information, please visit www.WorldSurfLeague.com.

NO ICARUS: Italo Ferreira is an awe-inspiring surfer to watch. Photo WSL / Cestari

Corona Bali Protected Women’s Final
1 - Lakey Peterson (USA) 14.33
2 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 13.74

Corona Bali Protected Men’s Final
1 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 18.87
2 - Michel Bourez (PYF) 9.83

Corona Bali Protected Men’s Semifinal
SF 1: Michel Bourez (PYF) 14.27 def. Mikey Wright (AUS) 5.67
SF 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 17.13 def. Jordy Smith (ZAF) 16.93

2018 WSL Women's CT Jeep Leaderboard
1 - Lakey Peterson (USA) 35,630 pts
2 - Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 34,235 pts
3 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 26,105 pts
4 - Tyler Wright (AUS) 23,460 pts
5 - Carissa Moore (HAW) 22,065 pts

2018 WSL Men's CT Jeep Leaderboard
1 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 24,995 pts
2 - Filipe Toledo (BRA) 22,820 pts
3 - Julian Wilson (AUS) 21,080 pts
4 - Michel Bourez (PYF) 19,375 pts
5 - Gabriel Medina (BRA) 17,860 pts