History in Portugal

Thursday 30 October 2014 Despite top surfing, the three remaing Saffas in the Allianz ASP World Junior Championships were narrowly knocked out, while Vasco Ribeiro, 19, became the first Portuguese to win a world junior title.

Mahina Maeda (HAW) 16, triumphed in the women's event in clean 3-4' surf at Ribeira D’Ilhas in Portugal, with Ribeiro making history in his home country.

For the Saffas, it was close margins but they all fell in Round 3 despite some top-class surfing that certainly did their country proud. For Slade Prestwich, despite posting one of the highest heat totals of the day, the difference was the big 18.37 score by Joshua Moniz of Hawaii in Round 3. Prestwich placed equal 17th.

Dylan Lightfoot and Benji Brand might feel their results could have gone their way in Round 3, losing by a whisker: 0.57 and 0.43 of a point respectively.

An excited Ribeiro said: “I have no words to describe this moment, I just want to thank everyone who’s been supporting me. It’s been a long week, especially today I surfed four times. I think the final was actually the heat I was less pressured, I just wanted to do good and I knew I had to post something big cause Italo is such a great surfer.”

Ribeiro built momentum through the early rounds and put on his best performance in the final to dispatch of Italo Ferreira (BRA) with an incredible 18.63 total. The young Portuguese up-and-comer, recently crowned ASP European Junior Champion previously bested other event standouts Joshua Moniz (HAW) and Deivid Silva (BRA) on his way to claim the event win.

Runner-up today in Portugal, Ferreira put up a good fight but couldn’t match Ribeiro’s rhythm in the final and was eventually put in a combination situation he wouldn’t recover from. The current World No.8 on the QS rankings, was on fire all-week in Ericeira and notched another excellent result after his quarterfinal in the Cascais Billabong Pro two weeks ago. Ferreira will head home full of confidence before the big QS showdown in Hawaii where he will try to obtain a maiden ticket for the WCT.

Mahina Maeda concluded a very successful Portuguese campaign with the ASP World Junior Title today, after consistently posting great scores to advance in first in all her matchups. At only 16 years-old, Maeda stamped her authority on the Junior talent pool and will look to take her act to the next level against the World’s Best on the QS tour next season.

“I can’t believe it, I’m so stoked and beyond,” Maeda said. “Watching Ella (Williams) win last year, it gave me some confidence and the urge to win. I felt like I had the potential, but came here and surfed it heat by heat. Having everybody out there supporting me was just amazing.”

Along with the prestigious title, Maeda will also receive a wildcard spot in the highest seeded rounds of all the major QS events in 2015, potentially easing her campaign for a Samsung Galaxy ASP World Championship Tour qualification.

Guadeloupe’s Tessa Thyssen (GLP) 17, whom also won the ASP European Junior series this season, lead the regional contingent with a firm grip on the competition but unfortunately couldn’t compose with the tricky conditions in the final. Runner-up to Maeda at Ribeira D’Ilhas, Thyssen however nets an excellent result for her first participation in the World Junior Championships.

Local hero Tomas Fernandes (PRT) 18, came extremely close to making an all-Portuguese final when he had Ferreira against the ropes in the final moments of their semifinal matchup, but the talented Brazilian came back firing.

FINAL RESULTS

Allianz ASP World Junior Championships men’s
1 - Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 18.63
2 - Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.77

Allianz ASP World Junior Championships Women’s
1 - Mahina Maeda (HAW) 13.56
2 - Tessa Thyssen (GLP) 13.17

Men’s SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 16.80 def. Tomas Fernandes (PRT)16.50
SF 2: Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 15.34 def. Deivid Silva (BRA) 13.83

Women’s SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Tessa Thyssen (GLP) 9.67 def. Chelsea Tuach (BRB) 8.67
SF 2: Mahina Maeda (HAW) 15.93 def. Bronte Macaulay (AUS) 11.33

Men’s QUARTERFINAL RESULTS:
QF 1: Tomas Fernandes (PRT) 13.90 def. Soli Bailey (AUS) 12.14
QF 2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 16.00 def. Noe Mar McGonagle (CRI) 7.50
QF 3: Deivid Silva (BRA) 17.77 def. Mateia Hiquily (PYF) 6.04
QF 4: Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 14.17 def. Takumi Yasui (JPN) 13.00

Men’s Rd 4 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Soli Bailey (AUS) 14.50 def. Kaito Kino (HAW) 8.76
Heat 2: Tomas Fernandes (PRT) 12.16 def. Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 9.53
Heat 3: Noe Mar McGonagle (CRI) 14.27 def. Seth Moniz (HAW) 12.47
Heat 4: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 15.50 def. Parker Coffin (USA) 11.76
Heat 5: Mateia Hiquily (PYF) 15.34 def. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 12.50
Heat 6: Deivid Silva (BRA) 12.83 def. Tom Cloarec (FRA) 12.60
Heat 7: Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 14.66 def. Joshua Moniz (HAW) 11.00
Heat 8: Takumi Yasui (JPN) 13.24 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 10.96
Allianz ASP World Junior Championships Men’s Rd 4 RESULTS:

Men’s Rd 3 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Soli Bailey (AUS) 11.00 def. Cooper Chapman (AUS) 10.50
Heat 2: Kaito Kino (HAW) 11.90 def. Shun Murakami (JPN) 8.20
Heat 3: Tomas Fernandes (PRT) 14.00 def. Miguel Tudela (PER) 11.06
Heat 4: Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) 11.66 def. Luan Wood (BRA) 10.73
Heat 5: Seth Moniz (HAW) 8.83 def. Hiroto Arai (JPN) 7.93
Heat 6: Noe Mar McGonagle (CRI) 17.87 def. Miguel Blanco (PRT) 16.64
Heat 7: Parker Coffin (USA) 17.74 def. Dylan Lightfoot (ZAF) 17.17 (by 0.57)
Heat 8: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 13.40 def. Luke Dillon (GBR) 9.83
Heat 9: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) 14.60 def. Benji Brand (ZAF) 14.17 (by 0.43)
Heat 10: Mateia Hiquily (PYF) 18.80 def. Kai Hing (AUS) 14.47
Heat 11: Tom Cloarec (FRA) 14.80 def. Lucas Silveira (BRA) 13.90
Heat 12: Deivid Silva (BRA) 14.67 def. Timothee Bisso (GLP) 7.40
Heat 13: Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) 13.90 def. Jake Marshall (USA) 13.90
Heat 14: Joshua Moniz (HAW) 18.37 def. Slade Prestwich (ZAF) 16.83
Heat 15: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 13.00 def. Cam Richards (USA) 8.00
Heat 16: Takumi Yasui (JPN) 13.40 def. Takumi Nakamura (JPN) 12.16