Yesterday the conditions were a bit smaller than Sunday, but still great for the event. Throughout the day, the waves kept getting smaller, but the show was still incredible since the top 24 surfers in the world were competing at Itacoatiara Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
All photos by Tony D’Andrea / IBC
Monday featured Rounds 5 and 6, and by the end of the day, only the top 8 advanced. It was definitely an exciting third day of competition along the beautiful coast of Niterói.
The day started with an intense heat of Round 5 where all three bodyboarders were within less than a point of each other. Once again, Brazilian Isaias Ravyc took the win with a total score of 13.95. The current world champ, Armide Soliveres, finished second with 13.50, and young Peruvian Micheel Yancce was just behind with 13.00, narrowly missing out.
One of the favorites, South African Tristan Roberts, didn’t disappoint and qualified first with a score of 14.50. Frenchman Yon Aymar also advanced. Sadly, local rider Jose Otavio was eliminated after a solid performance.
Yesterday’s show continued today with French rider Yann Salaun, who finished first with a solid 15.50. Moroccan legend Brahim Iddouch also made it through to the next round. Unfortunately, Canary Islander Lionel Medina was out after a great run.
There was a big surprise in the fourth heat: two of the season’s breakout surfers knocked out the current world number one, Brazilian Uri Valadao. Moroccan surfer Chajri Badr Eddine, ranked third, delivered an impeccable heat, beating out fellow rising star Zacarias Nunes from Brazil.
Pierre-Louis Costes kept his streak going and is always a top contender for the title. Brazilian Socrates Santana finished second, but his teammate Sergio Machado was eliminated despite winning all his heats earlier — tough break.
Reunion Island’s Clement Lodeho advanced as the top surfer in a tight heat. Portuguese young gun Joel Rodrigues also moved on, both eliminating Eder Luciano, who was just a point shy of qualifying. Eder had an excellent competition but just missed out.
And yes, Joaquin Soto is back in the spotlight! Yesterday, he scored his first perfect 10, and today he posted the best total of the day — 17 points — with two brutal backflips scored at 8.5. He’s definitely making waves.
French teen Ethan Capdeville also advanced to the round of 16, knocking out Tahitian star Tehei Tahirivairau.
The last heat of the round was super close. Veteran and two-time world champ Amaury Lavernhe took the win, just ahead of Brazilian Gabriel Braga by 0.45 points, and Peruvian Cristopher Bayona, who was less than a point behind. Cristopher’s performance was outstanding, showing he’s one of the new big names on the tour.
Really fun conditions for the round of 16 (Round 6) at Itacoatiara, where the top 16 competitors faced off one-on-one. The vibe was super exciting and evenly matched throughout this round.
The first heat of the round of 16 was super close — local rider Isaias Ravyc went up against Frenchman Yon Aymar. Only half a point separated their final scores, with Yon Aymar taking the win. That means Isaias Ravyc is out, but he made a great showing in his home country.
One of the most anticipated heats saw Tristan Roberts again showing he’s really solid. He took first place again, landing a sick backflip worth a 7.90 and another wave scoring 7.25, for a total of 15.15. That’s enough to move him into the quarterfinals.
The current world champ and last year’s winner at Itacoatiara, Canary Islands rider Armide Soliveres, was eliminated — he’s out of the competition.
One of the surprises of the event, Brazilian Zacarias Nunes, proved he’s still at a high level and advanced to the next round, making it clear he’s a serious title contender. Unfortunately, one of the event’s standout names, Yann Salaun, had to say goodbye after a strong performance.
In the Brahim Iddouch vs. Chajri Badr Eddine heat, two Moroccan athletes battled it out in Brazilian waters. The Moroccan master Brahim Iddouch took the win, pulling out his best backflips. Chajri, one of the season’s top names, gave it his all in his second international event, and it’s clear he’ll be a name to watch for a long time.
Heat 5 was won by one of the all-time greats, Frenchman Pierre-Louis Costes, showing his versatility in all conditions. Portuguese rider Joel Rodrigues didn’t stand a chance — he’s out, but he’s still one of the young talents who will be making waves on the tour for years to come.
Another exciting matchup featured Reunion Island’s Clement Lodeho against Brazil’s former junior world champ Socrates Santana. Clement narrowly took the win with 14.35 to Socrates’ 13.75 — just over half a point difference. The Brazilian rider, who’s been in the top rankings for two years, had to exit to applause from the local crowd.
The heat between the 3rd and 5th ranked riders was intense. Once again, young Chilean Joaquin Soto delivered an impeccable performance, knocking out Brazilian Gabriel Braga — a rider who’s been near the top for two years. Gabriel’s out after a great run.
The final heat of the day was a battle between two Frenchmen — a veteran versus a rising star. Both had incredible styles, making it one of the best heats of the day. Amaury Lavernhe, with two backflip and roll waves, scored a total of 14.5 and took the win. Ethan Capdeville scored 14.2 with a spectacular left backflip worth 8.25, one of the highest scores of the day, but he was just 0.25 points short of qualifying.
It’s been a long, intense day, and now we know the top 8 competitors. Only one more day of competition remains to crown the new Itacoatiara Pro 2025 champion.
The final day is expected to be on Thursday, June 5th.
