George Pittar just fucking cleaned house. Apologies for the cursing so early. I typically save that for later in the post, but GP did it live on broadcast, and everyone loved it. Enthusiasm. As the Aussies would say, “get that up ya”.
I didn’t touch on Finals Day from Margie’s yet, so I just wanted to quickly recap before we get into Snapper. In my last post about this event (Margaret River) where I covered the QF’s, I said,
“If Medina doesn’t win, something wild derails him.”
Now I don’t know if you’d call a priority blunder wild, but it wasn’t a clean loss; He was derailed. Deflated. Defeated. Dethroned.
Watch here if you missed what I am referring to. It’s been quite the drama this past week, specifically in Brazilian surf social spheres.
Filipe, LeoFio, Yago Dora, Italo, and finally, Medina. This is the list of scalps GP has hanging off his Margaret River Champion trophy. Alejo Muniz is flinching looking at the Snapper Heat Draw.
Medina is still in fine, fine form. He is going to win the Title this year, and you can take that to the bank. He might Win Snapper this weekend, but he’s good for Quarters at least. We’ll get into it, I just wanted to touch on his form. It took that priority change and a miracle gift of a wave at the perfect time, plus Pittar ripping the shit out of it for the highest score of the event, to take Medina down. I’ll be interested to see what his very next heat looks like – which is R2 H13, and he’ll be donning the Yellow Jersey for the first time in quite a while. First since 2021, according to ChatGPT. Any extra pressure? I think he shows up cooler than the other side of the pillow. Cruising.
The rest of the Brazilian Storm, sans Filipe, have been rolling. Top 5 is: Medina, Pittar, Miggy Pupo, Yago, Sammy Pupo. How’s that? Italo is just off the board ranked 7th, coming off a 3rd place here at Margs, bowing out to GP in the Semi’s.
Sammy lost to Medina in the Semi’s, but it was close. The younger Pupo held the high score with an 8.67 but he couldn’t get the backup number. I think Sammy may be the one to push Medina the hardest this year. He looks to be surfing near his potential, which is a great sign.
Lakey Peterson won her first event since 2023 (JBay). She’s got big plans for this year – from what I am hearing she’s got her Title run fully mapped out, and she’s right on track. She’s going to have confidence going into the Goldy. She took out Luana Silva in the Final, who was visibly upset not to Win. Have to feel for her, but also, you got runner up. Chin up, kid.
Luana was ripping. I think she shines when the waves get a little bigger, the water a little heavier. I don’t expect her to have a great result here at Snapper, but New Zealand is right around the corner and that’s an unfamiliar face for everyone. She’s going to have a run at the end of the year, I think, so she’s set herself up nicely this far.
The Top 5 on the Women’s side: Gabby Bryan, Lakey Peterson, Molly Picklum, Luana Silva, Caity Simmers.
So let’s get on to Snapper. The event is going to start today, and it might run for 3-4 days straight. According to both Joel Parkinson and Stace Galbraith, by separate accounts, it’s going to be cooking.
Joel says it’s going to be a barrel fest.
Stace says it might be further down the line by the Little Marley section of Snapper, which is presumably not behind the rocks barrels.
Either way it goes, the surf world is buzzing at the potential for waves.
Head high or so I believe is the forecast. Not huge, but really damn fun Snapper rocks. What you and I wish we could surf every day.
Here are the Round 1 Matchups:
MENS
Heat 1
Callum Robson vs Oscar Berry
Heat 2
Mateus Herdy vs Reef Heazelwood
Heat 3
Luke Thompson vs Winter Vincent
Heat 4
Morgan Ciblic vs Ramzi Boukhiam
WOMENS
Heat 1
Francisca Veselko vs Yolanda Hopkins
Heat 2
Sally Fitzgibbons vs Bella Kenworthy
Heat 3
Vahine Fierro vs Brisa Hennessy
Heat 4
Carissa Moore vs Tya Zebrowski
Heat 5
Alyssa Spencer vs Nadia Erostarbe
Heat 6
Tyler Wright vs Anat Lelior
Heat 7
Erin Brooks vs Stephanie Gilmore
Heat 8
Sawyer Lindblad vs Dimity Stoyle
Already seeded into R2 and awaiting opponents on the Women’s side we have: Gabby Bryan, Caroline Marks, Caity Simmers, BettyLou, Molly Picklum, Lakey Peterson, and Luana Silva.
A few matchups are already set for R2, with 4 surfers awaiting opponents: Italo, Griffin, Yago & Medina. Here are the rest of the matchups for Round 2 of the Men’s:
Heat 1
Barron Mamiya vs Marco Mignot
Heat 2
Jordy Smith vs Kauli Vaast
Heat 4
Ethan Ewing vs Rio Waida
Heat 5
Crosby Colapinto vs Jake Marshall
Heat 7
George Pittar vs Alejo Muniz
Heat 8
Kanoa Igarashi vs Liam O’Brien
Heat 10
Connor O’Leary vs Joel Vaughan
Heat 11
Jack Robinson vs Alan Cleland
Heat 12
Leonardo Fioravanti vs Seth Moniz
Heat 14
Filipe Toledo vs Cole Houshman
Heat 15
Samuel Pupo vs Joao Chianca
Heat 16
Miguel Pupo vs Eli Hanneman
EYES ON
WOMENS R1 H7
I can’t believe Brooks and Stephanie matched up this early, again. The seeding is gnarly. I don’t know exactly how it works, and I’m fixing to do some research on it. Journalism. Can’t wait to watch this heat. The Queen of the Gold Coast vs Erin Brooks, former CS event winner out here.
WOMENS R1 H4
Another classic battle in a World Champ vs (probable) future Word Champ – Carissa vs Tya Zebrowski. Young Tya is still looking for her first Heat Win, and of the 3 waves the Tour has stopped at thus far, I’d have to say Snapper would likely be the most comfortable for her. Bells and Margs each take some time to get to know, they are challenging waves. Snapper is much more user-friendly.
FILIPE TOLEDO
In comparison to his fellow countrymen, feels like Filipe has been nowhere to be found. He’s down at 14 in the rankings, and I think he gets right at this event. He won this event the last time it ran here at Snapper in 2021, and he also won last year I believe at Burleigh? Somewhere in the Gold Coast.
Don’t sleep on Fil.
AUSTRALIAN SURFERS NOT NAMED GEORGE PITTAR
Ethan Ewing (13)
Jack Robinson (21)
Liam O’Brien (23)
Morgan Ciblic (28)
Callum Robson (33)
Oscar Berry (34)
You are all on the Hot Seat.
Joel Vaughan (12) , I think you are okay, for now.
CALL THE SHOT
My prediction: Another Brazilian victory.
A clean sweep over the ‘Aussie Treble’, as I guess they call it. I think a Regular foot takes it – Filipe or Sammy Pupo, but I would not be shocked at Medina or Italo.
The wave might be a little fast for Yago. I’d be interested to see if they’d reward one big maneuver from him.
As for the Women: Steph makes her comeback.
Sitting in dead last on the rankings, she needs to make a move, now, or I think she makes a move – off Tour. Maybe disinterested and disheartened by a tough start, she needs to flip it around ASAP. What better way then to do it right now. As they say – home is where the heart is.
Events starting soon.
Get your fantasy picks in.
I’m still alive and running in Surfival League. Beginners Luck.
Cheers,
hwilsin
Drew Stanfield