Competition Set to Begin at the VIVO Rio Pro Pre

Championship Tour Stop No. 8 Window Opens Tomorrow First Call: Saturday, June 22, at 7AM for Possible 7:30 AM (GMT-3) Start World No. 1s Simmers and Florence Look to Hold Lead on CT Field More Available at WorldSurfLeague.com

Pictured: [From left to right] Tainá Hinckel (BRA), João Chianca (BRA), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) and Italo Ferreira (BRA) at the official press conference of the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Thiago Diz

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PRAIA DE ITAÚNA, Saquarema, Brazil (Friday, June 21, 2024) - The world’s best surfers have arrived in Brazil for Stop No. 8 of the World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT) for the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. The competition window is scheduled for June 22 - 30, and the lineup at Praia de Itaúna has been teeming with high-performance surfing in the lead-up to the competition. With crucial ranking points on the line, the top-ranked athletes are hoping for that last push in the hunt for a spot in the Lexus WSL Finals in September. The first call is set for Saturday, June 22, at 7:00 a.m. for a possible 7:30 a.m. (GMT-3) start.

Pictured: Partcipants and the event mascot Saquá, at the official press conference of the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona. Credit: © WSL / Thiago Diz

Brazil’s Top Surfers Ready for Stop No. 8 Currently ranked 8th on the CT is Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), who enjoys competing in front of the fans who bring so much passion to surfing. Weston-Webb has had two previous Semifinal appearances in Saquarema in 2018 and 2022 and hopes to surpass that result in 2024.

Pictured: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) at the official press conference of the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona . Credit: © WSL / Thiago Diz

“Our people are the best in the world, they have a lot of passion, a lot of joy, and a lot of warmth overall,” said Weston-Webb. “This makes all the difference, and competing here in Brazil, for me, is the best event because it's not just a surfing contest. Ivan [Martinho] is really stepping it up here in Brazil, and I really like seeing surfing bring so many good things to a city like Saquarema, which deserves it a lot because it's a beautiful, wonderful city. I love it so much, and I'm very happy to represent our beautiful country.”

Pictured: João Chianca (BRA) at the official press conference of the VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona . Credit: © WSL / Thiago Diz

Local surfer Joao Chianca (BRA) is the wildcard for the VIVO Rio Pro, and he is thrilled to be competing in his hometown of Saquarema. Chianca withdrew from the season after an injury before Pipeline and returned to the CT as a wildcard at the Surf City El Salvador Pro earlier this month, where he showcased his incredible form with a Quarterfinal finish. Chianca will return to the CT in 2025 as the WSL Season Wildcard. “I believe there’s an advantage to being Brazilian, being in Brazil, at home, and doing what we love,” said Chianca. “I was born and raised in Saquarema, had the opportunity to see this event when I was a grom, sitting next to the athletes, watching them surf heats and now having the opportunity to compete at such an incredible event. I was that guy, that little kid who ran after surfers and now I’m competing at home alongside my family and friends. I really hope there are good waves because the CT is a show in itself. I believe that the passion of the Brazilian people, the event site that is set up on the beach, and the size and magnitude of the event deserve a real show, it deserves sun, beautiful days on the beach, and with shows in and out of the water. Expectations are always high, and I’m stoked to get things started.”

World No. 1s Simmers and Florence Look to Hold Lead on CT Field No. 1 ranked surfer Caitlin Simmers (USA) is the defending winner of the VIVO Rio Pro and is seeking to maintain her lead atop the rankings with her patented high-performance surfing at Praia de Itaúna. The 18-year-old from California already has two victories under her belt on this year’s CT season with wins at Pipeline and Bells Beach. With only two events remaining on the calendar, Simmers can potentially guarantee a spot at the Lexus WSL Finals with a solid result in Brazil. In the men’s division, John John Florence (HAW) has a healthy lead in the rankings and has already clinched a spot in the WSL Finals. The Hawaiian has had two prior victories in 2012 and 2016, both at Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro, before the event was relocated to Saquarema. “My first win ever here was at the Rio Pro, I was really excited about that,” said Florence. “I remember there was a year when Filipe [Toledo] won and that was the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen for a surf contest. I’d never seen anything like that, it was pretty crazy. The support behind surfing here is crazy, and it really is amazing.”

Event Wildcards and Injury Replacements Prepare for CT Showdown   The VIVO Rio Pro wildcards will be represented by Luana Silva (BRA) and Samuel Pupo (BRA) as the highest-ranked Brazilian surfers on the Challenger Series, who are not already on the CT. In addition, the event wildcards have been awarded to Brazilian Olympic Surfing Team member Tainá Hinckel (BRA) as well as Saquarema local and No. 4 ranked surfer in 2023, João Chianca (BRA). Tyler Wright (AUS) has withdrawn from the event due to a foot injury and has been replaced by Sophia Medina (BRA).   For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

VIVO Rio Pro Presented by Corona Women’s Opening Round Matchups: HEAT 1: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. Sawyer Lindblad (USA) HEAT 2: Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Taina Hinckel (BRA) HEAT 3: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Bettylou Sakura Johnson (HAW) vs. Sophia Medina (BRA) HEAT 4: Brisa Hennessy (CRC) vs. Gabriela Bryan (HAW) vs. Luana Silva (BRA) VIVO Rio Pro Pro Presented by Corona Men’s Opening Round Matchups:  HEAT 1: Ethan Ewing (AUS) vs. Cole Houshmand (USA) vs. Connor O'Leary (JPN) HEAT 2: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW) HEAT 3: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS) vs. Samuel Pupo (BRA) HEAT 4: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) vs. Joao Chianca (BRA) HEAT 5: Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Imaikalani deVault (HAW) HEAT 6: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Rio Waida (INA) vs. Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) HEAT 7: Italo Ferreira (BRA) vs. Crosby Colapinto (USA) vs. Liam O'Brien (AUS) HEAT 8: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Jake Marshall (USA) vs. Matthew McGillivray (RSA) For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.

Watch LIVE The VIVO Rio Pro presented by Corona window opens on Saturday, June 22, and closes on Sunday, June 30, 2024. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners. For fans watching in Brazil, coverage of the competition's Quarterfinals and beyond will continue co-exclusively on WorldSurfLeague.com, SporTV and Globoplay. For fans watching in the United States, coverage of the competition's Quarterfinals and beyond will continue co-exclusively on WorldSurfLeague.com and ESPN+.   The VIVO Rio Pro presented by Corona is proudly supported by Vivo, Corona, SHISEIDO, YETI, Bonsoy, Eventbrite, Red Bull, Banco do Brasil, Secretaria de Esporte e Lazer do Governo do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Prefeitura Municipal de Saquarema, Natura Kaiak, Mãe Terra, EY, Florence, Surfline and True Surf.   For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.