Page 5 - MidWeek West - March 22, 2023

“I really can’t believe it honestly,” says Caitlin. “Courtney got really tubed, and I was like, ‘OK, this is starting.’ I tried to get some away from her and paddled up and down the beach to find one and then it happened and I was really happy. This is my favorite kind of wave. I surf beach breaks pretty much
Caitlin Simmers (left) and Joao Chianca are winners of the 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal. PHOTO COURTESY WSL / POULLENOT
“Five minutes after I pad- dled out, I just realized how good the waves were and how much I love everything about this,” an emotional Joao says. “Perfect barrels, perfect beach break. I just told myself to enjoy the pro- cess; you’ve been doing ev- erything you can to make it happen. I was thinking all of this in the water. I was think-
The next stop is Bells Beach in Australia for the Rip Curl Pro April 4-14. There are only two more stops before the mid-season cut. Check out surfnewsnetwork.com for the latest details.
every day. I’m really grateful for everyone here. Portugal is really cool. I’m grateful for surfing, and I don’t know what else to say. Thank you!”
pionship potential. He is just 22 but can surf anything, anywhere, with flair, progres- sion and power. He’s from Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, where plenty of pros are from.
GQ, droppin’ in 4 U!
Joao Chianca has cham-
gary@surfnewsnetwork.com
MARCH 22, 2023 5
Aloha surfers and beachgoers,
As of this writing, we just finished the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal in heavy board-breaking surf.
BY GARY KEWLEY
Californian, Brazilian Win MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal
The venue is a sandbar but it can break like Pipe- line. That’s what it was doing when two newcomers won the whole thing. One was 17-year-old Caitlin Simmers from California and the oth- er was World Championship Tour sophomore Joao Chian- ca from Brazil. Both compet- itors are huge talents coming in hot and they signify that the pendulum is swinging.
Caitlin is pure and hard- core. The youngster became the first rookie to win a WCT event in more than 10 years — since California’s Lakey Peterson in 2012 at the U.S. Open. Caitlin is now at No. 2 in the rankings.
This young man is having a breakthrough season with two third-place finishes in Hawai‘i and now his MEO Rip Curl Pro win. He has vaulted into second place on the world rankings.
ing, ‘If you don’t get it now you will get it later.’ And it’s incredible my time came. Since I qualified for the tour, I’ve been dreaming about my first win, and it’s incred- ible how it all came together here in Portugal.”
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