Colapinto fires up while Morais builds strength at Day 5 of ISA World Surfing Games

France, Portugal and USA take the lead as teams race shapes up in the hunt for the Olympic spots

Erin Brooks is ready for the challenge ahead 

A new benchmark set for Chinese surfing

Huntington Beach, USA – September 21^st 2022

The fifth day of competition at the ISA World Surfing Games was surfed in tricky conditions as the prevailing swell faded, but the drama continued strong through a full day of elimination rounds.

Harsh blows came for multiple national teams as frontrunners lost their first athletes from competition. France, Portugal and the United States were the only teams to remain unscathed in that all-important team ranking race for the Olympic qualifying spot.

Raw power took Frederico Morais (POR) from fourth to first after the buzzer had sounded in the defining heat of the day. A scrappy start saw the lead rotate multiple times between Rio Waida (IND), Sebastian Williams (MEX) and Morais. In the dying seconds Jesse Mendes (ITA) and Williams had equal scores and Waida a narrow lead before Morais leapfrogged them both for the win to progress along with the Indonesian into Repechage Round 5.

Griffin Colapinto (USA) delivered one of the most exciting moments of the event so far in one of three repechage heats the American surfed today. Hurling himself virtually upside down into a backside tail high reverse, he emerged from the foam to the shock of even his own high-caliber team members.

Experience paid off for many competitors in Women’s Repechage Round 4 as names like India Robinson (AUS), Chelsea Tuach (BAR) and Noa Lelior (ISR) capped off the day with big wins.

It was Zoe McDougall (USA) who took top honors in both her Repechage Round 2 and Round 3 heats however, proving that Team USA look as formidable as ever.

The passing of former ISA World Junior champ Kalani David this week has affected many at the competition, including McDougall.

“It’s been an emotional couple days, but now I’m just feeling really inspired to get through these repechage (heats) and the team is firing up,” she shared.

Erin Brooks is ready for the challenge ahead

Battling her way through the repechage, Erin Brooks (CAN) has a long road ahead to back up her 2022 ISA World Junior U/16 gold medal, but she’s up for the challenge. Though the 15-year-old has relatively little international competitive experience, her skills on a surfboard are amongst the best ever seen for someone her age.

“Everyone here is trying to get that gold and everyone wants it really bad,” she said. “But I know that if I keep pushing myself and keep making heats that hopefully I can do it, because the Olympics is one of my biggest dreams.”

A new benchmark set for Chinese surfing

Two Chinese women, Shuge Jiang and Siqi Yang, pushed deeper into competition today than any surfer from their nation ever has before. Jiang was the first Chinese surfer in ISA history to win a heat and Yang still has further to go.

First appearing in this year’s ISA World Juniors, Yang grew up in Xichang, a city deep in mainland China. Currently living and training at Riyue Bay on Hainan Island, the 13-year-old, who has only been surfing for four years, is already making her mark on international competition. She will next surf in Repechage Round 5 tomorrow.

ISA President Fernando Aguerre said:

“The top seeds continued to impress today.Tomorrow promises to bring many more exciting and dramatic moments, as so much can still happen between now and the podium.”

SCHEDULE:

*Schedule subject to change by the ISA

September 22-23:

Competition (Open Men & Open Women)

September 24:

– Finals Day (Open Men & Open Women)

– Closing Ceremony & Medal Ceremonies (30 mins after finals)