Vasco and Teresa thus repeated the triumphs achieved last year at this stage, after dominant performances throughout the two days of the event. Regarding the rankings, Vasco Ribeiro cemented his male leadership, while on the female side Carolina Mendes kept the yellow jersey.

The final day of the northern stage had an early start, with the action beginning at 06H45 on the beach of Leça da Palmeira, which offered, again, high quality waves. After the last heat of the men’s round 2, the action moved at a good pace in the morning, with high scores and some surprises in between. With very balanced heats, round 3 saw big names such as Miguel Blanco, Guilherme Fonseca, Guilherme Ribeiro or Luís Perloiro fall by the wayside, while Vasco Ribeiro was already making a spectacle.

“Porto is the stage I like the most because I have many friends here and I feel practically at home”, said Vasco Ribeiro after the final. “In the final Halley Batista started well, while I was a bit lost, but I kept my strategy and just waited for the right wave and surfed the best I know. This triumph gives extra motivation for the important championships ahead, leaving me more prepared and with more rhythm. As for the title, every year I believe that I will get it. This year I am well positioned and I only depend on myself, and I can do it at Praia Grande, which is a place where I often train and which I also like a lot”, he admits.

In the female event, Teresa Bonvalot was the great dominator of the final day, finishing her performance in the highest place of the podium. In round 2, besides guaranteeing the triumph, Teresa got the best female score of the whole event, with 15,25 points. After that, the national champion in title was advancing heat after heat always with robust scores.

“I love Porto”, Teresa Bonvalot started by stating after her triumph: “I have always loved this stage and it was here that I got my first victory in the MEO Surf League, in 2013. I love the atmosphere, the way they support us and how they love surfing. I have lots of people from here sending messages of support. It’s something inspiring for us. Every time I come here I am also lucky enough to catch good waves. It was two days of great waves. It was a great stage and this triumph gives a help for the next championships, which will be of the qualifying world circuit and the ISA World, where the Olympic qualification is discussed”, she stressed.