California's Lindblad and Brazil's Dora Make Waves at Rio Pro

Sawyer Lindblad and Yago Dora claimed victories at the Rio Pro Surfing Championship. Lindblad secured her first world tour win over Tya Zebrowski, while Dora triumphed over Leonardo Fioravanti in the men's final, boosting his rankings. Zebrowski made history as the youngest world tour finalist.

California's Sawyer Lindblad clinched her inaugural surfing world championship tour title at the Rio Pro in Brazil, defeating French competitor Tya Zebrowski. The final, held in Saquarema, was a challenging affair with both surfers battling difficult conditions. Despite a low scoring event, Lindblad secured her win with a cumulative score of 7.67 points.

Zebrowski, the youngest cometitor ever to qualify for the world tour, had a notable run, overcoming eight-time champion Stephanie Gilmore and five-time champion Carissa Moore to reach the finals. Although she couldn't surpass Lindblad, Zebrowski's two-wave total was 6.10.

In the men's competition, reigning world champion Yago Dora celebrated his first victory of the season over Italy’s Leonardo Fioravanti. Dora's performance included a standout 8.50 scoring aerial maneuver, culminating in a two-wave total of 15 points. Fioravanti, despite a strong effort, finished with 13.17 points. Dora expressed gratitude for the support from fans who attended despite adverse weather conditions.