Algarve surfer Yolanda Hopkins won today the event held in Taghazout Bay, the first of the 2023 Qualifying Series (QS), automatically guaranteeing the European title.
Yolanda Hopkins also sealed the qualification for the Challenger Series 2023 circuit, where the vacancies for the 2024 World Surf League circuit will be at stake.
On the last day of the competition, Portugal had three surfers in the four finalists, and in the first 'heat' of the day, Carolina Mendes was defeated by French Pauline Ado, thus ending the Moroccan race in third place.
On the other hand, Yolanda Hopkins prevailed in the next heat against compatriot Kika Veselko, who also finished third.
In the final, which was very balanced, the Portuguese woman prevailed over Pauline Ado by just 0,07 points – 13,40 against 14,33 -, thanks to the 7,0 points she achieved in one of the last waves, to seal her 10th victory consecutive Portuguese tour on the European QS circuit.
Yolanda Hopkins had already won the QS2022 in Anglet, France, and the QS3000 in Newquay, in the United Kingdom, in 1000, so she secured the European title in advance, when the QS1000 in Costa da Caparica still needs to be played.
The Portuguese surfer, who succeeds compatriot Teresa Bonvalot, now has more than 3.000 points ahead of Gaulish Pauline Ado. On her side, Kika Veseko remained in third place and Carolina Mendes rose from fifth to fourth.
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