The Portuguese Algarve Yolanda Hopkins became two-time European surfing champion this Saturday, at the Caparica Surf Fest, an event on the World Surf League qualifying circuit won by the Portuguese Teresa Bonvalot.
On Paraíso beach, 'Teresinha' prevailed with 13,13 points, enough to defeat Hopkins, who did not go beyond 8,66, but still left with reasons to smile, as she renewed her European title by achieving the quarter-finals, also benefiting from the withdrawal of Frenchwoman Tessa Thyssen in the round of XNUMX.
This outcome will allow Bonvalot and Hopkins to compete in the Challenger Series (CS), the second division of world surfing, which will serve as a qualification for the Championship Tour (CT).
“I'm even crying. It's the third time I've won this race, the conditions are difficult and being able to surf like this says it all. My grandmother is seeing me for the first time and winning is even more special,” said Bonvalot, who, together with Hopkins, will represent Portugal at the Paris2024 Olympic Games.
Earlier, in the round of 16, Mafalda Lopes was the first Portuguese woman to fall by the wayside today, with Maria Salgado, Carolina Mendes and Francisca Veselko being eliminated in the 'quarters', by the Frenchwoman Pauline Ado, the Spanish Annette Etxabarri and Teresa Bonvalot, respectively.
Yolanda Hopkins, on the other hand, prevailed against the French Heimiti Fierro, and then, in the 'semi', reigned again against the Spanish Annette Etxabarri, who obtained 10,84 points, compared to the Portuguese's 13,10, while Bonvalot added 12,40 against Frenchwoman Pauline Ado (12,36).
In the men's category, the Portuguese Francisco Ordonhas and Guilherme Ribeiro were the only Portuguese to enter the water today, but they ended up having different outcomes.
If in the 'quarters' Francisco Ordonhas, with 10,80 points, surpassed the British Arran Strong (9,97) towards the semi-finals, in which he scored 10,03 against the 17,87 of the Frenchman Maxime Huscenot, Guilherme Ribeiro, who managed a place in the Challenger Series, he did not keep up with his compatriot, as he scored 8,83, compared to the 11,77 of Spaniard Adur Amatriain.
In the 100% Gallic and very balanced final, Tiago Carrique, who became European champion with the promotion to the 'semi', collected 13,53 points to triumph against compatriot Maxime Huscenot (12,74).
“I feel very happy, I can’t believe it. I think hard work pays off. As I already had the European title, I surfed this final calmly. I can’t even speak, there have been so many emotions in the last few days and I worked hard for this”, said the new European champion.
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