Ezekiel Lau won the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais at Guincho, Portugal, this morning, defeating Italo Ferreira in glassy, 3-foot surf.
With a dropping swell giving ultra-clean, if slightly underpowered, peaks under sunny skies at Guincho, Lau used a deadly combination of trademark power with progressive flair to overcome the Brazilian.
It was a big day for a handful of Championship Tour surfers who could use the Qualifying Series points.
Dropping a 6.67 just past the halfway mark for a searing layback rail-turn in the pocket, the Hawaiian Championship Tour rookie backed it up with a tail-high air-reverse in the next exchange. He scored a 6.23, taking the lead back after Ferreira had rallied following a shaky start.
While the swell's energy was on the wane for finals days, Lau more than made up for it with trademark power. - WSL / WSL/POULLENOT
"You don't even know how stoked I am right now, I'm so happy," Lau said afterward. "This is pretty much the first year I've even made a heat out here. It's been a long year of learning for me, learning about myself, learning how I like to compete. I think I just realized I'm at my best when I think, 'You know what, it's like any other day, just go out and surf.' That's what's really worked for me out here."
Italo Ferreira and Ezekiel battled to the end on a gem of a morning at the EDP Billabong Pro.
Ferreira had looked deadly throughout the event -- as he had in similar conditions in previous years -- taking on the closeout inside section. But today, with softer, tapering pocket sections on offer, he appeared slightly out of sorts, with precious few genuine oncoming sections to tee-off on. Nevertheless, 2016 Championship Tour Rookie of the Year used all his competitive ardor to get himself with 0.8 points of the Hawaiian, in what proved to be a closely fought, if nervy final.
Ferreira rallied to take back the lead briefly in the back-end of the Final, but ultimately couldn't find an opportunity to unleash above the lip. - WSL / WSL/MASUREL
"It was hard, being out for three months, injured, so of course I'm really happy to be back." said Ferreira, reflecting on an injury sustained while freesurfing on the Gold Coast in March. "This is the third time I've got second place in Portugal, so I hope to one day do one better and take out a win. Congrats to Zeke, thanks everyone for coming."
In terms of the pre-event QS ratings, the pair found themselves both way outside of qualifying contention, with Lau rated 105th and Ferreira, having only competed in one QS event this year, in 97th. The massive points dividend on offer in QS10 000s sees them both rocket up the ratings; Lau to 12th, just outside the all-important Top 10, and Ferreira into 17th. Vulnerable in his current 25th spot on the Jeep Leaderboard in his rookie season, Lau will go to France full of confidence, looking to shake up a season that, aside from an impressive Semi at Bells, hasn't seen him able to get past Round Three.
Rated 105th and 97th on the QS prior to this event, Lau and Ferreira storm up the rankings to 12th and 17th, respectively. - WSL / WSL/POULLENOT
Despite the event's largest crowd on hand --Thursday is a national holiday in Portugal -- to cheer on local hero, Frederico Morais, the 25-year-old never really got into his stride today, always struggling to find rhythm under dissipating swell conditions, during a Semifinal that Lau completely dominated. Nevertheless, the solid string of heat wins under the Cascais native's belt earned on his way to a third-place finish will only further his confidence, in what's proved an excellent rookie season so far. "It wasn't my day today," reflected Morais, "sometimes it happens that way, Zeke found himself on all the best waves and I never really got going properly. Still, it's always a pleasure competing at home and I want to thank everybody that came out to support us."
Elsewhere, another standout throughout the event, Kanoa Igarashi, found himself opportunity-starved and similarly out of rhythm as his impressive run in what's become his second home came to an end in an underwhelming first Semifinal against Ferreira.
The happy Hawaiian makes a victory speech moments after clinching his win at the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais.
In spite of that, it's been a highly fruitful week in Portugal for the Californian, who leapfrogs Yago Dora to go second in the QS ratings, a get-out-of-jail card he may well need, currently ranked 24th on the Jeep Leaderboard.
Elsewhere, Willian Cardoso and Griffin Colapinto made the biggest strides within the QS Top 10 moving up to 4th and 7th, respectively, while Michael Rodrigues and Michael February both drop four places, to 8th and 9th.
Top 10 Ranked Qualifying Series Surfers After EDP Billabong Pro Cascais
1: Jesse Mendes (BRA) 25,400
2: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 21,990
3: Yago Dora (BRA) 19,610
4: Willian Cardoso (BRA) 17,550
5: Tomas Hermes (BRA) 17,000
6: Keanu Asing (HAW) 16,950
7: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 16,930
8: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 15,090
9: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 14,750
9: Michael February (ZAF) 14,750
Full Qualifying Series rankings
EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS FINAL RESULTS:
1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.90
2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.10
EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.67 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 12.30
SF 2: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.27 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 12.13
Zeke Lau Wins EDP Billabong Pro Cascais
Paul Evans
Ezekiel Lau won the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais at Guincho, Portugal, this morning, defeating Italo Ferreira in glassy, 3-foot surf.
With a dropping swell giving ultra-clean, if slightly underpowered, peaks under sunny skies at Guincho, Lau used a deadly combination of trademark power with progressive flair to overcome the Brazilian.
Dropping a 6.67 just past the halfway mark for a searing layback rail-turn in the pocket, the Hawaiian Championship Tour rookie backed it up with a tail-high air-reverse in the next exchange. He scored a 6.23, taking the lead back after Ferreira had rallied following a shaky start.
"You don't even know how stoked I am right now, I'm so happy," Lau said afterward. "This is pretty much the first year I've even made a heat out here. It's been a long year of learning for me, learning about myself, learning how I like to compete. I think I just realized I'm at my best when I think, 'You know what, it's like any other day, just go out and surf.' That's what's really worked for me out here."
Ferreira had looked deadly throughout the event -- as he had in similar conditions in previous years -- taking on the closeout inside section. But today, with softer, tapering pocket sections on offer, he appeared slightly out of sorts, with precious few genuine oncoming sections to tee-off on. Nevertheless, 2016 Championship Tour Rookie of the Year used all his competitive ardor to get himself with 0.8 points of the Hawaiian, in what proved to be a closely fought, if nervy final.
"It was hard, being out for three months, injured, so of course I'm really happy to be back." said Ferreira, reflecting on an injury sustained while freesurfing on the Gold Coast in March. "This is the third time I've got second place in Portugal, so I hope to one day do one better and take out a win. Congrats to Zeke, thanks everyone for coming."
In terms of the pre-event QS ratings, the pair found themselves both way outside of qualifying contention, with Lau rated 105th and Ferreira, having only competed in one QS event this year, in 97th. The massive points dividend on offer in QS10 000s sees them both rocket up the ratings; Lau to 12th, just outside the all-important Top 10, and Ferreira into 17th. Vulnerable in his current 25th spot on the Jeep Leaderboard in his rookie season, Lau will go to France full of confidence, looking to shake up a season that, aside from an impressive Semi at Bells, hasn't seen him able to get past Round Three.
Despite the event's largest crowd on hand --Thursday is a national holiday in Portugal -- to cheer on local hero, Frederico Morais, the 25-year-old never really got into his stride today, always struggling to find rhythm under dissipating swell conditions, during a Semifinal that Lau completely dominated. Nevertheless, the solid string of heat wins under the Cascais native's belt earned on his way to a third-place finish will only further his confidence, in what's proved an excellent rookie season so far. "It wasn't my day today," reflected Morais, "sometimes it happens that way, Zeke found himself on all the best waves and I never really got going properly. Still, it's always a pleasure competing at home and I want to thank everybody that came out to support us."
Elsewhere, another standout throughout the event, Kanoa Igarashi, found himself opportunity-starved and similarly out of rhythm as his impressive run in what's become his second home came to an end in an underwhelming first Semifinal against Ferreira.
In spite of that, it's been a highly fruitful week in Portugal for the Californian, who leapfrogs Yago Dora to go second in the QS ratings, a get-out-of-jail card he may well need, currently ranked 24th on the Jeep Leaderboard.
Elsewhere, Willian Cardoso and Griffin Colapinto made the biggest strides within the QS Top 10 moving up to 4th and 7th, respectively, while Michael Rodrigues and Michael February both drop four places, to 8th and 9th.
Top 10 Ranked Qualifying Series Surfers After EDP Billabong Pro Cascais
1: Jesse Mendes (BRA) 25,400
2: Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 21,990
3: Yago Dora (BRA) 19,610
4: Willian Cardoso (BRA) 17,550
5: Tomas Hermes (BRA) 17,000
6: Keanu Asing (HAW) 16,950
7: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 16,930
8: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) 15,090
9: Wade Carmichael (AUS) 14,750
9: Michael February (ZAF) 14,750
Full Qualifying Series rankings
EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS FINAL RESULTS:
1: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 12.90
2: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.10
EDP BILLABONG PRO CASCAIS SEMIFINAL RESULTS:
SF 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA) 12.67 def. Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 12.30
SF 2: Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 15.27 def. Frederico Morais (PRT) 12.13
Frederico Morais
Featuring Yago Dora, Filipe Toledo, Caio Ibelli, Ian Gouveia, Kelly Slater, John John Florence, Gabriel Medina, Julian Wilson, Adriano de
That's all the 8's and up featuring Jack Robinson, Molly Picklum, Matthew McGillivray, Jordy Smith, Miguel Pupo, Griffin Colapinto, Jacob
The Portuguese CT returner Frederico Morais is looking to stay among the world's best and made his move with an excellent 8.00 to eliminate
The 2024 Championship Tour will see the return of Frederico Morais, Imaikalani deVault, Jake Marshall, Samuel Pupo, Deivid Silva, Sally
Portugal's Frederico Morais has taken back his spot on the Championship Tour. Congrats on the Dream Tour Requalification. See you at
EDP Billabong Pro Cascais
Following his second career HIC Pro victory, the Hawaiian is now well positioned to return to the Championship Tour next year.
After his recent QS 10,000 win in Cascais, the Hawaiian will try to take control of his destiny at the MEO Rip Curl Pro in Peniche.
O potiguar ficou perto da quinta vitória consecutiva do Brasil no WSL Qualifying Series perdendo o título do EDP Billabong Pro Cascais.
Fully recovered from injury, the Brazilian is back to scintillating form.
The local hero's incredible run at the EDP Billabong Pro Cascais was ended by Zeke Lau in the Semifinals.