San Clemente surfer Sawyer Lindblad took home her first big World Tour win at the VIVA Rio Pro.
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On the men’s side, current world champion and Brazilian Yago Dora won in front of his home crowd in a victory that overtook current points leader Leonardo Fioravanti.
At the World Surf League event that wrapped up June 26, Lindblad overtook 15-year-old phenom Tya Zebrowski, a win that bettered her runner-up finish in 2024.
Lindblad made her way through the rounds, going up against surfing heavyweights, including 2023 world champion and gold medalist Caroline Marks, who also calls San Clemente home, in the semifinals.
The event was the sixth stop of the World Surf League Championship Tour.
“It’s amazing here. It’s no secret that I love this place. It’s unbelievable how many people are here with the rain and the storm, and I’m so thankful for the energy,” said Dora in an event recap. “That fueled me up after thinking it was going to be an empty beach today. I was hoping for a big crowd, and they really showed up. It’s really special here, and I love surfing in front of this crowd. It fuels the fire for me, and as soon as I walked down the beach and saw them, I knew I had to bring this win to them. They deserve this.”
The contest marks a fourth finals appearance for Lindblad, 20, a result that strengthens her ranking coming off of a second-place finish in New Zealand. She’s now ranked 4th.
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“I feel amazing. I’m really emotional right now after I’ve worked so hard for this, and I feel like I’ve gotten so many seconds. I’m just really happy it was my day,” said Lindblad in a WSL event recap.
She thanked her sponsors, who she said believed in her at a young age, and her parents, who she called her biggest supporters. She also thanked the crowd that braved the rain.
“I’ve had some really special moments here in Brazil. I qualified for the tour here, made my first final here, and now won my first CT here, so it’ll always hold a special place for me,” she said. “There are some really exciting stops coming up so I’m just really excited now.”
The world’s best now head to the heavy, barreling Teahupo’o for the Outerknown Tahiti Pro that kicks off Aug. 8 – 18.
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