Yago Dora is the newest member of the World Surfing Champions Club. The 29-year-old Brazilian triumphed this Monday (1st) in Fiji, and joined the compatriots Gabriel Medina, Adriano de Souza, Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo, other victorious members of the “Brazilian Storm”, the “Brazilian Storm” that took over the circuit in the last decade.
The athletes from Brazil took eight of the 11 editions of the WSL (World Surfing League) held since 2014. The only non -Brazilian to complete the season first during this period was Hawaiian John John Florence, champion in 2016, 2017 and 2024 – he was out of the circuit this year; Surfed around the world, without competing, producing profitable audiovisual material.
Without John John, no one was able to take the title of the Men’s Championship from Brazil. Who came closer was the American Griffin Colapinto, who advanced to the decision. It was eventually surpassed by the Curitibano created in Florianópolis, which proved to be the most solid surfer throughout the event.
In his most regular season, Dora completed the World Cup qualification phase with the yellow shirt, used by the championship leader. He won two stages (Portugal and the United States) and took the first position in the tenth of the 11 stops of the circuit, with second place in South Africa.
The position in the ranking gave him advantage in the decisive stage, called WSL Finals, played by the first five in the surroundings of the island of Tavarua. In this dispute, the fifth place faces the fourth for the right to face the third. Get out of this clash the opponent of the second. And only in this duel is the opponent of the owner of the yellow shirt.
One of the candidates was Italo Ferreira, world champion in 2019 and owner of the first Olympic Medal in the history of surfing in 2021. He was the only one of the five finalists with a world title in the curriculum and began the stage by overthrowing Australian Jack Robinson. Following, however, it stopped in Griffin Colapinto.
The American, who arrived in Fiji third, surpassed the second, South African Jordy Smith. And it was at the final against Yago, who had an extra advantage for the leader adopted this year. At first placed it would be enough to win the first battery of the final to lift the trophy. In case of triumph of the challenger, it would become a better dispute of three.
The Brazilian resolved the issue in the first battery. He took a 7.33 at the beginning of the dispute, taking control. Then he obtained an 8.33, totaling 15.66 in the sum of his two best waves. Griffin Colapinto did not truly threaten him, with a 6.33 and 6.00, a total of 12.33.
It was a happy outcome for Paraná after a difficult choice. At the end of the 2024 championship, he decided to change coach. This decision itself is usually not easy, but who guided the Brazilian was his father, former surfer Leandro Dora, known as Grilo, replaced by Leandro da Silva-with whom Yago competed and trained in his teens.
“It was a very difficult decision to make. It was a job with my father, it has all the affection between father and son, but I feel it has been very positive. I have known Leandro since kid, we have a very good connection. Dad and son end up mixing things a little. It was a difficult process for both,” Yago said before the WSL finals.
It worked, which generated an uncomfortable situation. Grilo began training Jack Robinson, one of the five classifieds to the last step. And he made the choice to pause the partnership, not to expose himself to the possibility of guiding an athlete in the way of his son’s big dream, the world surfing title.
Robinson lost in the first battery and followed Yago’s triumph, the newest champion in the world. “Oh, my God! It’s unbelievable! I’m very happy!” Said the champion, still at sea, in an interview with the official WSL broadcast. “This is the result of hard work, a lot of dedication. Too happy to bring this title to Brazil.”
