Yago Dora and Leandro Dora had a hard conversation last year. The son communicated to his father that he would no longer be trained by him, as he had always happened, and caused a shock.
“It was a difficult process for both,” said the young man, now 29. “For me, it was hard to make the decision. For him, it was hard to see that it could be positive in my career.”
He was.
Yago is now a world surf champion, a title obtained on Monday (1st), in Fiji. Paraná, who reached the final stage of the circuit in advantage, had to win only one battery against the American Griffin Colapinto, to confirm the title.
As soon as he left the water, he won his father’s hug.
“My father was my surfing mentor from the beginning. So I dedicate this to him either. We didn’t work together this year, but he has always been with me, cheering and supporting,” said the winner.
“We know the dedication of Yago,” answered Grilo, as he is known Leandro Dora, former professional surfer. “He has always surrendered with all the claw. Today, we are reaping this wonderful result.”
When he made the decision to dismiss his father, Yago was trained by Leandro da Silva. Silva, 39, is an old acquaintance of the family. He even competed with a Yago teenager and became part, as a coach of the surfing project led by Cricket.
Therefore, family tension aside, the sports transition was relatively quiet. It helped donate the daily practice of meditation, which seems to have influenced its reaction at the time of the realization of the big dream, the world title.
The curitibano based in Florianópolis had no breaks, screams, squirt tears, so common in such situations. He even put his hand in his eyes, as if to mentally register the unforgettable moment, but soon he raised his head again and smiled serenely.
The final was played in the surroundings of Tavarua Island. The mythical wave of cloudbreak breaks away from the beach. Thus, the decision was not accompanied by a crowd in the sand. They only saw the dispute over the athletes’ teams, close people and a handful of journalists, concentrated in boats in the organization of the championship.
As he left the sea, Yago calmly hugged his father, mother, sister and girlfriend. Without the stands seen in the achievements of the other Brazilians of the Circuit – Gabriel Medina, Adriano de Souza, Italo Ferreira and Filipe Toledo – gained the affection of his.
He also embraced the American Kelly Slater, 53, the largest name in the history of surfing. And also celebrated with Leandro da Silva, the coach who replaced his father.
There was no doubt about the difficult choice made in 2024.
“I have always been very under the tutelage of my father, and we have won a lot. But now, with 29, already an adult, in adulthood, I felt the need to take the reins,” said Yago, which did not prevent him from running into the arms of Grilo when everything went well.
“Everything went well!” Shouted the father. “Yago Champion!”
