Deivid Silva and Alyssa Spencer Win in Ericeira
Qualification Scenarios Tighten with One Challenger Event Left
The EDP Vissla Ericeira Pro finished today, marking the penultimate event on the WSL Challenger series. After a hard-found event in Portugal, Brazilian Deivid Silva and American Alyssa Spencer came out on top, earning much-needed points for their qualification campaigns. Silva beat Jake Marshall in the final, while Spencer beat out Luana Silva.
With one Challenger event left at the Corona Saquarema Pro in Brazil, the qualification picture has now come into focus. The top 10 men and top 5 women will qualify for the 2024 CT, and thus far three athletes have already qualified. On the women’s side, Sally Fitzgibbons clinched her spot on tour this week after making the final series for the fifth time in five events this year. Her quarterfinal finish gave her a total of 26,430 points, and with one event left she is guaranteed a spot on tour next year.
Close behind her is Australian India Robinson, followed by American Sawyer Lindblad, Ericeira winner Alyssa Spencer, and Australian Isabella Nichols. Just below the qualification line are Luana Silva (whose second place finish in Portugal greatly helped her campaign), Australians Bronte Macaulay and Ellie Harrison, and Teahupoo local Vahine Fierro. Any of these women could move into qualification range with a strong result in Brazil.
On the men’s side, American Cole Houshmand and Australian Jacob Willcox have both qualified, with Houshmand way out in front after winning two Challenger events this year. There’s a big gap after the two guaranteed qualifiers, with Portuguese former CT surfer Frederico Morais, Jake Marshall, and Deivid Silva all sitting at around 17,000 points.
Crosby Colapinto (brother of Griffin), Hawaiians Imaikalani deVault and Eli Hanneman, American Kade Matson, and Brazilian Mateus Herdy currently round out the top 10, but they are being threatened by former CT surfers Jackson Baker, Samuel Pupo, Michael Rodrigues, Morgan Cibilic, and Joan Duru, who are all well within striking distance.
The waiting period for the final Challenger event of the year kicks off on October 14 in Saquarema, Brazil. Who will end up qualifying for the big show next year? We will find out soon!