| Carissa Moore followed up her comeback victory last time out in New Zealand with another 2026 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) win at the Surf City El Salvador Pro event on Saturday as Italian Leonardo Fioravanti earned his first ever men’s CT win. Here is all you need to know: – Hawaiian Moore has made her return to the circuit this year after becoming a mother and the five-time world champion showed she could still ride the waves with the best in the business in the previous stop where she took the win alongside fellow 2020 Olympic champion Ítalo Ferreira. – This time around, the 33-year-old Moore needed an incredible Hail Mary aerial in the Round of 16 to snatch a 11.97 to 11.50 win against Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica to make the last eight. – On the other side of the draw, reigning world champion Molly Picklum from Australian, 2024 champion Caitlin Simmers and 2023 champion Caroline Marks all eased into the quarter-finals as well. – With Moore upping her game again to easily see off Brazil’s Luana Silva, Picklum got the better of Marks 14.33 to 11.50 to make the semi-finals as Simmers lost out to Australian Tyler Wright. – Moore scored an 8.17 on the fourth wave of her semi-final against fellow Hawaiian Gabriela Bryan to edge into the final where she met Wright, who held on to win despite a late comeback from Picklum. – The final saw Moore open with a 5.50 and 4.83 before she put on a masterclass of power and variety to bank an excellent 8.33 score as Wright responded with a 7.67 and 6.17 to give herself a chance. – Moore, though, thrives under pressure and her patience was rewarded when she racked up a 6.67 in the closing minutes to win 15.10 to 13.85 for her 30th CT victory and first in Central America. – After moving up to second in the rankings, she said: “When I saw Tyler in the locker room, I just said, ‘This is like the old days, this is awesome.’ It’s really cool to see the veterans make a push this year, make some Finals, and take some wins.” – In the men’s event, Fioravanti was made to work hard on his side of the draw with a 15.04 to 14.70 win over Brazilian Mateus Herdy in the Round of 32 followed by a 15.50 to 14.27 one over Samuel Pupo. – Elsewhere Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi also dug deep to make it into the last eight as American Griffin Colapinto failed to make it past the Round of 32 on the other side of the draw – Australian Jack Robinson and Brazilian João Chianca also falling at the Round of 16 stage. – Both Fioravanti and Igarashi held their nerve in the last eight to set up a thrilling semi-final clash, while Ferreira edged out Frenchman Kauli Vaast in the quarter-finals despite surfing with eight stitches in his knee, after a learner surfer took him out in the warmups a few days before. – With Fioravanti’s opening 8.50 score giving him the momentum to defeat Igarashi in light wind conditions, Ferreira used all his experience to bank scores of 7.17 and 7.53 to beat compatriot Gabriel Medina and make another final. – In the final, Fioravanti capitalised on the first wave and unleashed more of his signature forehand power from start to finish to post an 8.33 and followed up with a 6.17 to put Ferreira in trouble. – The Brazilian posted a 7.50 to earn his way back into the heat, however Fioravanti extended his lead with a 7.00 and held on to bank his maiden CT win in the third final he has ever contested. – After moving up to third in the rankings behind number one Ferreira following Italy’s first ever CT win, popular winner Fioravanti, 28, said: “It doesn’t feel real. This sport is so hard, and I’ve dedicated the last 10 years of my life to getting this win. That Final at Pipe last year really broke my heart, but I never gave up. I tried to just keep going ahead, and keep thinking positive.” – Ferreira, 32, added: “The last few days have been really hard, because when I had the injury, I thought I was out of the event. I couldn’t even walk. God gave me a lot of energy to keep going and stay on top. I can’t wait to tell this story to my kid and hope that he is proud of me.” – There is not much rest time as the VIVO Rio Pro competition window begins from June 19-27 in Brazil. |
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