Poenaiki Raioha clinches the 2019 APP World Surfing Title in a spectacular finish to the Gran Canaria Pro-Am
(Press Release) All Photos: Gran Canaria Pro-Am / APP World Tour
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 16th December 2019: The morning dawned with offshore winds and solid surf, ideal for a FInals Day, as the Men’s World Title for 2019 was to be decided in epic conditions along with both Women’s and Men’s Event Titles.
With the scenarios laid out, the young Tahitian talent, Poenaiki Raioha put his head down with his sights set on the Final, an achievement that would secure him the 2019 World Title. However, it was never going to be an easy task with the level of talent these days on the APP World Tour.
It all started with a quarter final heat against the impressive new talent on Tour from the Basque Country,Clement Roseyro. Poenaiki’s devastating assault on the line up secured his place in the semi finals, one step closer to the Title.
In the next quarter final heat, 2018 World Champion and 2019 Title Contender went down against the on form Wellington Reis setting up the most anticipated semi final match up of the event, but eliminating one of the two remaining Contenders that could stand in Poenaiki’s way.
Also advancing to the Semis was the other Title Contender, the Brazilian high flyer, Luiz Diniz and the 2012 World Champion Leco Salazar: out of 4 athletes in the semis, 3 were Brazilian! This also meant that the Title Race was not over yet, although Luiz Diniz would have to win the event in order to secure the World Title and Poenaiki would have to get knocked out in the semis.
In one of the most competitive heats ever witnessed on the APP World Tour that saw Poenaiki and Wellington Reis go blow for blow on the epic right hand point break that is El Lloret, Poenaiki was unable to get past the on form Brazilian, despite having a 9.4 in his score line: the performance was that mindblowing, and the result meant that the Title Race would go on, leaving Poenaiki in the unenviable position of waiting to see what happened!
Fortunately for the young Tahitian, he wasn’t going to have to wait long, as a late surge from the impressively composed 2012 World Champion Leco Salazar was enough to secure his berth in the Final, knocking out fellow patriot, the final Contender in Poenaiki’s way, Luiz Diniz.
And with that, Poenaiki Raioha was able to clinch the well deserved APP World Title in 2019, something that he has been so close to achieving for several years now, but in 2019, the stars have aligned and Poenaiki is sitting on top of the World.
Poenaiki’s first showing on the World Tour was 9 years ago, at just 13 years old at the legendary Sapinus Pro. At 14, he reached the semi finals, capturing the World’s attention and putting the World’s best on notice that something big was about to happen in the World of Stand Up Paddlesurfing.
Fast forward to 2019, and Poenaiki has realized his dream of overcoming the best of the best to become World Champion: an incredible achievement and a testament of what is to come here on the APP World Tour, as the performance level continues to sky rocket year over year.
Here are the Top 5 Overall on the APP World Tour at the end of thew 2019 season:
- Poenaiki Raioha (Tahiti)
- Wellington Reis (Brazil)
- Leco Salazar (Brazil)
- Luiz Diniz (Brazil)
- Sean Poynter (USA)
Check out the highlights from Finals Day, watch the broadcast replays and check out the full results from the Gran Canaria Pro-Am by going to www.appworldtour.com and @appworldtour.
Wellington Reis takes victory in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with a perfect ride and a near perfect heat score total of 19.4 out of 20
Finals Day at the Gran Canaria Pro delivered fireworks, as SUP’s Brazilian storm was in full effect at the beautiful and groomed righthand point break of El Lloret.
From Day one, despite still recovering from being very sick this past week, Wellington Reis has been the top performer during each and every day of competition, and Finals Day was no different: in quarterfinal #1, he had to overcome the 2018 World Champion Sean Poynter, before taking on the current World #1, the Tahitian phenom Poenaiki Raioha.
After what was a historic ‘battle of the titans’, the goofy footer managed to edge out the World #1 with a dynamic display of backhand surfing at its very best, posting a pair of excellent scores in the process and continuing to cement himself as the ‘on form’ surfer of the event.
That left just one heat to go before realizing his 2019 goal of taking victory on the APP World Tour, but coming up against the 2012 World Champion and fellow Brazilian Leco Salazar was never going to be an easy task.
Peaking at the right time, in the final heat, Wellington Reis put on a performance for the ages, posting a perfect 10 and a 9.4 to dominate the Final and secure his first APP World Tour victory with a flawless display of performance surfing.
It was an extremely well deserved victory for the talented Brazilian that sees him finish in a well deserved 2nd place overall for 2019, as Wellington will now set his sights on the 2020 World Title here on the APP World Tour.
Here is the Top 4 from the Gran Canaria Pro-Am, the final stop of the 2019 APP World Tour:
- Wellington Reis (Brazil)
- Leco Salazar (Brazil)
- Poenaiki Raioha (Tahiti)
- Luiz Diniz (Brazil)
Check out the highlights, broadcast replays, recaps and much more from what has been an incredible World Championship Tour Final here in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria by going to appworldtour.com and @appworldtour
Iballa Moreno takes victory at the final stop of the 2019 season at home in Gran Canaria
2018 World Champion Iballa Moreno had a slow start to 2019, coming off the high of winning the World Title at the end of 2018 and not able to continue the kind of form she displayed at the end of last season. However, things started to turn around in Barbados, where Iballa posted a strong 3rd place finish, comfortable in the knowledge that she would be coming home for the World Championship Tour Finals in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
True to form and strengthened by the support of her home crowd, Iballa put on stellar performances through the rounds, peaking at just the right time to secure the event win in front of friends and family against the newly crowned World Champion Izzi Gomez from Columbia.
In an extremely appropriate reversal of last year’s results where Iballa just missed out on the event win at the hands of Izzi Gomez, but managed to secure the World Title. In 2019, Izzi came into this event with the World Title already secured, but had to settle for 2nd in the event at the hands of the local favorite.
An elated Iballa Moreno returned to the beach to be greeted by friends and family, representing the host venue of Gran Canaria in incredible fashion here once again, with a victory that catapults her up into 2nd place finish Overall for 2019. What an incredible achievement for this Canarian local, and while she is no stranger to World Championship Tour victories (having won multiple Windsurfing World TItles over the years), but this victory in front of a home crowd and in such great conditions, is definitely one to savor.
It should also be noted that at now 42 years old, she is still one of the most dominant athletes on Tour, as 2018 World Champion and now finishing runner up in 2019, it is clear that Iballa still has a lot more in the tank and will continue to be a major threat on Tour, even with the amazing rise in talent across the whole women’s field that we have seen over the past 2 years.
Here at the Top 4 finishers at the 2019 Gran Canaria Pro-Am:
- Iballa Moreno (Spain)
- Izzi Gomez (Columbia)
- Vania Torres (Peru)
- Gabi Sztamfater (Brazil)
Make sure to check out the highlights, full broadcast replays, gallery’s and much more from the Gran Canaria Pro-Am by going to www.appworldtour.com and @appworldtour
Leco Salazar finishes in 2nd in the Gran Canaria Pro-Am, and 3rd overall for the 2019 season on the APP World Tour
After a couple of years of disappointing (relatively) finishes for the 2012 World Champion Leco Salazar from Santos, Brazil, it was exciting to see Leco find his form through the back end of the 2019 season to post Finals finishes in both Barbados and here in Gran Canaria to finish in 3rd overall for the year.
He demonstrated clearly that his unique brand of smooth surfing never grows old, with his timing and turn placement second to none on the APP World Tour. Like in Barbados, Leco once again took down some of the most talented athletes on Tour: from Hawaii’s Mo Freitas (reminiscent of their 2012 battle in Brazil back in Ubatuba, Brazil) and the on form Benoit Carpentier from France, to Title Contender and fellow Brazilian Luiz Diniz: Leco seemed to just flow through the rounds on his way to the Final, finding the right waves and placing his turns perfectly to secure another well deserved Finals Berth.
While he was not able to overcome Wellington Reis in the Final, a 2nd place finish keeps him on the Podium for the Overall, and the Salazar family as one of the major threats on the APP World Tour for years to come (Leco’s brother Matheus has been on incredible form in 2019, but unfortunately had to miss his Round 3 heat due to sickness – we wish him a swift recovery).
Make sure to check out highlights, watch the broadcast replays and relive all the greatest moments from what has been an incredible 2019 season by going to @appworldtour and appworldtour.com