Photography: Jorge Matreno/ANSurfistas
The MEO Surf League, the premier division of Portuguese surfing, will kick off in Figueira da Foz between March 22 and 24.
The second stage, from April 12 to 14, will be the Porto Pro, followed by the Allianz Ericeira Pro scheduled for May 24 to 26. The MEO League will then head to Ribeira Grande, Azores, between June 21 and 23, concluding in Peniche, with the respective stage set for October 25, 26, and 27.
in 2023 the younger athletes took the lead in the competitions
In 2023, the younger generation took the lead in the MEO Surf League competitions. National titles were awarded to Joaquim Chaves and Francisca Veselko, both surfers in their 20s. In the upcoming season, the new generation will continue to compete, contributing to the renewal of the face of Portuguese surfing.
Francisco Rodrigues, President of the National Surfing Association (ANS), is excited about the championship’s return: “We are back with the main surfing competition in Portugal and with a special flavor. Throughout these years, we have lived under the victories of surfers like Frederico Morais, Vasco Ribeiro, and Teresa Bonvalot, among others.
However, in 2023, the younger ones took the lead in the MEO Surf League competitions, which is an excellent indicator of who will carry the Portuguese flag in the future. Personally, I would like to see talents like Matias Canhoto, Teresa Pereira, or Jaime Veselko challenging Joaquim Chaves and Francisca Veselko in the defense of their titles. This is what the MEO Surf League is all about: a clash of experiences between generations so that Portuguese surfers surpass themselves year after year!”
Joaquim Chaves and Francisca Veselko (Jorge Matreno/ANSurfistas)
The current national surfing champion shared his plans for this competitive season: “My preparation for this year is a bit different. I am in Hawaii, and I will stay here until February 23. I am trying to focus on improving my surfing with larger boards. I am following Frederico Morais and other athletes who also compete in the CT, training with our coach, Richard Marsh. Then I will return to Portugal and have about a month before the first competition of the year, which is the last regional European QS. That will be my main goal to try to qualify for the Challenger Series. If that doesn’t happen, I will dedicate myself to traveling with this team and evolving my surfing as much as possible. The MEO League will be a bit in the background this year, but I will try to participate in all stages and do my best to conquer my second national title.”
Also, Francisca Veselko, the current national champion with a title also won in 2021, mentions that her preparation will be somewhat different from previous years: “This year, I am more focused on improving my tube technique and perfecting the lip maneuver technique. This way, I hope to meet my goals for this year, which are qualifying for the Olympic Games, qualifying for the Championship Tour, and defending the national champion title.”
Francisca Veselko (Jorge Matreno/ANSurfistas)
Guilherme Ribeiro, the 2022 national surfing champion, is excited because the “MEO Surf League is a training ground for all the short, medium, and long-term goals I have. It’s where the best Portuguese surfers, who are also some of the best in Europe, come together. In terms of the quality of surfing and the type of waves that the MEO Surf League provides, it is very advantageous for us, the Portuguese. I will enjoy all the stages, but I am going to win, and in the end, we’ll do the math.”
Afonso Antunes, the 2021 national surfing vice champion, seems to have the whole plan outlined: his goals this year in the MEO Surf League are to “win the national title and win at least two stages. The goals for the competitive year, in general, are to be consistent throughout the year, win a QS stage, and enter the top 10 of the European QS.”
Teresa Bonvalot, the national surfing champion in 2014, 2015, 2020, and 2022, does not fall short and comments that “the main goal is to qualify for the Championship Tour to stay there full time. Everything I do in the QS stages, Challenger Series, and MEO League will be a form of training to be able to put into the water what I have been working on lately, which is great to be able to wear the jersey.”
Allianz Triple Crown will crown the best surfers throughout the stages in Figueira da Foz, Ericeira and Ribeira Grande
This year, the MEO Surf League will also feature the full-time participation of some emerging talents from junior competitions, such as Diogo Bravo, Manuel Pirujinho, Kekoa Hummel, Joaquim Trindade, and Simão Prazeres.
The Allianz Triple Crown will recognize the best surfers throughout the stages in Figueira da Foz, Ericeira, and Ribeira Grande. This year, the MEO Surf League will also feature awards for the best wave of each stage, the highest exclusive score for women in the Bom Petisco Girls Score, as well as the battle for the best maneuvers, both in male and female divisions, in the Go Chill Expression Sessions, Waversby Round, and Waikiki Junior Award. Additionally, special awards will be given to the best local surfers at the stages in Figueira da Foz, Ericeira, Ribeira Grande, and Peniche.
ph. Ricardo Bravo
It is also important to mention the Junior Tour, a competitive platform dedicated to national surfing talents up to 20 years old. During this 2024 year, the Junior Tour will have four stages, during which the holders of the national titles in 2023, Martim Nunes and Gabriela Dinis, will try to defend their titles this season.
For the sixth consecutive year, the MEO Surf League maintains a sustainable partnership with the Jerónimo Martins Group, focusing on preserving ocean biodiversity. Awareness and education actions, integrated into the “Amar o Mar” (Love the Sea) program, are carried out in collaboration with Pingo Doce. In 2023, approximately 600 children from schools in each stage’s municipalities participated in these initiatives.
All stages can be followed live on Sport TV, as well as on other official channels: MEO’s Facebook, MEO app – available on channel 810 on the MEO channel grid, and at www.ansurfistas.com and social media at @ansurfistas.
The MEO Surf League 2024 is organized by the National Surfing Association and Fire!, with sponsorship from MEO, Allianz Seguros, Bom Petisco, Go Chill, Corona, Somersby, sustainability partner Jerónimo Martins, local support from the Municipalities of Figueira da Foz, Porto, Matosinhos, Mafra, Ribeira Grande, and Peniche, technical support from the Figueira da Foz Surf Association, Onda Pura, Ericeira Surf Club, Azores Surf and Bodyboard Association, Peniche Surfing Club, and the Portuguese Surf Federation.
Here is the complete schedule:
MEO Surf League 2024:
League #1 – March 22 to 24 – Allianz Figueira Pro
League #2 – April 12 to 14 – Porto Pro
League #3 – May 24 to 26 – Allianz Ericeira Pro
League #4 – June 21 to 23 – Allianz Ribeira Grande Pro
League #5 – October 25 to 27 – Bom Petisco Peniche Pro
Junior Tour 2024:
Projunior #1 – April 6 to 7 – Porto and Matosinhos
Projunior #2 – May 18 to 19 – Viana do Castelo
Projunior #3 – July 13 to 14 – Aveiro
Projunior #4 – July 27 to 28 – Santa Cruz
Esta publicação também está disponível em | This article is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
