The limelight is a fickle mistress. It shines when it shines and shuns when it doesn't.
In the surfing world, with myriad elements (at times uncontrollable) involved in one's success, the swings between the winner's dais and the qualification bubble are particularly violent.
Jadson Andre was one Brazilian who launched through the international door that predecessor Adriano de Souza had already knocked off its hinges, blitzing the World Junior and Qualification Series (QS) and landing himself amongst the world's elite in 2010 at the tender age of 19.
...at the vanguard of a crop of professional surfers who interacted with the fans directly through the Internet...
Hailing from a less than prosperous background, the hungry, young goofy-footer not only possessed preternatural ability in the water, but an unshakable tenacity in competition, one that would elevate him to the highest levels of the sport.
A rookie season win on home soil against the most celebrated surfer of all time in Kelly Slater vaulted Andre into the international spotlight and all the attention, both positive and negative, confronted the young man from all sides. At a time when the Information Age was catching up to professional surfing and the social media floodgates were opened, Andre was at the vanguard of a crop of professional surfers who interacted with the fans directly through the Internet for the first time in the sport's history.
An impressive 13th finish on the 2010 ASP WCT rankings would prove the current high point of Andre's elite tour success, however, as mounting pressure from the media and fans as well as injuries saw the high-flying Brazilian drop to 22nd in 2011 and 32nd in 2012, effectively falling off the ASP WCT.
Seemingly replaced by a fresh squadron of motivated, young South American rippers in Miguel Pupo, Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo moving up through the ranks, Andre was relegated back to the Qualification Series (QS).
While such a fall from grace would have broken most young men, Andre turned his missteps into lessons, his haters into fuel and firmly fixed his focus on returning to the world's elite.
An inspired QS campaign in 2013 sees the former world-beater back amongst the world elite this season and he'll make his return to WCT competition on March 1 at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
Today the ASP releases Part II of II of "Jadson Andre's Second Chance".
Part I can be viewed below:
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Jadson Andre with reigning three-time ASP World Champion Mick Fanning at the ASP World Surfing Awards.
- Instagram / Jadson Andre
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Jadson Andre contemplating his return to professional surfing's elite ranks.
- Instagram / Jadson Andre
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Cleared for takeoff, Andre flies with the best of them.
- WSL / Rowland/ ASP Handout
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Splitting a Pipeline/Backdoor peak with Shane Dorian, Andre possesses the complete package.
- WSL / Kelly Cestari
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Tucking under in Tahiti.
- WSL
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Slashing at Steamer Lane.
- WSL / Rowland/ ASP Handout
Jadson Andre's Comeback Series
WSL
The limelight is a fickle mistress. It shines when it shines and shuns when it doesn't.
In the surfing world, with myriad elements (at times uncontrollable) involved in one's success, the swings between the winner's dais and the qualification bubble are particularly violent.
Jadson Andre was one Brazilian who launched through the international door that predecessor Adriano de Souza had already knocked off its hinges, blitzing the World Junior and Qualification Series (QS) and landing himself amongst the world's elite in 2010 at the tender age of 19.
Hailing from a less than prosperous background, the hungry, young goofy-footer not only possessed preternatural ability in the water, but an unshakable tenacity in competition, one that would elevate him to the highest levels of the sport.
A rookie season win on home soil against the most celebrated surfer of all time in Kelly Slater vaulted Andre into the international spotlight and all the attention, both positive and negative, confronted the young man from all sides. At a time when the Information Age was catching up to professional surfing and the social media floodgates were opened, Andre was at the vanguard of a crop of professional surfers who interacted with the fans directly through the Internet for the first time in the sport's history.
An impressive 13th finish on the 2010 ASP WCT rankings would prove the current high point of Andre's elite tour success, however, as mounting pressure from the media and fans as well as injuries saw the high-flying Brazilian drop to 22nd in 2011 and 32nd in 2012, effectively falling off the ASP WCT.
Seemingly replaced by a fresh squadron of motivated, young South American rippers in Miguel Pupo, Gabriel Medina and Filipe Toledo moving up through the ranks, Andre was relegated back to the Qualification Series (QS).
While such a fall from grace would have broken most young men, Andre turned his missteps into lessons, his haters into fuel and firmly fixed his focus on returning to the world's elite.
An inspired QS campaign in 2013 sees the former world-beater back amongst the world elite this season and he'll make his return to WCT competition on March 1 at the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast
Today the ASP releases Part II of II of "Jadson Andre's Second Chance".
Part I can be viewed below:
Jadson Andre
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