- WSL

Some of Brazil's CT stars have spent the last few days warming up for the Jeep Surf Ranch Pro presented by Adobe in Brazil's first wave pool at Praia da Grama. Caio Ibelli, Deivid Silva, Miguel Pupo, and Alex Ribeiro hit the new Wavegarden facility located in a private residential complex, located about an hour's drive inland from the capital Sao Paulo.

"Who's ever dreamed of that perfect training track?" said World No. 14 Ibelli. "Well, the dream came true. I'm ready for Kelly's pool."

Ibelli has been super consistent in 2021, logging three 9th places, but has failed to make it to the Quarterfinals in any of the five events. With a week in the Brazilian tropics, complete with palm trees and white sandy beaches, the former World Junior Champion and CT Rookie of the Year, tested the air, barrel, and turn sections and is now primed to make his Finals push at Lemoore when the event starts on June 18.

Pupo, himself coming off a Quarterfinal finish at Rottnest that saw him jump ten ranking places to World No. 15, also put in a few days in Brazil's box-fresh basin. Now the transition from the raw power and natural environment of Rottnest to Lemoore's man-made perfection could be a tricky proposition for some of the CT stars.

So any time practicing reps is important for Pupo as he seeks to consolidate his CT status after a few years away from surfing's top table. The veteran mixed his usual free-flowing turns, barrels, and big airs, and still had time to push his young groms into the small whitewater waves in the Bay area.

Ian Gouveia in Brazil's new wave pool Ian Gouveia slotted. - WSL / Praia da Grama Wavegarden

The CT stars were also challenged by a number of the country's brightest prospects. Former CT surfer Ian Gouveia said he performed 400 turns and 150 airs in a single day, and still had time to get tubed and push his pregnant wife into a few waves on the inside. QS surfers Samuel Pupo, Mateus Herdy, Victor Bernardo, Krystian Kymerson and Joao Chumbinho, the next batch of world-class talent coming off the Brazilian conveyor belt, were also on hand to keep the big guns on their toes.

With Brazilians already occupying eight of the top 20 spots on the WSL Leaderboard it's a scary proposition to think many are now heading into Jeep Surf Ranch Pro presented by Adobe with an intense week of freshwater training under their boardshorts.

Medina, Ferreira, and Toledo will be favorites, but keep an eye on the the trio's compatriots. Their form looks red hot.

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