CLOUDBREAK, Fiji (Saturday, August 24, 2024) - Today, Erin Brooks (CAN) and Griffin Colapinto (USA) won the Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy, Stop No. 9 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2024 Championship Tour (CT). It was the first time the CT held an event in Fiji since 2017, and it didn't disappoint, with Cloubreak reminding the world why it belongs on the elite stage. Although the swell dropped for Finals Day, competitors put on incredible performances in perfect, clean, three-to-four-foot surf. After an epic three days in Fiji, the men's and women's WSL Final 5s have been decided, and the focus will now shift to Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California, for the Lexus WSL Finals, where the 2024 World Champions will be crowned.
17-Year-Old Erin Brooks Makes History as First Canadian to Win a Championship Tour Event
17-year-old phenom Erin Brooks (CAN) has claimed a historical win today in Fiji as the event Wildcard. In the first CT appearance of her career, Brooks stood out from the start, posting the highest competition scores using her incredible frontside technique and tube riding.
Currently sitting at No. 4 on the Challenger Series rankings, Brooks is poised for CT qualification in 2025. By winning as a Wildcard today at one of the world's most perfect yet challenging waves, she has shown she is more than ready to take on the world's best. The teenager could be contending for the World Title next season when the CT returns to Fiji as the 2025 Finals location.
"I just feel so good, and I am so thankful for this win," Brooks said. "I feel so thankful for the opportunity to even come to this contest and compete at a Wildcard. I was putting pressure on myself at the start, and I just needed to relax and have fun surfing with all my heroes. Everyone here was focusing on their Final 5 spots, and I just needed to focus on having fun and getting good waves."
In the Final, Brooks came up against Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), with the two goofy footers destined to meet in the last heat of the event. Now a veteran on Tour, Weston-Webb made her second-ever appearance at the elite level at this exact event 10 years ago in 2014, also as an event Wildcard, and is seen as one of the best in the world in lefthand reef breaks.
Weston-Webb took charge early in the Final, holding a slim lead for most of the heat, with both surfers banking mid-range scores with a series of fast snaps and carves. Then, with less than 10 minutes left, Brooks found a decent-sized set and took off, getting to work laying down a series of super-fast turns down the reef to earn a 7.34 (out of a possible 10), which gave her the lead and the first-ever WSL CT win for Canada.
"It was so cool to come up against Tati [Weston-Webb] in the Final," Brooks continued. "As one of the only goofy footer girls on Tour, I've always looked up to her and to share a Final with her was so special. I'll remember this day forever, and I can't wait to make it on to the CT because this is just so much fun."
Tatiana Weston-Webb Secures Final 5 Spot with Clutch Performance at Coudbreak
Fresh off her Olympic Silver Medal win, Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) delivered a clutch performance at Cloudbreak, advancing to the Final and clinching a spot in the WSL Final 5. Her impressive run through the draw propelled her from 7th to 5th on the rankings, earning her first Finals appearance of the season. Weston-Webb will now head to Lower Trestles to fight for the World Title for the third time in her career and the first time since 2022.
"I am grateful to make it," said Weston-Webb after the Semifinals. "I feel just so happy, like I'm loving this whole experience. You know, I spoke to Jesse [Mendes] before my heat, and I was like, ‘You know what, I'm nervous.' I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't sleep. But I know that I can do it. So I just kept that confidence with me and, you know, trust in God's plan for me and his will. What an honor to be a part of such a tenacious group of women. I think that this year has been so fun for women's surfing, and obviously a special year for me getting a Silver Medal and now being in the Final 5. I just want to be able to keep surfing, have fun, and do my thing and I just wanna give God the glory."
San Clemente's Griffin Colaptino Wins Big Ahead of Lexus WSL Finals
Griffin Colapinto (USA) will complete in the Lexus WSL Finals at his home break of Lower Trestles in two weeks as the No. 2 seed, thanks to his win today at the Corona Fiji Pro. The San Clemente local secured his fifth CT event victory today, defeating Rio Waida (INA) in both surfers' first CT event in Fiji. For Colapinto, it was his second win of the season from three Finals appearances, capping off a stellar 2024 campaign.
"This means a lot to me," Colapinto said. "With this being such a world-class wave and a lefthander, it gives me a lot of gratitude for all the training I've done in my life and all of the time I've put into my backside surfing. I wasn't that confident about my backside, and I've worked on it a lot, so to win here surfing like this feels amazing. I'm feeling like I'm building now, and my surfing is in a good place, so I'm excited to head home and start planning for the Finals."
The Final was a back-and-forth battle between two event standouts, both putting on solid performances with their impressive backside surfing. The lead changed several times over the entirety of the heat until Colapinto found one of the bigger, longer walls of the Final and got to work, belting a series of powerful backside snaps and going vertical to finish, earning a 6.13 for a two-wave total of 12.80 (out of a possible 20). Waida had one more opportunity to turn the heat, but the wave didn't offer him enough, leaving Colapinto to claim the win.
"I was super psyched to share a Final with Rio [Waida]," Colapinto continued. "It's his first CT Final, and he's amazing. An amazing surfer and an amazing person, and I'm super excited to see what he does in the future. I want to thank all the fans who tuned in and cheered us on. The energy you send is why we do what we do, so please know that the love and energy come back to you. It's a two-way street."
Rio Waida Becomes First Indonesian Surfer to Reach a CT Final
A standout all-event, Rio Waida (INA) made history today, becoming the first Indonesian surfer to compete in a WSL CT Final. The 24-year-old has been on Tour for two years now, but 2024 has been a breakthrough season, with Waida ending the year sitting at 9th in the world. Hailing from the Island of Bali, known for its long perfect left-hand reef breaks, Waida looked right at home at Cloudbreak and aims to be back here next year in the Final 5, competing for Indonesia's first surfing World Title.
"This is my first time here in Fiji, and I feel so at home," Waida said. "The waves are so similar, and it really suits my surfing, so I've had so much fun. I'm so proud to make the Final, and of course, I want to win, but I'm so happy to finish second and do it for Indonesia. I'm so stoked to know I can compete at this level and finish in the Top 10. Now I know this, I want to aim to make the Final 5 and compete for a World Title next year."
Italo Ferreira and Ethan Ewing Clinch Final 5 Spots Once Again
On his way to the Final, Rio Waida (INA) took down Australian Ethan Ewing (AUS) in the Semifinals in one of the most exciting heats of the event. Both surfers went back and forth, each earning excellent scores for their critical backside surfing, Ewing a 9.00 and Waida an 8.93. Eventually, Waida took the win, but the equal third-place finish was enough to lock Ewing into No. 4 on the rankings, giving him a spot in the Lexus WSL Finals.
"It feels amazing [to make the Final 5]," said Ewing. "This year's just been, I don't know, a lot of ups and downs. I felt like towards the end of this year, I was just holding on, and yeah, I've made a lot of mistakes in a few of the comps, but it feels good to secure that spot and just get another opportunity at a World Title."
With Jack Robinson's (AUS) win over Yago Dora (BRA) in the Quarterfinals, 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira's (BRA) spot in the Final 5 was locked in. The exciting goofy foot just managed to scrape through in fifth place, meaning he will compete again for the World Title at Lower Trestles in early September.
2024 World Champions To Be Decided at Lexus WSL Finals
With the Corona Fiji Pro being the last event before the Lexus WSL Finals, the competitors and seed lists are locked for this World Title showdown. The top-ranked five men and five women on the CT rankings will battle in the one-day, winner-take-all competition at Lowers in San Clemente, California. The competition will run on the best day of waves between Friday, September 6, through Saturday, September 14, 2024.
WSL Final 5 Women
1 - Caity Simmers (USA)
2 - Caroline Marks (USA)
3 - Brisa Hennessy (CRC)
4 - Molly Picklum (AUS)
5 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA)
WSL Final 5 Men
1 - John John Florence (HAW)
2 - Griffin Colapinto (USA)
3 - Jack Robinson (AUS)
4 - Ethan Ewing (AUS)
5 - Italo Ferreira (BRA)
Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy Women's Final Results:
1 - Erin Brooks (CAN) 15.10
2 - Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 12.33
Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy Men's Final Results:
1 - Griffin Colapinto (USA) 12.80
2 - Rio Waida (INA) 10.17
Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy Women's Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) 14.83 DEF. Tyler Wright (AUS) 6.67
HEAT 2: Erin Brooks (CAN) 15.26 DEF. Molly Picklum (AUS) 11.80
Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy Men's Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 11.90 DEF. Jack Robinson (AUS) 9.10
HEAT 2: Rio Waida (INA) 16.26 DEF. Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.17
Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy Men's Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Griffin Colapinto (USA) 13.83 DEF. Gabriel Medina (BRA) 10.16
HEAT 2: Jack Robinson (AUS) 12.33 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 11.60
HEAT 3: Rio Waida (INA) 12.83 DEF. Imaikalani deVault (HAW) 11.27
HEAT 4: Ethan Ewing (AUS) 15.50 DEF. Barron Mamiya (HAW) 9.97
Last Stop on 2024 CT: Lexus WSL Finals
The last stop on the 2024 Championship Tour will be the Lexus WSL Finals, the one-day, winner-take-all competition for the 2024 World Titles. The Lexus WSL Finals will hold a competition window from Friday, September 6, through Saturday, September 14, 2024. The competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL's broadcast partners.
The 2024 Corona Fiji Pro Presented by Bonsoy is proudly supported by Corona, Bonsoy, Tourism Fiji, Red Bull, SHISEIDO, YETI, Surfline, True Surf, Eventbrite, Apple Watch, Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay, Tavarua Island Resort, Fiji Airways, Jack's of Fiji, Oakberry, and mophie.