<div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Stop No. 2 of 3 on the 2021 World Surf League (WSL) European Qualifying Series (QS), the <strong><a href="https://worldsurfleague.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9c75f4cf1e19118d57c2f963e&id=7bb6409498&e=2ee39f75b0" target="_blank">Estrella Galicia Caparica Surf Fest</a></strong>, has juggled with a very tricky forecast but culminated in good little conditions to crown Vitoria and Bonvalot this morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Vitoria Confirmed As One of the Best Backhand Surfer in the Region</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This feeling’s still new for me I don’t know what to say,” an ecstatic Vitoria said. “This is my second QS win but it feels different and I’m really really happy. This is definitely the biggest win of my life, now the next goal is to make it to the Challenger Series.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the win today, <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/riders/ruben-vitoria" target="_blank">Ruben Vitoria</a> (EUK) climbed a dozen spots up the European Qualifying Series ladder and is in good shape to potentially make the Challenger Series later this season with one event remaining. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Basque surfer, whose backhand attack was highlighted in the lefts of Las Americas when he won the event in 2018, reveled in the long lefts of Caparica this week to claim a second win on the QS.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vitoria could not be stopped in the Final, he started with medium scores and kept building momentum as the heat went, improving score after score until dropping the hammer down with a near-perfect 9.40. He later posted another 9.17 for good measure and was chaired up the beach victorious.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Martin Climbs His Way Back to Challenger Series Qualification Bubble</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A semifinalist in 2019 in Caparica, <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/riders/charly-martin" target="_blank">Charly Martin</a> (FRA) goes one better and posts his best result since a second place in Netanya in 2018. The Guadeloupe surfer who has been a threat in the QS Top 100 for over ten years has jumped into 10th on the European rankings and will have a little bit more work to definitely secure his spot into the Challenger Series in the final counting event in Pantin later this summer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Of course there’s a little disappointment because I really wanted to win,” Martin admitted. “I had some good waves and felt my surfing was there, I think I needed slightly bigger ones to make a difference. I came into this event under a lot of pressure to make the Top 10 so I’m very happy with this result and I’ll do everything to make it. I’m stoked to be back competing and huge thanks to everyone involved in making these events happen for us.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Vitoria and Martin had previously dispatched of compatriots <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/riders/gonzalo-zubizarreta" target="_blank">Gony Zubizarreta</a> (ESP) and <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/riders/thomas-debierre" target="_blank">Thomas Debierre</a> (FRA) respectively in their Semifinal bouts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Women’s Final: the Bonvalot Show</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much like her compatriot Vasco Ribeiro last week in Santa Cruz, and despite being a force to be reckoned with in the past seven Qualifying Series season, <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/riders/teresa-bonvalot" target="_blank">Teresa Bonvalot</a> (PRT) had up until today never made the Final, let alone won a QS event. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She finally crossed the finish line today in Caparica with an incredible display in the Final to post an excellent 17.17 heat total for the event title.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m super happy to claim my first QS win and in my first Final,” Bonvalot said. “I’ve had a lot of good results and at bigger events as well but it’s definitely nice to take the win and especially at home and against another Portuguese. I was just having so much fun out there surfing and that was the key.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bonvalot adds another line to a brilliant surfing resume which includes six wins on the European Junior tour, multiple big results on the international scene and recurring appearances as a wildcard on the women’s Championship Tour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While both surfers have similar styles and abilities, Bonvalot’s experience at the highest level of competition showed dividends in the women’s Final. Not only did she surf extremely well, she also selected the best waves and made all the right choices with her priority showing class and maturity in the lineup.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Local Hero Makes Another Final, Still Chases Victory at Home Break</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Caparica local <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/riders/mafalda-lopes" target="_blank">Mafalda Lopes</a> (PRT) made a name for herself with a stellar junior career that culminated with the European junior title in 2019, and this week showed she deserves a spot in the top Qualifying Series ranks as well.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m super happy with my performance this entire event,” Lopes said. “I wasn’t very lucky with the waves in this heat and Teresa got the best ones and surfed really well. I’m going to keep training for our upcoming events and hope for more Finals in the future.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Lopes reached the Final and placed runner-up in the Junior division in 2019 in Caparica and after another Final and second place, will undoubtedly be fired up to chase a win at her home break in future seasons.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the completion of the Estrella Galicia Caparica Surf Fest, here is the new Top 10 in the European rankings:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>European Men’s QS Top 10:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 1 - Vasco Ribeiro (PRT) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 2 - Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 3 - Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 4 - Joan Duru (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 5 - Timothee Bisso (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 6 - Kauli Vaast (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 7 - Charly Quivront (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 8 - Tristan Guilbaud (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 9 - Maxime Huscenot (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 10 - Charly Martin (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> ** 11 - Ruben Vitoria (EUK) **</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>European Women’s QS Top 8:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 1 - Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 2 - Pauline Ado (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 3 - Vahine Fierro (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 4 - Maud Le Car (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 5 - Johanne Defay (FRA) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 6 - Eveline Hooft (NDL) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 7 - Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 8 - Rachel Presti (DEU) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The final event of the 2020 / 2021 Qualifying Series season in Europe will take surfers to Galicia at the end of June. Rankings after Pantin (<a href="https://www.boardriding.com/events/mens-abanca-pantin-classic-galicia-pro-2021" target="_blank">men's</a> & <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/events/womens-abanca-pantin-classic-galicia-pro-2021-tentative" target="_blank">women's</a>) will determine the Top 10 men and Top 8 women who will qualify for the Challenger Series.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Estrella Galicia Caparica Surf Fest is ON from May 18-23, 2021 at praia do Paraiso, Caparica. For all results, photos, video highlights and press releases, log on to <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/" target="_blank">WorldSurfLeague.com.</a> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ESTRELLA GALICIA CAPARICA SURF FEST MEN’S FINAL RESULT:</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 1 - Ruben Vitoria (EUK) 18.53</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 2 - Charly Martin (FRA) 15.47 </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ESTRELLA GALICIA CAPARICA SURF FEST WOMEN’S FINAL RESULT:</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 1 - Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) 17.17</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> 2 - Mafalda Lopes (PRT) 10.77</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ESTRELLA GALICIA CAPARICA SURF FEST MEN’S SEMIFINAL RESULTS:</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> SF 1: Ruben Vitoria (EUK) 17.63 def. Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) 10.90</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> SF 2: Charly Martin (FRA) 13.67 def. Thomas Debierre (FRA) 12.83</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>About the WSL</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Established in 1976, the <a href="https://www.boardriding.com/associations/world-surf-league" target="_blank">World Surf League (WSL)</a> is the home of the world's best surfing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> A global sports, media and entertainment company, the WSL oversees international tours and competitions, a studios division creating over 500+ hours of live and on-demand content, and via affiliate WaveCo, the home of the world's largest high performance, human-made wave. Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, the WSL has regional offices in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The WSL annually crowns the men’s and women’s surfing World Champions. The global Tours and Competition division oversees and operates more than 180 global contests each year across the Championship Tour, the development tiers, including the Challenger, Qualifying and Junior Series, as well as longboard and big wave properties. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Launched in 2019, WSL Studios is an independent producer of unscripted television projects, including documentaries and series, which provide unprecedented access to athletes, events, and locations around the world. WSL events and content are distributed on linear television in over 743M+ homes worldwide and across digital and social media platforms around the world, including WorldSurfLeague.com. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> WaveCo includes the Surf Ranch Lemoore facility and the utilizing and licensing of the Kelly Slater Wave System.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> The WSL is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: right;">Press Release Source: www.worldsurfleague.com</div>