Brazilian surfer Filipe Toledo needs less of an introduction this year. The surfing superstar is now wearing the yellow jersey on the Men’s Championship Tour, and his performance is deserving of that honor. After his match with Jadson Andre, his 2023 Vivo Rio Pro experience was less than ideal, and he ended up being hurt as a result. The surfer’s damage to the cartilage in his right knee didn’t stop him from entering the Corona Open J-Bay, a surfing competition in South Africa. The Brazilian surfer has already gone to the WSL quarterfinals, proving his toughness once again as he tore through the elimination stages. The surfer may have dominated the South African competition, but he also has a unique accomplishment to share with his followers.

Filipe Toledo was the first surfer to qualify for this year’s WSL finals, thanks to his impressive performance in the round of 16 at the Corona Open J-Bay. It was big news for Brazilian surfers and fans everywhere to hear that the current world champion was entering the championship fight once again. After the round of 16, though, he spoke up about how difficult the journey had been.

More to come from the surfing star

The 2023 WSL season has been a roller coaster for the Brazilian sensation. He has both won competitions and been knocked out in the early stages. Filipe Toledo won the Surf City El Salvador Pro against American phenom Griffin Colapinto before his home tournament in Rio de Janeiro. He entered the Vivo Rio Pro with great expectations, but Jadson Andre crushed them as the wave hurt the surfer’s cartilage. He guaranteed himself a second chance by quickly getting through the early stages of the Corona Open J-Bay and is presently in the tournament’s quarterfinals.

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It was revealed that Toledo, after his victory in the round of 16 of the Corona Open J-Bay, would be the first surfer to qualify for the 2023 Rip Curl WSL Finals, which would be held at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, California, in September. The surfer delivered an emotional interview to WSL shortly after the news broke. In addition, he said he “was waiting for that call” until the waves subsided. As he defends his WSL championship, the surfer praised the “hard work” he put in and “all the sacrifice” he had made to get here. He had to endure the travel with a slight “injury” and “still have all the tapes” in his knees so that he could take part in the event. Toledo, on the other hand, is just hoping for a “good result” since “everything combined” has made it so much more meaningful for the Brazilian surfer.

The Brazilian surfer, who hopes to retain the yellow jersey until the conclusion of the championship tour, is now waiting for his opponent in the quarterfinals of the Corona Open J-Bay.

Showcasing his prowess over other surfers

The round of 16 of the Corona Open J-Bay pitted Brazilian surfer Filipe Toledo against Indonesian Rio Waida. The surfers gave it their best, knowing it was either now or never. Toledo opened the 46-minute fight at Supertubes strong, scoring a whopping 9.63 on the second wave. In the fourth wave, he had a score of 7.93, bringing his overall score to 17.56.

Unfortunately for the Indonesian surfer, he finished up with a score of 11.67 (7.17 + 4.50), which did not bode well. After advancing against Waida, Toledo will face Jack Robinson in the quarterfinals of the Corona Open J-Bay.

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