Professional surfers are completely wiped out after competing in WSL tournaments. One of the most challenging sports, surfing requires you to perform at your best on waves whose shape and size might vary at any time according to the whims of Mother Nature. Those who make surfing a profession, however, never stop trying to improve. The Brazilian prodigy Joao Chianca has caused waves in the surfing world with his impressive performance so far in the 2023 WSL season. Nevertheless, one of his recent performances has left him in a state of uncertainty.

While competing in the Corona Open J-Bay, Joao Chianca spoke out to his supporters in a recent social media post. The first round in South Africa was a tight one for the Brazilian prodigy, but he will only put his faith in a mentor who can help him win the yellow jersey in the future.

Help from the universal mentor

Professional surfers had a tremendous time in Brazil before the Corona Open J-Bay. The waves at Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, extended the length of time it required to finish the Vivo Rio Pro. It’s tough for any professional event to have back-to-back competitions and the surfers who needed a breather before the South African tournament didn’t receive one. Joao Chianca is not an exception; he too just sent an open letter on Instagram with the simple statement, “May God guide my path.” The 22-year-old surfer certainly made a straightforward post right after his opening-round performance at the Corona Open J-Bay.

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In the first round of the Corona Open J-Bay, the Brazilian prodigy faced off against two Hawaiian surfers, Seth Moniz and Barron Mamiya. Even though Chianca was ranked far higher than the two Hawaiian surfers in this WSL event, it was a tight contest. Hawaiian surfer Seth Moniz had a 10.17 (5.67 + 4.50), whereas Barron Mamiya only managed a 6.37 (3.50 + 2.87). According to the standings, Chianca should have little trouble scoring well; yet, he managed just 11.50 (6.67 + 4.83), putting him dangerously close to the elimination round.

In the Corona Open J-Bay’s Bracket stages, Chianca would have to wait for his opponent to arrive. If the Brazilian prodigy is to move close to the yellow jersey, he will need to make a few blunders.

A good surfing season

Joao Chianca began his quest for the WSL title last year and has come a long way since then. Even more impressive than his success in junior competitions was his performance against seasoned professionals who had previously held the yellow jersey. The first three races of the 2023 WSL season have all resulted in podium finishes for him. Both Jack Robinson in the Billabong Pro Pipeline and the current WSL champion Filipe Toledo at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach were victorious over him, as the Brazilian prodigy finished third in the two events.

However, the Brazilian prodigy beat out Jack Robinson in the finals of the MEO Rip Curl Portugal Pro and took home his maiden WSL title. This also allowed him to begin his quest for championships at an early age, and despite his present ranking as the fourth-best player on the championship tour, he still has a lot of room to grow and become a superstar.

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