Surfing
Surfing
5 reasons you'll love the Vivo Rio Pro
As the Championship Tour heads to the warm water and electric atmosphere of Brazil, let's find out what makes the event in Saquarema so special.
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The Vivo Rio Pro has seen a world of change since Pepe Lopes won the first incarnation of Brazil's biggest international surfing competition way back in 1976, but the challenging waves, the raucous support of the masses lining the sand and the incredible energy of Brazil itself have never faltered. In 2025 the Rio Pro has moved much deeper on the CT schedule, upping the ante for competitors chasing a berth in the Final 5.
Watch the action from the 2025 VIVO Rio Pro below:
WSL Vivo Rio Pro Finals
Who will win at the end of a wild week of competition as the Vivo Rio Pro draws to a close in Saquarema?
As the 2025 edition of the Vivo Rio Pro continues, let's uncover five facts that ensure that the WSL Championship Tour surfers and spectators love it more and more every year.
01
Saquarema is the epicentre of the 'Brazilian Storm'
Saquarema is more than just a fantastic beach town, it's the beating heart of Brazilian surfing. Located in the coastal state of Rio de Janeiro, 100km from the legendary state capital of the same name, this once-sleepy fishing village came alive when surfing and rock music found their way down from Rio in the 1970s.
From Itaúna to Barrinha, Saquarema boasts no shortage of surprises
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
Although São Paulo and Florianópolis can lay claim to producing the bulk of the nation's best competitors, when the world thinks of Brazilian surfing it's Saquarema's ribbon of white sand that first springs to mind, with some even going so far as to call it the 'Maracanã of surfing', in tribute to Rio's legendary football stadium.
27 minuta
No Contest Unplugged: Rio
Mick Fanning interviews Lucas "Chumbo" Chianca and his brother João, about their hometown of Saquarema, home of the Rio Pro
And don't think the Saquarema squad isn't a heavy hitting team either. While the Chianca brothers, Lucas and Joao, are the current kings of the town, the path was beaten for them by guys like Raoni Monteiro and the late Leonardo Neves.
Brazilian legend Raoni Monteiro holds it down for the Saquarema old guard
© Felipe Azevedo
The main contest bank is found at Praia de Itaúna, the town's central beach. Predominantly a left (though don't sleep on the right), Itaúna can be powerful and rippable on its day, but is often riddled with backwash and can get sluggish on higher tides.
There's a silver lining to these fluky conditions however. Time your run at the right section to perfection and a wonky wall can become a mega ramp, leading to big aerials and bigger scores from the judges, who can't help but be swayed by the roars of the raucous crowds.
Leo Fioravanti chopping Saquarema's Praia de Itaúna to pieces
© Camila Othon/World Surf League
Some of the Rio Pro's finest events have happened in years when conditions have aligned and the event has moved a mile up the beach. Barrinha, in the western corner, can serve up dredging sandbank tubes to rival the best on tour, but these gemstone moments are as rare as they are sought after.
02
The Saquarema crowds are the wildest in surfing
Nowhere in surfing comes close to matching the crowds in Saquarema
© Thiago Diz
There isn't a crowd in the world that brings the heat like they do in Saquarema. Combine an iron-clad surfing legacy with a carnival vibe and thousands of screaming fans packed onto a sizzling hot beach, and you create an atmosphere that's unmatched on the Championship Tour. When national pride meets world-class competition in a country famed for its fierce passion, fireworks ensue.
Saquarema local Joao Chianca knows where there's a wedge there's a way
© Camila Othon/World Surf League
At the Vivo Rio Pro the surfing becomes a full-blown national event, drawing not only diehard surf fans, but thousands of everyday Brazilians who show up simply to enjoy the show. Many of the spectators aren't even surfers, they’re locals or visitors drawn to a busy beach where the music's loud and the party scene almost overpowers the sporting event itself.
Italo Ferreira's wild Brazilian backhand air-rev
© Daniel Smorigo/World Surf League
Come finals day it's not unusual to see thousands in attendance. Conservative estimates start at 20,000 while wild guestimates range as high as 50,000 people lining the sand.
Brazil's broader sporting culture certainly seeps into the atmosphere. Fans wave enormous flags, paint their bodies in green and gold, chant surfers' names as if they’re national footballers and roar every time a Brazilian stands up on a wave. The energy is electric and deeply patriotic.
Saquarema's Rio Pro serves up a carnival as much as a surf contest
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
A Brazilian wife sees Aussie Jack Robinson keep the Rio crowd onside, just
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
That intensity can be a double-edged sword. The passion runs hot and while it adds drama, it can also raise the pressure on international surfers coming up against Brazilian favourites and unfavourable results can see competitors and officials roundly heckled and booed.
03
Rio rewards those who take risks
Winning in Saquarema requires more than just talent; it takes composure, a thick skin and a willingness to take chances, with high risk equalling high reward. While it's not the most perfect wave on tour, Saquarema showcases which surfers can think on their feet and perform under pressure.
14 minuta
No Contest 2018: Brazil
Jacob Wooden heads to Brazil with the world tour for the latest edition of No Contest. Not usually known for great waves, the event, held in Saquarema, becomes the runaway success of the season.
With a wide beach offering up multiple peaks, endless backwash, constantly shifting rips and everything from mushy walls to ramps and tubes, the wave demands a wide skill set. Those who can read the conditions best and adapt quickly, switching between aerials, turns and hunting tubes, are those who'll be left standing come finals day.
It's not all about surfing, either. The noise of the crowd at close quarters can rattle the unprepared. Heats are often decided by wave choice and mental composure as much as talent. Surfers who thrive in Saquarema are confident, opportunistic and can remain calm amongst the chaos.
Italo Ferreira, Griffin Colapinto, and the calm before the storm
© Thiago Diz/World Surf League
Carissa Blocks It Out
© LifeWithoutAndy.com
It's no coincidence that some of the most successful surfers at Saquarema are not just technically brilliant, but tactically sharp and emotionally resilient. The Rio Pro acts as a stress test for the best. If you can win here, you've proven that you're not only talented, you're also tour tough.
04
The Brazilian Storm versus the world
The Rio Pro is the ultimate proving ground for the Brazilian Storm; the generation of elite Brazilian men who burst onto the world stage in the 2010s and reshaped the sport in their homeland. Names like Italo Ferreira, Gabriel Medina, Filipe Toledo, Yago Dora and Adriano de Souza aren't just surfers, they’re homegrown heroes and Saquarema is where they’re most dangerous.
The smiling faces of the deadly Brazilian Storm
© Renato Tinoco
Since the event moved to Saquarema in 2017, no male foreigner has won the Rio Pro. Deep local knowledge, high levels of beach break comfort and adrenaline boosted by the home crowd gives the Brazilian surfers an undeniable edge.
Italo Ferreira and the air game that saw him take out the 2024 Rio Pro
© Daniel Smorigo/World Surf League
That said, the Rio Pro has become a battleground. International surfers like Griffin Colapinto, Jack Robinson and Ethan Ewing have made deep runs at Saquarema recently, driven by trying to silence the crowd and challenge Brazil's dominance.
While Brazilian men have won the last six straight Rio Pros, they have only won eight of the last 15, with an elite roster of international stars including Jordy Smith, Michel Bourez, Mick Fanning, John John Florence, Taj Burrow and Kelly Slater.
For many fans the Rio Pro isn’t just a surf contest, it’s the battle of Brazil versus the rest of the world. Year after year, in the face of wave after wave of foreign insurgents, the Brazilian Storm continues to defend its turf with power, passion and a point to prove.
Michel Bourez comes up big in Brazil
© Ryan Miller
05
The Vivo Rio Pro carries weight in the title race
The Vivo Rio Pro serves as a turning point in the Championship Tour season, where contenders gather steam and pretenders fall away, and has often proved to be a pivotal launchpad for world champions. Saquarema is a high-stakes battleground with serious Final 5 implications. A strong result here can catapult surfers up the leaderboard and sends a clear message of world title intent to your rivals.
Mick Fanning wins the 2007 world title at the Rio Pro
© Pierre Tostee/ASP
On the men's side, multiple world champs have seen their Rio results align directly with career-defining seasons. Mick Fanning won his first world title at the 2007 Rio Pro, before eventually taking out the contest. Kelly Slater completed the double in 2010 and John John Florence in 2016, while Filipe Toledo anchored his 2022 world title with a win in Saquarema.
Caitlin Simmers smacks an unsuspecting Saquarema section
© Daniel Smorigo/World Surf League
The correlation is equally as strong for the women, with Carissa Moore (2011), Tyler Wright (2016 and 2017) and Caitlin Simmers (2024) all claiming Rio victories en route to world titles.
Who'll take out the 2025 Rio Pro and set themselves up for a title tilt? Tune into all of the action live on Red Bull TV.
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