The world’s best male and female surfers roll into Rio de Janeiro today for the latest round of the ASP world surfing tour. The 11-day event, which finishes late on 20 May, promises not only high-performance surfing on Barra da Tijuca’s consistent and rippable beach breaks, but also one heck of a party.
Surfing is the grateful recipient of Brazil’s legendary enthusiasm for sport. Rio’s young and beautiful will be hanging out en masse on the city’s largest beach cheering their local heroes with energy drink or cocktail in hand. So passionate is their support, that returning pros say they feel like rock stars when in town.
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For the competitors the stakes are high. The men will be competing for an unprecedented purse of US$500,000 (£310,000), while the women will be in pursuit of a record-breaking US$120,000 (£74,300) prize fund. World-renowned surfers such as Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Jordy Smith, Stephanie Gilmore and Sally Fitzgibbons will be in action, marking the event as one of the most prestigious surf competitions of the year.
The ASP World Tour has so far visited Queensland’s Gold Coast and Victoria’s Bells Beach in Australia. Following Rio, rounds will take place in Fiji, French Polynesia, California, France, Portugal and Hawaii.
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Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Image: surfglassy)
