Cover photo: ISA/Evans

Costa Rican Carlos Muñoz finished fifth today in the Azores and added 2650 points, which left him needing a good result in any of the three remaining QS 10.000 to finally qualify for the CT.

Muñoz has had good campaigns before but always arrived in Hawaii needing to get into a final or combining two average results, quarter-finals for example. This time, with three 10.000 minus an average result of just over 5000 points, he would have one foot inside the elite.

He left the Azores in 12th place in the rankings, within the qualifying zone because there are two double qualifiers above him. He has 13850 points, a discard of 1550, meaning he starts adding points from 12300. It is estimated that from 17.500 onwards one is fairly safe in the elite.

He knows that no one else in the world knows that now it is his turn to hammer the nail home. He talks about this in the following paragraphs.

Do you think you've never been closer to CT?
Of course, I do consider that I have never been closer to entering the CT.

How does this make you feel?
It makes me feel good, there have been many changes in my life to get to this point and I am always grateful to God for the opportunity to continue surfing and also to represent Costa Rica and be part of the group of Latin Americans who surf in the QS.

Is there pressure on Ericeira now?
In every tournament you always want to win and you know that when you are fighting for qualification there will always be pressure because there is competition, but I go with faith in God and in trying to get my best surfing.

I have been competing in quite a few heats in the last few events and that motivates me.

It will also be a right-hand point with good waves and we hope to get a good result.

Is there something inside you that tells you that you don't want to arrive in Hawaii again with the pressure of a result?
Of course, I would always like to qualify for Hawaii, for me I would like to be qualified from the first events before the US Open (laughs) but that's how it is, all the events count.

I have felt very good surfing, in Haleiwa and Sunset I have also had good results, these are years of experience, so if we have to go and fight there we will also go with all the willingness, but we hope to God that Ericeira is the place to go.

What is the strategy now for the upcoming series?
The strategy is to always try to give your best, be smart, analyze the heats well and try to compete wisely.

And the travel route, what are you going to do?
Tomorrow I leave for Portugal, Lisbon, and will stay focused on Ericeira. The waves in Ribeira D'Ilhas are good, they are straight, we go frontside…

What happened in the series with Gatien?
I started well, with a 6,33 and in the end, right at the end with a second more, I wish they had given me the score, but the waves had to be selected well and the sand banks on that beach in particular are not perfect, so the tubes are not that open and it is a lottery if the tube opens and I tried to tube twice and I couldn't get out.

Have you ever thought about what you would do if you finally qualify?
Yes, I have thought about it several times, first of all I would thank God and Jesus for giving me the opportunity to surf for him and I would surely start crying (laughs).