Knowing how the WSL works, it was to be expected that this would happen. The Brazilians had already celebrated that this wildcard was going to go to Yago Dora, but one always has hope and hope may not be so logical, but it is felt deeply.

Carlos Muñoz, who fought half his life to get into the CT, was injured in his first stage and was left out of the rest of the tour. He was told that he will not be able to make use of his achievement either this year or halfway through the next.

It is a painful reality.

And I don't want to blame the mid-year cut, or this horrible new WSL that decided to start the circuit where it should end, I just want to shout that it hurts and Carlos doesn't deserve it!

And yes, I'm tired of hearing it and talking about it... I also know that if there's anyone who can overcome another blow, it's him.

But it hurts just the same.

For me, he deserved to enjoy his qualification for the CT, with sacrifice, showing his surfing, and enjoying the good times more than the bad. Not the other way around.

“What they just did is wake up a lion,” someone close to Cali wrote to me in the short time since I published the news until I started writing this column. I trust those words; I dry my tears, I stop complaining and I look at life with better expectations: One of the best athletes in the history of Latin America can handle this and much more.

Now, then, let's start from scratch. Look at life with optimism, always.

He has it tough: From the Challengers onwards… To add more drama and excitement, Carlos will return from injury to compete in an eight-stage tour, five of which will add up to the final ranking, but he will be able to compete in six (if he qualifies for the final in Haleiwa).

It will be Ballito, Huntington Beach, Ericeira, Hossegor, Saquarema and Hawaii.

There he has it difficult, as he likes, as he can.

Let the lion's roar be heard then.