It is difficult, or rather impossible, to find a time in the last 10 years, when Medina won the first world title for his country, when, by the fourth stage of the CT, there was no Brazilian in the top 10.

2024 is the worst start for Brazilian surfing on the world circuit this decade and, while there are signs as to why this may be happening, it is pertinent to ask those who are immersed in surfing in their country what reasons they find for this.

DUKE consulted five Brazilian journalists, Ader Oliveira, Diogo Mourao, Julio Adler, Tulio Brandao and Renato de Alexandrinho, who agree on some points, such as the absence of last year's best, Filipe and Joao, or a visible change in the judging that is valuing power surfing more and progressive maneuvers less; but they add their original points of view: that it is a question of cycles and that Brazil was not going to lead forever, or that the consistency of the waves has played a bad trick on Brazilian series or that there is no neutrality that can resist 10 years of absolute Brazilian dominance.

Below, each of the specialists with their presentation of reasons:

Ader Oliveira from AOS Media: Without Filipe or Chumbinho, waves and judging

I think the departure of Filipe Toledo and the absence of João Chianca, who won two of the first four stages last year, have contributed a lot to this. These are two very strong names who could be helping to maintain Brazilian hegemony.

"The departure of Filipe Toledo and the absence of João Chianca, who won two of the first four stages last year, have contributed a lot to this"

In addition to these losses, I think we were also unlucky with the inconsistency of the waves at Pipeline and Sunset. In these two stages, for example, Gabriel lost without having any chance.

And for me, at Bells Beach, Gabriel would not have lost his Cole series.

Diogo Mourao of Globo Esportes and SporTV: “There is no single cause”

I don't believe in conspiracy.

There is no single cause, but rather a combination of reasons. One of them is conceptual: The circuit, especially before the cut, now has large and heavy waves, where edge and line surfing already has an advantage over progressive and innovative maneuvers. This is something that was taken into account for the judging.

Aerials, to be well paid, now need to be very well executed. And precisely the two surfers who have adapted most to the new times, Filipe Toledo and João Chianca, are out of the tour. The first and fourth best in the world in 2023; it is something that cannot be ignored.

"There is no single cause, but rather a combination of reasons. One of them is conceptual: The circuit, especially before the cut, now has large and heavy waves, where edge and line surfing already has an advantage over progressive and innovative maneuvers."

Italo and Medina are trying to adapt, with ups and downs, while Yago continues to struggle with the irregularity he shows during the stages.

This season, the surfers who came from the CS are also stronger and have increased their competitiveness. The Brazilian team did very poorly in the Hawaiian stages and this made things difficult. With lower seeds, they began to face tougher opponents in the round of 32 or 16.

And yes, I have no doubt that Medina won the series against Cole Hashmand.

As for the judging, I actually thought that this year it was better, more balanced. However, Winkipop, a place that is always complicated in terms of evaluation and marks, seems to have lost a lot. There were several series with questionable results, to say the least. Not only with the Brazilians.

Julio Adler: Boia Podcast: “It’s a matter of cycles”

It is a matter of cycles because it is 10 years of absolute Brazilian dominance on the world circuit. It is normal that there is a decline at some point, and this does not mean that this relapse will not be transformed into a result at the end of the year. Because we can perfectly see at the end of the year, I don't know, I'm not going to exaggerate, but we can see three Brazilians in the final five fighting for the title. We can win the gold medal...

At this moment I continue to believe that Medina will be the world champion and the gold medalist in Teahupoo, I have that certainty.

But in relation to the performance of the whole world, there is no surfer on the world circuit today who is surfing better than the Brazilians. No one… Yago continues to surf very well, Filipe left but the level of the Brazilians continues to be very good.

"At this moment I continue to believe that Medina will be the world champion and the gold medalist in Teahupoo, I have that certainty"

We lost Filipe and Chumbinho but Gabriel is surfing a lot and Italo is surfing well… I think Miguel and Samuel are also surfing well… I think it's a cyclical thing; a lot of time at the top, it was time for it to fluctuate a bit, but it's coming back now; don't fool yourselves.

It should also be said that I don't buy into any conspiracy theory of Americans wanting Brazilians' space and being against them and all that nonsense.

I don't agree with that kind of thing. To me it's crazy. I think the judges are making mistakes, they are making more mistakes than usual, I think they are lost and they are lost even in the possible lack of direction by the new head of judges. I think it will take a while until there is a bit of consistency in the judging. For now I think the judging is quite lost but it is not the fault of the decline of the Brazilians.

Tulio Brandao, Leitura de onda: “What American or Australian celebrates that seven of the last nine titles have gone to Brazil?”

It is never a single reason, but rather a sum of them. The reasons include a serious accident involving the world's fourth best surfer, João; the withdrawal of Filipe, who is remarkably the best surfer in the world in this tour format; performance below expectations by some surfers at decisive moments so far; the consolidation of a more conservative approach, which tends to lower the value of progressive maneuvers; insufficient renewal generated, among other things, by a low quota for South America (and generous for Australians and Americans) in the Challenger; and, of course, too much time of Brazilian dominance. What American or Australian celebrates that seven of the last nine titles have gone to Brazil? What neutrality resists this, as we have seen at Bells?

"The consolidation of a more conservative approach, which tends to lower the value of progressive maneuvers; insufficient renewal generated, among other things, by a low quota for South America (and generous for Australians and Americans)"

 

Renato de Alexandrino, Globo: “I can’t find an easy explanation”

It's a very difficult question to answer. I can't find an easy explanation, there's no reason to say that it's a matter of judging, even though Medina's battery was controversial, which I think he won... It can't be summed up, it can't be explained by a refereeing issue. They're all doing pretty badly and at the same time I can't see a reason, an explanation; because if it were a surfer who you see isn't dedicating himself... But there are several and none of them are getting results.

"I can't see a factor or several factors that explain what is happening"

I don't think it's a lack of training. Even at the beginning of the year I was struck by how Italo Ferreira dedicated himself, always posting training, went to Hawaii early and generated a lot of expectations about a good result at Pipe, a wave that he fits in because he's good in the tubes and didn't get a backup after his tube crash against Jordy.

I can't see a factor or several factors that explain what is happening. But it is happening, it is happening and it is a very pertinent question because it has really been many years since something like this happened... Hermanos Pupo, Yago Dora... There is only the Medina semi-final.