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Cover photo: WSL/Smorigo

Peruvian Sol Aguirre has already confirmed her place at the WSL Junior World Championships, which will take place on a yet-to-be-disclosed beach in California between January 8 and 14. The two best men and two best women from the WSL South American region qualify for this event.

 

The Peruvian, who just placed third in Saquarema and who was coming off two victories (one in Saquarema and another in Iquique) reached 2650 points in the ranking that can only be surpassed by one surfer, the champion of the stage that concluded yesterday, Laura Raupp.

To make the ranking, the three best stages of the four completed will be added together (the final stage will be in Punta Rocas, Peru from November 15 to 20).

Tainá Hinckel, who is second in the ranking, has points starting at 1600, meaning that if she wins the Peruvian stage, she has no mathematical chance of overtaking Aguirre.

Raupp could indeed surpass her, if she wins and Aguirre does not finish second, but there would be no other surfer who could surpass the Peruvian; that is, the two South American spots would be full.

In other words, in Punta Rocas the fight will be for the second place and this will be between Hinckel and Raupp. There could be a perfect tie between them; if Hinckel wins and Raupp is second, they will both be on 2600 points; as Raupp did not compete in one of the stages, the tiebreaker would go in favor of Hinckel who would rule out a 500 in that scenario.

In reference to the South American title, which Sol Aguirre already has three, the Peruvian would extend her record without depending on anyone by finishing second in the stage and only with Laura Raupp winning it. If Raupp does not win, Aguirre is already continental champion for the fourth time, something never achieved in the history of the region (the Peruvian is currently tied with the Brazilian Diana Cristina in the three-time title).

At the men's level, everything indicates that the South American representation will be 100% yellow and green with a Caua Costa that seems guaranteed in the world championship and an interesting fight for second place that will take place in Punta Rocas between Diego Aguiar, Heitor Muller and Ryan Kainalo.

Ranked seventh with 1150 points, Argentine Franco Radziunas' chances of making the world championship are very low; he is forced to win the stage if the aforementioned contenders for the second slot lose in one go or do not show up at Punta Rocas.