Before The Storm: Colapintos & the CT Score Firing Supertubos

Originally posted on SURFER | By August Howell | Last updated Mar 20, 2025 3:11 PM ET

So often in surfing it’s the unplanned windows that end up the best windows. You book a weeklong trip and it’s pumping off its rocker the day you show up. Better hop to it. The same holds true even for the World Surf League Championship Tour.

In the lead-up to the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, surfers were greeted with what will likely be the best waves they’ll see during their time in Peniche. Supertubos was supertubing. For Griffin and Crosby Colapinto, a routine started to form each day after they arrived. A bacon and eggs breakfast at 5:30 a.m., drive to the beach and surf bigger and better waves than the day prior.

As good as their read on the barrel is, I was attuned to Crosby and Griffin’s drawn-out bottom turns and backside bashings. It’s not the most technical move, but there’s something timeless and gratifying about using a bunch of speed on one, clean hack. Of course, the Colapintos (and this track from Rio Waida, make it look too easy.

The event could finally resume this Saturday, March 22, but it looks dicey. Something about 16 feet at 13 seconds WNW combined with 19-knot onshore winds just doesn’t sound conducive to running heats. When it does happen, however, the upcoming matchups for the men’s Round of 16 and women’s semifinal look interesting. There’s Jack Robinson versus Liam O’Brien, both big winners from the ex-Cyclone Alfred swell. Rookie Joel Vaughan vs Italo Ferreira, who is looking like the most dangerous surfer in the draw. Two experienced rail shamans, Filipe Toledo and Jordy Smith, will go head to head.

In the women’s semifinals, Molly Picklum will go up against former event-winner Caroline Marks. And Erin Brooks looks eager to make her first final at a full-time CT surfer, but she’ll have to go against an in-form Gabriela Bryan.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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