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In the afterglow of Toledo’s world title victory there emerges an unappetising side note for surf fans from Down Under. Australia has now not won a men’s title for a record amount of time. Since Mick Fanning last won in 2013 (ten years ago) the rise and rise of the Brazilian Storm has been so complete that only John John has been good enough to interrupt their stranglehold on the crown with back to back victories in 2016 and 2017.  

It is hard to imagine that before 2014 Brazil had not had one single world title holder. As it stands now, since Medina kicked off with that maiden victory no less than seven out of the last nine titles have been claimed by four different Brazilian surfers. The level of success is not dissimilar to the domination of Australia’s initial onslaught on the world tour between 1976 and 1983 when between them PT, Rabbit, MR and Tommy Carrol won eight of the first nine titles contested. 

A quick research of  world tour standings and corresponding champions since they were officially crowned in 1976 shows that Brazil did not have even a single male surfer ranked in the top 16 at year’s end for a full fifteen years until Fabio Gouveia finished #13 in 1991. 

Geographic isolation, socio political and economic factors made for a slow start to competition as predominantly Australians and then North Americans ruled the roost. Gouvia was joined in 1992 by Falvio Padaradtz and Brazil were then represented in the top 16 every subsequent year of the nineties. The diminutive Victor Ribas was the highest placed surfer of the 90s for the Brazilians with a third place finish in the overall rankings in 1999. However, by the surfing public at least, the South Americans were still seen as a fairly benign threat competitively. 

Once again in 2002 not one Brazilian surfer was in the top 16. In that same year 8 out of the top 10 surfers were Australian, with Kelly and Andy (who dominated with five competition wins) the only exceptions. Australian and USA dominance was further reinforced throughout most of the noughties as Brazil hit another lean stretch and once again they were bereft of representation in the top 16 for not just 2002 but also 2003, 2006 and 2007.  

Enter Adriano De Souza in 2008, who carried his country’s hopes almost solely on his own back until the arrival of South America’s next great hope, Gabriel Medina, which is when the storm really started to brew. The generation ushered in by De Souza soon became known in Portuguese as Tempestade Brasileira, Portuguese for the Brazilian Storm. 

It didn’t take Gabby long to assert himself, winning two out of his first three comps and claiming his first title as a twenty-year old in 2014. It made him a mega star in a surf-crazed country  where his success was especially cherished after its fabled national football team was thrashed 7-1 by Germany during the World Cup they hosted earlier that same year.  

However, as the Storm started to gather momentum and numbers on tour grew in tandem with competition victories so, it seemed, did antipathy toward the South Americans. Not everyone loves a winner apparently, at least some of which can be put down to envy and much to cultural difference. Brazilians had earned their reputation as world class hasslers, which was typified by its main protagonists De Souza and Medina. No longer comfortable with finishing down the order, it became clear they were willing to do anything to win. Their fans are also vociferous supporters, which often enhances the atmosphere of an event, although in 2015 on the beach at Pipe the very loud way the ‘zillas’ supported Adriano was one thing but booing Mick Fanning whenever he fell seemed distasteful, particularly given Mick had lost his brother only days before.  

What isn’t in question is the dedication to victory. The morning after the Storm’s Godfather, Adriano, claimed his title victory I passed him as he was about to paddle out in two foot onshore Pipe. I had assumed he may have been lost to partying for weeks on end but there he was, just after sun-up, the very next morning practicing at Pipe in average conditions. Extraordinary. Or perhaps he just wanted to re-live the glory of the day before’s proceedings. To remind himself it was real. Either way his passion was apparent.     

Both the sheer competitiveness and intensity in the water are surely symptomatic of having to share a country with 200+ million people whose resources are predominately very scarce. Gender stereotypes have been slower to change in Latin America, which has arguably contributed to the lack of a similar type success in women’s competitive surfing.  

Silvana Lima and Tatiana Weston Webb (who initially represented Hawaii) have flown their nations flag, one or both featuring in the top 16 surfers for each of the years since the Dream Tour started in 2010. Limited sponsorship opportunities for women has been sighted as a reason for the lack of comparative success with the men but Tati’s second place a couple of years ago indicates that the wait may not be long for the first Brazilian women’s champion.

There is certainly no doubt though that we are in the midst of a golden age for the Brazilian men. Toledo’s consecutive victories have come in a setting that is ideal for his combination of sublime rail surfing and gymnastic punts. Many of his countrymen thrive in the same rampy setting Trestles offers and so it would seem the Storm does not look like passing any time soon. That leaves the rest of the field with two options – get an umbrella or figure out a way to part the skies.