We’re over talking about the Brazilian Storm because they’re here and entrenched, and we’re tired of talking about the older generation because they’re coming to a close with Taj and Mick gone, Joel on twilight duty and Kelly handing in a date of resignation. Now we want to focus on some real new blood and here are four guys who we know are going to put some inspiration into the competitive mix.
Connor O’Leary
He jumped into prominence at the Ballito Pro 10,000 event that was held in excellent surf at Ballito in Durban. Connor killed it on the perfect right-handers of Willard Beach, with consistent backhand cracks of the best kind and solid, well finished waves throughout. He showed a sense of reckless abandonment on many of his turns, really pushing as hard as possible, and gave a few eloquent and well-mannered interviews afterwards. He is hungry for a big opening year, and is good on his backhand as well as forehand, and big waves as well as small.
Leonardo Fioravanti
There has been much talk about this NKOTB but he does have the pedigree and the results thus far to do really well on his rookie year. One of the most talked about characteristic of this young roman is his Big Match Temperament, unlike other rookie hopefuls who fold quicker than Superman on laundry day when faced with a legend like Slater. When he gets going on the Championship Tour he is going to feel very at home at many of the world tour locations seen as he speaks five languages and is comfortable when it starts booming. That takes care of most of the CT venues.
Joan Duru
He might have a chick’s name, but there’s no femininity when it comes to manhandling waves of size and consequence. Much of his skill set and prowess can be traced to South Africa where he was the standout of the Billabong Pro when it was a six-star back in the day and eventually won by Adriano de Souza. It was 2012, and Joan was making his presence felt with blistering surfing at the best right hand point-break and the fact that the last day was miserable and small on the bricks stuff, the previous three days of surfing had seen such an incredible run of perfection at Super that surfers were running out of moves. While some were finding alternative moves – like Heath Joskes soul arch, and while others were snapping legs like South African Royden Bryson – Duru was going up and down, vertically, and showing a determined force that was the Euro thing back then. That it took him an extra four years to make the advance just goes to show how tough it is to qualify. His loss at JBay to Adriano seemed a cruel twist at an event that he had owned from the start.
Ian Gouveia
Why do we claim Gouveia? Well, he is the son of Fabio, and when Fabio Gouveia started taking on the world he did it with such style and charisma that what was there not to love? Fabio heralded a Brazilian Storm two decades before it became a thing, and along with compatriot Flavio Padaratz were two surfers who were always expected to do something out of the ordinary. Whether it was taking off on a big wave unexpectedly at Pipe or going right on a huge set wave at Margaret River, the Brazilian duo left their mark on the world tour. If Ian has any of the style, character and chutzpah of his dad he will do the Brazilian nation proud in 2017.
With the final event of the year on the go and a few surfers still on the bubble, we’ll be watching the double qualifiers to see where we’re going with this one.
