The surfing finals in Peniche, Portugal, held on Sunday, March 23, 2025, were not for the faint of heart. Despite poor conditions, Brazilian surfers Yago Dora and Italo Ferreira battled it out for the title of European Grand Slam champion, with Dora emerging victorious in the end.
The event’s commentary, led by Mitchell Saladbar, left much to be desired, as he stumbled through mispronunciations of Portuguese words and attempted to explain moves like the “stalefish air,” which he described as a “skate-inspired move.” But despite the less-than-ideal commentary, the contest remained exciting for those who tuned in.
In the women’s final, Caroline Marks celebrated her win over Gabriela Bryan, lifting the women’s crown to cheers from the crowd. Marks was carried off the beach in victory by two men, one of whom, Cole Houshmand, is known for his association with controversial figure Andrew Tate. Houshmand is likely to face criticism for this, given Tate’s views on women, which often promote outdated stereotypes.
Back to the men’s final, where Ferreira, who led the world tour, faced off against Dora under less-than-ideal conditions. The wind whipped across the shore, making the waves difficult to navigate. However, both surfers gave their best performances, pulling off impressive aerial moves and fluid turns. With each surfer scoring mid-6s on their waves, the competition remained tight throughout.
As the clock ticked down, Dora held a slight lead, even as Saladbar described Ferreira’s season as a “miracle.” Despite his reputation as one of the fastest and fittest surfers on the tour, Ferreira’s last-minute wave — a straight-air shifty — wasn’t enough to secure the win.
In the end, it was Yago Dora who claimed the victory, a triumph he achieved with precision and calm, as Saladbar awkwardly noted with his “stoic” mispronunciation. It was a hard-fought win for Dora, who emerged as the European Grand Slam champion.