The Nazare Pro 2017, which had already crowned Portugal’s Joana Schenker 2017 Bodyboarding World Champion and brought Portugal its first world title, was already shaping up to be a historic competition for the country. Antonio Cardoso had been the most impressive rider during the free-surf sessions before the contest. Everything seemed in place for the Portuguese rider to win at home and claim a well-deserved first victory.
And yet Antonio did not get off to a perfect start, and even had to go through the repechage (Round 2). Slowly but surely, he nonetheless made it to the quarter-finals against Pierre-Louis Costes, who had been impressive since the start of the competition. The stakes were huge. Antonio could hope for a win at home, the ultimate achievement for any local rider, while Pierre-Louis had to win the heat to keep his chances alive in the world title race.
It was the clean, powerful riding of the Portuguese, and his limitless knowledge of the waves of Praia do Norte, that carried the day, and with it the Frenchman’s hopes.
Nobody could stop the Portuguese rider, on a cloud in front of his fans, his family and his friends, not even the new World Champion Iain Campbell in a hard-fought final.
Parabéns, Antonio.
Antonio has ridden for Pride Bodyboards since he was 13. He started as a promising grom and is now part of the international team alongside Tristan Roberts, with whom he has been developing the Royal Flush model for several years.
The title race is settled, then, but the Canary Islands stop of the Fronton King promises to be one for the ages on one of the heaviest breaks in the world, and we have plenty of surprises in store for you thanks in particular to our partner Bodyboard Center.
