Toledo Reveals Knee Pain And Straps On J-Bay: ‘I Thought Not To Compete Here’ | wsl

– People didn’t see it, but I surfed with several straps on my knees and only surfed once before the tournament. When I was injured in Saquarema, I thought about the possibility of not competing here, but fortunately it worked out – said the 2022 world champion.

Happy with his third personal J-Bay Championship, the Filipino made a point of highlighting his connection to the South African wave.

– It’s different to come surfing here, a place that brings back good memories. I didn’t even think about getting injured the last few days, because here I was at one of my favorite stages – stress.

Finally, the surfer shared the benefits of winning with his coaching staff, who gave him all the support he needed not to miss the J-Bay stage.

– It’s worth noting that I have a great team behind me, which has been crucial to my recovery, to me getting here and surfing at my best. I was dying to win this trophy, Ethan also wanted his second title and I said, “No, this is mine.” It’s been a long rainy day and I can only thank the Brazilians who have come here to support me – and conclude.

Ethan praises Felipe: “The best surfer in the world today”

In line with the runner-up – the Brazilian’s second in a row – Ethan Ewing made a point of paying tribute to Felipe Toledo, who rated him as the best surfer in the world today.

– It was great to be back in the final here, a beautiful event and I can only congratulate Filipe on the title. I’m really happy to qualify for the finals. Ethan commented that today Phillip has the best surfing in the world and deserved to win today, just as Lucky also deserved it in the women’s competition.

The next leg of the World Tour takes place from August 11-20 in Tahiti. This will be the last stop before the WSL Finals in September in California. Only the top five take part in the decisive competition.