Competition suspended at Rio Pro
John John Florence of Hawaii surfs during the World Surf League (WSL) Rio Pro championship men's semi-final at Barra da Tijuca beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 19, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] |
RIO DE JANEIRO -- Officials declared a lay day at the Rio Pro on Monday due to flat surf at Itauna beach.
In a statement, the World Surf League said competition would likely resume on Tuesday in Saquarema, around 100km east of Rio de Janeiro.
"We expect the swell to pick up and that conditions will improve on Tuesday," the statement said. "We will return in the morning to re-evaluate the waves and make an eventual call on whether to resume."
Round five of the men's competition features four heats: Wiggolly Dantas of Brazil against Australia's Joel Parkinson; an all-Brazilian duel between Gabriel Medina and Yago Dora; South Africa's Jordy Smith against Australian Julian Wilson; and the American Kanoa Igarashi against Matt Wilkinson of Australia.
Triple world champion Mick Fanning has already booked a quarterfinal berth, as has compatriots Adrian Buchan and Owen Wright. Brazil's Adrian de Souza is also through to the next round.
Hawaii's defending world champion John John Florence was eliminated by Dora in Round 3.