Foto por: Lima Junior
,, Both champions, Juliana and Michael Rodrigues, received the same prize of R$50K at Taíba Beach, while Analu Silva and Wesley Leite each received R$25K as second places.
Surfers Juliana dos Santos and Michael Rodrigues, from Ceará, won the Surf Brasil Pro at home. Now they lead the race for this year’s Brazilian titles. Michael, who lives in Florianópolis (Santa Catarina), defeated São Paulo surfer Wesley Leite, avenging the loss he suffered in the final of the Vila Velha (Espírito Santo) stage in 2024. In the women’s division, Brazilian champion Juliana dos Santos confirmed her favoritism against the young surfer from Paraíba, Analu Silva.
Photo: Juliana dos Santos is the standout performer in the 1ª stop of Surf Brasil Pro
Thanks to two strong waves, the surfer born in Ceará managed to defeat the competitor from Paraíba. “It takes a lot of determination to be here, giving up many things in our lives to enjoy this moment and give our best. That fills our hearts with joy, so I’m happy and I want to thank all my sponsors,” said Juliana dos Santos. Both champions, Juliana and Michael Rodrigues, received the same prize of R$50K at Taíba Beach, while Analu Silva and Wesley Leite each received R$25K as second places.
Photo: Michael Rodrigues impressed throughout all the heats
Michael Rodrigues, a Ceará native who now lives in Santa Catarina, emphasized the importance of competitions in athletes’ careers. “I lose more than I win, and it’s very difficult when we lose. There is a lot of investment, a lot of time, and many families depend on this. Even though the Brazilian surfing scene has improved and nowadays we can make a living from the sport, it is still necessary to achieve good results in competitions. Many don’t have sponsorship, so this victory goes out to them,” said the champion.
Photo: Taíba debuts the new format of the Surf Brasil Pro 2026
Former professional surfer and current president of the Brazilian Surfing Confederation, Teco Padaratz, explained the importance of the Ceará stage in the circuit: “It’s a joy to start the year with good waves in a city where we are welcomed with open arms by people who like us and love surfing,” he said. “Not only the local government, but also the local people welcome us with smiles, and that is the greatest pleasure of all. Today’s finals were exciting, and it’s great that we introduced a new format that already allows a young athlete like Analu to shine and immediately become part of the top athletes on the circuit. That was the goal, and we achieved it in the first stop. I’m very happy to be back in Taíba,” concluded Teco.
Photo: Eight more Brazilian states will host the Surf Brasil Pro this year
The next event of Brazil’s biggest surfing gathering will take place at Borete Beach, from May 9 to 17, in Porto de Galinhas, Ipojuca, on the southern coast of Pernambuco. All stops of Surf Brasil Pro 2026 are broadcast in full on the Surf Brasil TV YouTube channel. The new feature this year is that the final day will also be broadcast live on the Time Brasil TV YouTube channel, run by the Brazilian Olympic Committee.
PHOTOGRAFER: LIMA JUNIOR
