When I think back to the start of this year’s CT season, the main thing I wanted to see was some new blood on the podium. Carissa Moore is no stranger to that podium — but seeing her back on top, delivering back-to-back victories over a stacked women’s field, with her family in tow, certainly feels new.
2026 may just be the year ‘Riss gets her rizz back. Not only did she take down veteran competitor and fellow world champ, Tyler Wright, she’s put the wildly talented Gen Z contingent — Caity Simmers, Luana Silva, Erin Brooks, Carline Marks, et al. — on notice that she’s far from finished. Will this be the year she gets her sixth world title? We’re certainly excited to see what happens next.
On the men’s side, Leonardo Fioravanti’s victory was emotional — more than a decade in the making. A first for Leo means a first for Italy, and it’s about time a new country entered the chat. Before the season started, I’d hoped to see guys like Leo, Ramzi, and Rio make their way to the top, to switch things up and keep it interesting. On Saturday at Punta Roca, Leo did exactly that.
Moore Back-to-Back
For the five-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, El Salvador marked her 30th career CT victory and her first in Central America. Moore beat two-time World Champion Tyler Wright in the women’s Final after a back-and-forth exchange that came down to the final five minutes.
“I’m literally baffled,” Moore said. “When I saw Tyler in the locker room, I just said, ‘This is like the old days, this is awesome.’ It’s really cool to see the veterans make a push this year, make some Finals, and take some wins.”
Moore credited her run partly to having her husband on board as a trial coach for select events this season — a setup that, in her words, “seemed to work out at this one.” She’s now headed to the VIVO Rio Pro with her family in tow.
Aaron Hughes/World Surf League
Fioravanti’s Breakthrough
Aaron Hughes/World Surf League
For Fioravanti, the win was a decade in the making and brings Italy it’s first-ever CT win. The 28-year-old has been close before, including a heartbreaker at Pipe last year, but on Saturday it all came together.
Despite a slow start against an in-form Marco Mignot in the Quarters, Leo got it together at the back end of the heat. Once he switched on, he was precise, powerful, masterful. The momentum changed after an incredible ride that earned him a 9.00, the event’s highest score. From there it was on to face World No. 1 Italo Ferreira.
He opened with an 8.33 on the first wave and never gave up the lead. The win catapulted him to World No. 3 in the rankings.
“It doesn’t feel real,” Fioravanti said. “This sport is so hard, and I’ve dedicated the last 10 years of my life to getting this win. I’ve come close a lot of times, and it feels unreal. That Final at Pipe last year really broke my heart, but I never gave up. My moment would come, and I just kept believing in that.”
Italo, on One Leg
Ryan Miller
Ferreira, who’d been carrying a knee injury into the event, called his run a matter of faith.
“The first days after, I couldn’t even walk. I just prayed that I would come back. Then it was not about performance — it was about fate. God gave me a lot of energy to keep going and stay on top. The stitches are still here, but they will come out in Brazil.”
Despite the injury, Ferreira posted back-to-back CT Final appearances and held onto the yellow leader’s jersey. He heads to home waters at the VIVO Rio Pro still atop the rankings.
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