Report from day two | Cauipe, Brazil | Words: Liam Dredge | Photo: Svetlana Romantsova
- On day two, we completed the Men’s Surf-Freestyle division
- Malo Guenole clinched victory in the event by a margin of less than a point, narrowly defeating the reigning Surf-Freestyle World Champion, Chris MacDonald
- Today, we continue with the Women’s Surf-Freestyle and FreeFly-Slalom disciplines
From the first heat to the last, the focus on day two was to wrap up and crown the Men’s Surf-Freestyle event winner here in Brazil.
Day one featured better swell, with waves a little cleaner. However, on day two, a slightly smaller swell accompanied by stronger winds prevailed. By the day’s end, Malo Guenole (FRA) secured both hands on the title, concluding the Surf-Freestyle 2023 year on a high note.
Malo Guenole and Christopher MacDonald (USA) are no strangers to facing off in finals. Once again, Cauipe witnessed the pair battling it out for one last fight. Malo Guenole, flawless throughout the competition, this time gained the upper hand and clinched the event win at the last stop in 2023. The showdown between these two athletes was intense, with hits traded right up until the end.
MacDonald burst out of the gates, executing two massive freestyle maneuvers, including the highest-scoring trick of the heat, a 9.20 frontside 1080. While Malo didn’t score above an 8 (a rare occurrence in all previous heats), his combined score narrowly edged past Chris’s. The last wave, a 7.50, served as the final nail in the coffin.
Reflecting on the defeat, Chris Macdonald graciously remarked, “Super fun against my good buddy Malo. I was so tired the entire time, but I tried my best. I’m really happy with my improvement in the waves, and hopefully, I can do better next time.”
Malo Guenole shared his thoughts on the final, saying, “My final was pretty stressful; I missed all my tricks but then managed to get my rhythm back. Of course, my goal is to win every event, so I’m super stoked to win this one.”
Click HERE to read the full report from day two.
Copa Kitley GWA Wingfoil World Cup Cauipe Surf-Freestyle Men’s Results
1 Malo Guenole (FRA)
2 Christopher Macdonald (USA)
3 Bastien Escofet (FRA)
4 Clement Hamon (FRA)
