The swell’s size didn’t live up to the hopes of a promising forecast at Carcavelos but offshore conditions have been grooming some perfect barrels for The Perfect Chapter. And those winds were howling long before the sun even came up Saturday morning, so if you like barrels, the single-day contest will be a good watch.
Anthony Walsh, the 2020 champion, received an automatic invite this year, and some familiar (and intriguing) names like Adriano de Souza, Clay Marzo, Russel Bierke, Cory Lopez, and others are joining a roster of Portuguese surfers Miguel Blanco, Pedro Boonman, and more in the barrel-focused event. Adrian “Ace” Buchan” and Nic von Rupp were forced to withdraw from the contest — Buchan, due to an ankle injury and von Rupp, due to a rib injury.
“I’m so bummed,” von Rupp said about the news. “Unfortunately I hurt my ribs at Nazaré in the event, so I’ve got two, three weeks to recover. Nothing’s broken but pretty bruised.”
