**Brooks Takes Three-Peat at Trestles Pro; Pupo Claims Men’s Win for Brazil**
In an impressive display of skill and determination, Canadian surfer Erin Brooks secured her third consecutive victory on the World Championship Tour at the Trestles Pro held on Friday. The 19-year-old talent, who has been recognized as a potential world champion, faced challenges earlier in the season but has now found her footing, culminating in this latest triumph.
Brooks' journey to the top at Trestles was anything but straightforward. After struggling in the first six events of her sophomore season, where she failed to advance past the second round, she turned her performance around dramatically. Her comeback began with a spectacular win in the challenging waves of Tahiti, followed by another victory at the Fiji Pro just weeks later.
The Trestles Pro, set against the backdrop of Southern California's renowned surfing culture, featured high-performance, head-high waves that provided an ideal stage for the finals. Brooks showcased her talent by defeating five-time world champion Carissa Moore in the quarterfinals and reigning world champion Molly Picklum in the semifinals.
In the final, Brooks faced off against world number one Gabriela Bryan. She started strong, scoring 7.0 out of 10 with a series of precise backhand turns. Bryan responded with a solid 6.33, demonstrating her own powerful forehand maneuvers, but Brooks maintained control throughout the heat. A second mid-range score solidified her lead, and she sealed her victory with a final score of 6.0, bringing her total to 13 points.
Reflecting on her journey, Brooks expressed her satisfaction with the win, stating, “The first part of the year was such a bummer, but this makes it worth it. So many hard heats just made me want to work even harder and now I’ve gotten to this point and I want to keep going.” She recalled her determination from the previous year, when she set a personal goal to win at Trestles.
Brooks' three-peat marks a significant achievement in the surfing world, being the first since Australian surfing legend Stephanie Gilmore accomplished the feat in 2008.
In the men’s competition, Brazil's Miguel Pupo also made headlines by claiming victory over Japan’s Kanoa Igarashi. Pupo, who has been a professional surfer for 16 years, demonstrated his experience and skill throughout the event. He took an early lead in the final, scoring a series of mid-range points with powerful forehand turns. His scores improved as the heat progressed, reaching a total of 14.40.
However, Pupo made a decisive move when he caught a larger wave, executing multiple backhand maneuvers that earned him an impressive 8.5. He followed this with a left-hander that featured sharp turns and a small aerial, scoring 6.27 and finishing with a total of 14.77, securing his second win of the year.
“It’s been such hard work this year,” Pupo commented after his victory. “I feel like this is my last shot at it, and so I’m going to do it all the way and I’m happy to come up with two wins.”
The Trestles Pro results set the stage for the upcoming competitive season, with a two-event “post-season” scheduled for the top 24 men and 16 women in Portugal and the Philippines. The entire field will reconvene for the season finale at Hawaii’s Pipeline in December, where the competition will continue to heat up as surfers vie for championship titles.
As the surfing community reflects on the performances at Trestles, both Brooks and Pupo have solidified their positions as formidable competitors in the sport, showcasing the talent and resilience required to succeed at the highest levels of professional surfing.