Brazil's Italo Ferreira won the Shiseido Tahiti Pro in giant glassy tubes at the Olympic venue of Teahupo'o on Thursday, showcasing the spectacular potential of the world's best surfers in perfect waves for the world's biggest sporting event.
Ferreira, the 2020 Tokyo Games gold medalist, beat Hawaiian John John Florence, who will surf for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics, in flawless but fearsome waves of 4 to 5 meters.
Ferreira got the perfect start to the final, watching Florence get pummeled on his first wave then catching two absolute bombs for a pair of excellent scores.