Francisco Ordonhas was crowned the 2025 national surfing champion this Sunday, after securing the title before the Bom Petisco Peniche Pro, the fifth and final stage of the 2025 MEO Surf League, concluded.
Ordonhas, 20, arrived in Peniche as the heavy favourite for the title and took the lead in the rankings as soon as the stage began. However, his elimination in round 3 left him dependent on the results of the several contenders still in the competition.
As some of the contenders were eliminated on the final day at Lagido Beach, Francisco Ordonhas began to inch closer to the title. In the semifinals, only Jaime Veselko and Tomás Fernandes remained with a chance of becoming champions, but they had to win the stage. Both were eliminated in the semifinals, and Ordonhas was automatically crowned champion.
“My goal was to be champion, but things didn’t go well for me yesterday,” Francisco Ordonhas began. “That’s why today was a difficult morning, watching my opponents’ heats and biting my nails in the sand. However, despite being eliminated yesterday, things went well for me today. This was a goal I already had. As soon as I realised I had a chance, I gave everything in the final stages to try to win the title. Winning in the Azores put me in a good position, and it finally happened. Now, I need to take advantage of this to focus on the future and carry this motivation into the next championships,” he emphasised.
After winning the stage in the Azores, finishing second in Figueira da Foz, and 9th in Porto and Matosinhos, 9th place in Peniche was enough for the reigning European junior champion to secure the first national title of his career.
All stages can be followed live on Sport TV, as well as on other official channels: MEO’s Facebook page, the MEO app – available at position 810 on the MEO channel grid, at www.ansurfistas.com, and on social media at @ansurfistas.
The MEO Surf League 2025 is organised by the National Association of Surfers, sponsored by MEO, Bom Petisco, Allianz Seguros, Go Chill, Corona, Somersby, PRIO, sustainability partner Jerónimo Martins, Quiksilver, Visit Portugal, local support from the Municipality of Peniche, and technical support from the Peniche Surfing Club and the Portuguese Surfing Federation.
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