Monster Energy’s Frederico Morais Takes First Place at the Portugal Cup of Surfing 28-Year-Old Portuguese Surfer Edges Ahead of Current World Champion Italo Ferreira in WSL Event



What a performance! Monster Energy congratulates Frederico Morais on winning the MEO Portugal Cup of Surfing in the coastal town of Ericeira on Friday. In a nail-biting final, the 28-year-old from Cascais, Portugal, rose to the top of an international leaderboard including current World Champion Italo Ferreira in an event organized by the World Surf League (WSL).



Contested as an invite-only event, the MEO Portugal Cup of Surfing was part of the two-stop WSL Euro Cup of Surfing 2020. Broadcast live via web stream, the closed-to-the-public competition featured twelve male and twelve female elite surfers on the waves of Ribeira de Ilhas beach in Ericera from September 28 to October 2. Previously, riders had battled for points in the French Rendez-Vous of Surfing 2020 on September 23. The WSL donated prize money from both events to charity.



When the competition hit the powerful Atlantic swells in Ericeira, hometown hero Morais left no doubt that this was his local spot. Having honed his skills on the Atlantic coast of Portugal his whole life, Morais worked the right-hand point at Ribeira de Ilhas with power and precision.



Morais rode his final wave with four stylish turns, attacking the break with floaters and snaps before hitting a perfect tail slide at the top of the wave. When all was said and done, the judges named Frederico “Kikas” Morais the winner of the event, thereby ending current WSL World Champion Italo Ferreira’s nearly one year-long winning streak.



“It’s amazing to win at home, I just feel so special! Mostly winning against the actual World Champ and also really good surfing in the semi-finals against Kanoa Igarashi. It’s been a really fun week, a lot of good waves, a lot of good surfing,” said Morais upon winning the Portugal Cup of Surfing.



This weekend’s victory continues a strong season for Morais. In 2019, the Monster Energy team rider qualified for the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT) and was selected to represent Portugal in the shortboard surfing event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (now postponed until 2021). In 2017, Morais was named Best European Male Surfer of the Year by surfing association EuroSima and emerged as the best European performer at the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games. Definitely keep an eye on what’s next Morais!



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For more on Morais and Monster Energy’s surfing athletes visit www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.



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Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, it’s the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at www.monsterenergy.com.