After football and driving cars very fast Surfing is Brazil’s national obsession. The beach culture associated with its most iconic city, Rio, makes it the obvious place for a tour stop. Some say the changeable beach break conditions are not worthy of the ‘Dream Tour’ but  the electric Brazilian crowds and open competition make it one of the most exciting stops.

The wave is a standard beach break so it is totally sandbar and swell development, some years it’s been all about barrels other times it’s all about turns and airs, it’s the variety of conditions that make it exciting.

Who to watch out for?

The Brazilians are always ones to look out for, the passionate home crowd drove Adriano De Souza to a first WCT win here, and all the Brazilians are dangerous in all conditions.

Other than that it’s one of the most open events on tour, it’s anyone’s for the taking, and can really make or break a world title run as many a contender as fallen early here or cemented a title run.

2013 Billabong Rio Pro Video:

How to watch?

The whole of the tour is broadcast live on a free webcast, just go to www.aspworldtour.com and follow the link.

Rio is GMT -3, so for us in Europe it’s a pretty easy watch. The event runs typically over the best three days of the holding period.