SÃO PAULO, Brazil (Thursday, September 17, 2020) - Today, the World Surf League (WSL) announced the full list of participants for Onda do Bem, a one-night charity event that is part of The WSL Countdown, and will take place tomorrow, September 18, 2020. WSL Champions Ítalo Ferreira and Adriano de Souza, who just announced his upcoming retirement following the 2021 season, will join the lineup along with 13 other Brazilian surfers and 10 celebrities for a special nighttime event from 12pm to 5pm PT / 3pm to 8pm ET. The night surfing event will also feature music acts and will support a Brazilian non-profit foundation that helps children in need thrive through surfing.
Onda do Bem, which means the Wave of Positivity, will be broadcast live on worldsurfleague.com and YouTube, and through the local broadcast partner SporTV. There will also be drive-in viewing parties in both São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro where, for the first time, fans can join together to watch live surfing on big screens from their cars in addition to enjoying live music and film screenings.
Alongside Ferreira and De Souza, the following male athletes are competing this Friday: CT surfers Yago Dora, Miguel Pupo, Jadson André, Deivid Silva, Peterson Crisanto, Alex Ribeiro, as well as Junior World Champion Lucas Vicente and Wiggolly Dantas.
The 5 female athletes competing will be Olympic qualifier Silvana Lima, Brazilian Champion and longboard prodige Julia Santos, World No. 3 longboarder Chlóe Calmon, 2018 Latin American Surf Tour runner-up Karon Ribeiro-Gilson, and Brazilian Pro Junior Champion Julia Duarte Martins.
"I am very anxious,'' said Dora. "I haven't put the jersey on in a long time. It will be really cool to feel the butterflies in my stomach again. I've only surfed at night a few times in my life, and it's quite different because you need to have your senses enhanced. That level of difficulty is bringing more excitement to us. I'm also motivated by the charity cause, so this is going to be a really nice event."
"It will be a lot of fun to compete with celebrities," said Lima. "It will be beautiful to compete at night, for the first time, with all those colored lights."
Athletes will be joined by 10 of the biggest Brazilian personalities, like the DJ and music producer Papatinho, the Olympian medalist Flavio Canto, and actors Danni Suzuki, Klebber Toledo and Paulo Vilhena. Other celebrities are Paulo Zulu, Marina Werneck, Alana Pacelli, Larissa Murai, Erica Prado, Bárbara Müller; Edilson Assunção, and Lucas Chumbo, considered one of the best big wave riders in the world, winner of the 2020 Nazaré Tow Surfing Challenge (Portugal), in the duo category.
The 25 competitors will be divided into five thematic teams, with five competitors each, being three professional surfers (two male and one female) and two personalities (one male and one female).
Onda do Bem will follow strict safety protocols, following the practices determined by the World Health Organization. The event is proudly supported by Jeep, Havaianas, and Red Bull.