Trent Reinsmith
- What: World Surf League 2023 Men’s MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal
- When: March 8-16, 2023
- Where: Supertubos at Peniche, Leiria, Portugal
- How to Watch: YouTube
The 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour kicked off in late January with the Billabong Pro Pipeline event at the Banzai Pipeline in Oahu, Hawaii. The event saw Australian competitor Jack Robinson defeat Italian surfer Leonardo Fioravanti in the finals. The second WSL event of 2023, the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach, wrapped up on February 23. Filipe Toledo, the 2022 WSL World Champion, won that event. Toledo topped Griffin Colapinto in the final. The third event of the WSL 2023 Championship Tour, the MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal starts this week. Colapinto defeated Toledo in the final of the 2022 edition of the MEO Portugal Pro.
The points race for the 2023 WSL season is already heating up. Robinson, with a first and a third in the two WSL events of the year, is leading the pack. Following Robinson is Brazil’s Toledo, who has a fifth and a first-place finish this year. In third place in the points race is another Brazilian, Joao Chianca, who has placed third in both 2023 WSL Championship tour events.
Before we look at the at the odds, picks and predictions for the third event of the 2023 World Surf League season, the 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal, check out our sportsbooks guide to get started on making the best WSL bets, and while you’re at it, take a look at the best sports betting apps and mobile options.
WSL 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal picks
| To Win 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal |  |
| John John Florence | +500 |
| Gabriel Medina | +500 |
| Filipe Toledo | +650 |
| Italo Ferreira | +650 |
| Jack Robinson | +750 |
| Griffin Colapinto | +900 |
| Kanoa Igarashi | +1000 |
| Joao Chianca | +1400 |
| Ethan Ewing | +2000 |
| Jordy Smith | +2500 |
| Caio Ibelli | +3300 |
| Yago Dora | +3300 |
| Leonardo Fioravanti | +4000 |
| Kelly Slater | +4000 |
| Miguel Pupo | +5000 |
| Ryan Callinan | +5000 |
| Barron Mamiya | +5000 |
| Frederico Morais | +5000 |
| Gatien Delahaye | +5000 |
| Joan Duru | +5000 |
| Seth Moniz | +6600 |
| Samuel Pupo | +6600 |
| Kolohe Andino | +6600 |
| Matthew McGillivray | +8000 |
| Rio Waida | +8000 |
| Connor O'Leary | +8000 |
| Nat Young | +10000 |
| Liam O'Brien | +10000 |
| Callum Robson | +10000 |
| Maxime Huscenot | +10000 |
| Ezekiel Lau | +10000 |
| Ian Gentil | +15000 |
| Jake Marshall | +15000 |
| Jackson Baker | +15000 |
| Michael Rodrigues | +15000 |
| Carlos Munoz | +15000 |
John John Florence
Injuries kept John John Florence from surfing a complete 2022 WSL Championship Tour season. The 30-year-old Hawaiian missed the final four events of the year because of injury. Florence had four top-five finishes in the six events he competed in during the 2022 WSL Championship Tour. He has won the WSL World Championship twice (2016 and 2017).
Florence, who competes out of Hawaii, is currently the No. 7 ranked surfer on the WSL Championship Tour after placing fifth at the Billabong Pro Pipeline and ninth at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach.
Florence participated in this event in 2022, where he finished in third place behind Colapinto and Toledo. The Hawaiian won this event in 2016.
Gabriel Medina
Gabriel Medina missed the first five events of 2022 to look after his mental health and the last two events of the year because of injury. In the three events he competed in, Medina took third place in two of those events.
The 29-year-old Brazilian is a three-time WSL World Champion (2014, 2018 and 2021)
Medina is currently tied for eighth in the WSL points race with Miguel Pupo and Seth Moniz. Medina has two 9th place finishes under his belt for the 2023 WSL Championship season.
Medina missed this event in 2022, but he did win in Portugal in 2017. In his most recent appearance at this event, which took place in 2019, Medina took ninth.
Filipe Toledo
The 2022 WSL world champion has started the 2023 WSL Championship season hot. The 27-year-old Brazilian is in second place in points this year after finishing fifth at the Billabong Pro Pipeline event and then winning the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach event. As mentioned above, Toledo finished in second place in Portugal in 2022. He won the event in 2015.
With his win at the WSL World Championship to close out the 2022 season and how he has performed in the early going of the 2023 campaign, Toledo’s confidence will be very high when he competes in Portugal.
Jack Robinson
Last year Jack Robinson had his best performance as a competitor on the WSL Championship Tour. The 25-year-old Australian won two events, the Margaret River Pro and the Quiksilver Pro G-Land, while finishing as the runner-up at the Corona Open J-Bay. At the end of the year, Robinson finished in third place at the Rip Curl WSL Finals. Robinson started 2023 on a high note, winning the Billabong Pro Pipeline. While Robinson did not go back-to-back to open the 2023 WSL season, he placed a respectable third at the Hurley Pro Sunset Beach event.
Robinson had a disappointing 17th place finish in Portugal in 2022, but I would not make too much out of that since he followed his 17th place finish at the 2022 Billabong Pro Pipeline with a victory in that event in 2023.
Best bet to win the 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal
With two solid performances behind him in 2023 and excellent showing in 2022, which saw him finish the year at No. 3 in the WSL Rip Curl WSL Finals, it’s hard to doubt Jack Robinson heading into the 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
Pick: Jack Robinson to win the 2023 MEO Rip Curl Pro Portugal.
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