What started as a bit of fun among friends has now become a globally talked-about surf competition and a firm favourite among athletes. The next edition of Capítulo Perfeito powered by Billabong is just around the corner, and as always, it’s bringing some heavyweights from the world of surfing. Whether you’re a surfing expert or a casual fan, this event is guaranteed to impress, and judging by past editions, it always delivers. This year, the waiting period kicks off on January 11th and runs until March 11th. As soon as the green light is given and the event date is set, expect top-notch surf, high-level competition, and plenty of excitement.
Before we dive into the new developments for this year, let’s quickly explain for those new to the scene. The waiting period might be a foreign concept for some, but if it’s your first time attending a competition, here’s a quick rundown: the event is dependent on the right sea and wind conditions to ensure tubular waves worthy of a high-level competition. Therefore, a window of time is set during which surfers must be ready to hit the water as soon as the stars align (wind strength and direction, as well as wave size and intensity, or “swell” if you want to sound like a pro). The green light for the big day is given just 72 hours in advance, after monitoring sea and atmospheric conditions, giving surfers ample time to prepare for the one-day event.
And what can we expect this year?
No matter the day, Capítulo Perfeito powered by Billabong is always brimming with talent – both local and international –, incredible energy, and unforgettable moments on the beach. But what’s new? This year, in addition to the existing wild-card category, a new wild-card performance category has been added. This will give the organisers the opportunity to extend a last-minute invite to an international surfer who stands out in tubular waves during the event’s waiting period.
Another exciting addition for 2025 is the special women’s heat, which will bring together some of the best Portuguese female surfers in a unique heat set between the semi-finals and the final of Capítulo Perfeito. This side event will feature surfers Camila Cardoso, Kika Veselko, Yolanda Hopkins, and Mafalda Lopes, who emphasizes that this is “the path to follow” in order to show the world that women’s surfing has so much to offer.
In addition to these surfers, eight international surfers have direct entry into the competition – Aritz Aranburu, Balaram Stack, Bruno Santos, Clay Marzo, Craig Anderson, Noa Deane, Noah Beschen, and Rob Machado – along with four Portuguese surfers – João Maria Mendonça, Miguel Blanco, Nic von Rupp, and Pedro Boonman. Also joining the lineup is the reigning champion, Tiago Stock, who secures his spot with the wild card as the defending title holder.
Up for public vote to secure their place in the national surfers category are Martim Carrasco, António Cardoso, Martim Fortes, Luís Perloiro, Guilherme Ribeiro, Guilherme Fonseca, and João Guedes. You can cast your vote for your favourites until January 11th on the event's website.
There’s also an exciting update for the winner of this year’s event. The prize money for 2025 has increased to €50,000.
If you can’t make it to the beach on the day, don’t worry – you won’t miss the action. You can catch all the live action through Sport TV and also watch the bilingual webcast on the event’s website.
Always mindful of social responsibility, Capítulo Perfeito has launched a special t-shirt this year, featuring illustrations from all previous event posters. Priced at €30 and limited to just 100 pieces, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss. You can secure yours through the event's social media while supporting the Associação Olhar, which focuses on mental health support, as 50% of the proceeds from each sale go to the charity.
Rui Costa, the founder of this competition that has since “created an international community in search of the best tubes,” acknowledges the “duty of the organisers to present the best waves to the public and meet the expectations of the surfers.” As such, they’re committed to doing everything possible to make it even better. See you on a perfect day at Carcavelos?