Luke Thompson on a Tear in Portugal

Luke Thompson is on a tear in Portugal right now, surfing with the kind of flow and confidence that makes everything look easy. Heat after heat, he’s been linking turns, drawing the cleanest lines, and pushing just hard enough to keep his momentum rolling. Watching him, you get the sense that he’s locked into that rare rhythm where the ocean seems to cooperate with every decision. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen him fall yet in this event. Every section he hits, every wave he picks, it’s all clicking.

That’s the thing about surfing at this level, when you’re on, you’re on. Thompson’s composure under pressure stands out. Even when the lineup goes quiet or when he’s needing a score, he doesn’t force it. Instead, he stays patient, trusts his instincts, and the wave shows up. Once he’s up and riding, there’s this mix of precision and ease that makes his performances feel inevitable, as if the outcome was decided before he even paddled in.

Now, with his latest run of results, he’s moved to second on the live rankings. It’s a big statement in a season where consistency has been hard to come by for so many. Portugal has always been a proving ground, and Thompson’s showing that he’s not just here to survive heats, he’s here to set the pace. If he keeps surfing like this, it’ll be hard for anyone to catch him.

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