Florianopolis, Santa Catarina / Brazil (Thursday, January 22, 2015) – The CEO for the World Surf League, Paul Speaker, and the Event General Manager, Graham Stapelberg, traveled from the United States to Brazil to offer their condolences to the family of Ricardo dos Santos (BRA), 24, from the State of Santa Catarina, who passed away on Tuesday after being stricken by three gunshots on Monday in his front yard at Guarda do Embau, in Palhoça, Santa Catarina.
Due to a late landing at the Florianopolis airport, Speaker and Stapelberg were unable to arrive in time for the burial on Wednesday afternoon at the Paulo Lopes cemetery. However, they participated in the tribute organized by the Santa Catarina Surf Federation (FECASURF) and the Guarda do Embau Surf Association in honor of Ricardo dos Santos held at the iconic river-mouth beachbreak at Guarda do Embau, where dos Santos lived and learned how to surf.
The WSL South America Regional Director, Roberto Perdigao, was in attendance to represent the World Surf League for the funeral held at the Guarda do Embau, as well as the mass and burial ceremony held at the Paulo Lopes cemetery.
The WSL officials visited the Ricardo dos Santos family, who were riddled with grief at the loss of such a great talent in the sport of surfing, and who was proud to defend the Brazilian flag at two of the most dangerous waves on the Men’s Championship Tour: Pipeline in Hawaii and Teahupoo in Tahiti.
