EP 241: Mitchell Salazar – Connor O’Leary’s maiden CT win!!, 3x wins for Gabby Bryan, Goofyfooters at J-Bay, Mayhem clinches, and the Race to the Final 5 heats up before Tahiti

With Finals Day firing at Jeffreys Bay, The Lineup returns to break down all the action from the Corona Cero Open J-Bay. Host Dave Prodan is joined by WSL commentator and part-time co-host Mitch Salazar to unpack Connor O’Leary’s maiden CT victory and Gabriela Bryan’s continued ascent to World No. 1 – both coached by Richard “Dog” Marsh, making it a banner day for the Dog Pound. The crew digs into Winners & Losers from South Africa, highlighting a rare all-goofy-foot men’s final, the underwhelming wildcard performances, and what the result means for surfers like Yago Dora, who now holds the yellow jersey heading into the final stop of the regular season. They break down the new-look Top 5 and the looming pressure cooker at the Lexus Tahiti Pro, where the last World Title slots are up for grabs. Plus, a look at the Vissla CT Shaper Rankings where …Lost Surfboards has officially clinched the 2025 crown, a Fantasy Surfing update, and Instagram fan questions covering everything from coaching dynasties to Finals scenarios.

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Watch the highlights from the Corona Open J-Bay Presented by O'Neill.

Catch the next generation of potential CT surfers at U.S. Open of Surfing Presented by Pacifico, July 26 - Aug 3.

The race for the Final 5 culminates at the final CT event of the regular season at the Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, Aug 7 - 16. Stay tuned!

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