How Did Yago Dora Overtake Griffin Colapinto in the Paddle Battle from the Lexus WSL Finals?

Yago Dora’s paddle battle victory over Griffin Colapinto at the Lexus WSL Finals in Cloudbreak wasn’t just about Griffin being fatigued - it was about strategy.

In this breakdown, I’ll show you how Yago used drag principles, drafting, and sprint timing to conserve energy and overtake Griffin at the perfect moment.

You’ll learn:

• What frontal drag is and how it affects paddling speed
• Why drafting saves massive energy in paddle battles
• How Yago timed his sprint acceleration to maximum effect
• The role of frontal and wave drag and why surfers can’t escape displacement mode

This isn’t just physics - it’s applied paddling strategy that even pros I coach use to gain an edge.

Want to dive deeper? Grab the Level 1 Paddling Technique Book to learn the techniques to apply these principles yourself.