There were six important heats that involved the Hawaiians and we advanced without a single loss. A remarkable feat considering the level of competition. While the surf was decreasing throughout the day, the winds remained light-but-onshore, blowing a serene 8- miles-per-hour throughout the day and keeping everyone on their toes.

Dylan Goodale is the only under-18 surfer on the team without a loss as he had continued his string of qualifying advances by consistently connecting waves from the outside through the inside sections. Goodale’s surfing pinnacled when he pounded a backhand smash through the inside section, raising the bar by scoring a 7.5 on his opening wave. With a few moments remaining in his heat, Goodale was left needing a score to continue his quest to win the under 18 title for Hawaii. True to form, Goodale perservered and is now 4-0.

At the very same time Goodale was advancing, Tanner Hendrickson was 550 yards down the beach doing the exact same thing, giving us a glimpse of what to expect throughout the remainder of the day. Four heats later Albee Layer displayed power style and definition with his every move at podium two. Layer’s surfing was far more advanced and mature than the rest of the competitor’s in his heat and he easily advanced, giving both these boys a 4-1 record as the games enter Day 6.

By mid-afternoon, the Hawaian team was three for three and we all moved back to Podium One for three of the most exciting back to back-to-back heats in recent history involving our Hawaiian team. Undefeated with just three heats left before making it to the final, Malia Manuel led the charge by entering the water first, scoring a solid 7.5 before the rest of the pack knew what happened. Manuel followed her opening volley with a solid backup wave that secured her a first-place position. The team erupted in a fit of cheers as she paddled in, creating team momentum in the process.

Next up was Alessa Cuizon, fully recovered from the flu, who put her natural talent to use lip bashing a wave from the outside through the shorebreak. With her tail, fins, spray and arms a perfect symphony, Cuizon destroyed the wave face across a 25- yard inside section, scoring a 9.17. With two minutes in the heat, Alessa still needed a backup wave or her lead to secure her lead. It’s clear that today fate favored the Hawaiians as a flurry of waves appeared and Alessa caught and rode an inside section giving her a first-place finish.

Then it was Leila Hurst turn where she drew the roughest heat of the day, pulling last year’s champ, Laura Enever, along with two accomplished French riders. As the horn sounded, Leila struck first and scored a super-shaped wave that stalled in midsection, opening up for Leila to drop a solid 9-point ride—as well as some jaws—in the process. Leila followed her 9 with a solid four-point back-up wave. But Enever can never be counted out. In the dying moments, she struck back with a stellar wave that placed her in first place, relegating Hurst to second place. Regardless, the Hawaiians made it a clean sweep, giving all six surfers who rode today an advancement to the next round.

Stirring waves, amazing finishes, excellent conditions and unity kept the team together through the thick and thin of the day. Most of the Hawaiian team will be on the docket for day six. Stay tuned as we stay sharp.