North Shore, Oahu, HAWAII – (Monday, March 21, 2016) — 2016 goals are set, the World Surf League (WSL) Junior Qualifying Series (JQS) season is in full swing and the teens stormed the North Shore for a full day of competition at the Pipe Pro Junior. A JQS1,000 rated event, this is the eleventh stop on the Junior tour and third contest in the Hawaii/Tahiti Nui region.
Fresh off a win in Tahiti, current Junior ratings leader Noah Hill (USA) from Maui went down in Round 2 to Keoni Picollo (HAW) and Quentin Turko (USA). Hill, 14, won the Papara Pro Junior last week with standout aerial maneuvers at the rampy beach break, but missed out on a solid finish today at Pipeline. Picollo, from Waialua, Oahu, is looking to make a final and raise his standing on the junior rankings.
Nolan Rapoza (USA) of Long Beach, California nailed the highest wave of the day, a 9.60 for a long Backdoor barrel. The 18-year-old used competitive strategy to hold off his opponent and ended up advancing in first place. Rapoza will head to the Caribbean in April for the Martinique Surf Pro QS3,000 and has his sights set on a productive year.
“I definitely want to win a Junior Pro, make some finals in the QS’s, I really just want to do good this year,” said Rapoza. “I want to get points to go into the 10,000’s, I want to make it to World Juniors, there’s a lot of goals this year so hopefully I succeed.”
Replacement surfer Kona Oliveira (HAW) had a solid start to the competition after getting into Round 1 in place of Will Gorssarth (USA). The 17-year-old had a near-perfect wave this morning, a 9.5 to take the heat win and advance ahead of Dante Silva (HAW).
“It felt good, got some waves. It’s not perfect but it’s definitely good enough to surf with only three guys out, I’m not complaining,” said Oliveira. “Every single heat there’s potential out there, you just have to pick and chose the right ones for sure.”
The North Shore surfer has strived each year to qualify for the Vans Triple Crown, the year-ending elite surfing series that takes place along the seven mile miracle.
“My goal for this year is really just get into the Triple Crown,” said Oliveira. “I want to be able to do Haleiwa, Sunset and try and get into that spot in Pipe. It’s been my dream since I was a little kid. It’s always the goal. But each year it feels like I’m getting closer and closer to it. So just keep doing what I’m doing and try to have fun with it and make some more heats.”
Another junior surfer with big goals is Sebastian Williams (ZAF), who is the only representative hailing from South Africa. Williams, 15, is originally from Puerto Escondido, Mexico but has been living in Durban for the past two years. The teen has spent this winter on the North Shore, staying at the Quiksilver house with his dad, Tim Williams, who was a travel judge for the WSL (formerly ASP) from 1984-86. Today Williams saw success after surfing through the first three rounds of competition, but missed out in the first Quarterfinal to Braden Jones (USA) and Barron Mamiya (HAW).
“It’s tough. I did the Sunset Pro Junior a while ago and the guys here are all really good surfers,” said Williams. “A lot of guys I haven’t heard of before and then you get them in your heat and wonder how good they are, and then you see them surf and think, ‘I really need to step my game up.’”
When competition resumes for the Juniors, in the water first will be the last Quarterfinal matchup against Kainehe Hunt (HAW), Keoni Picollo (HAW), Griffin Colapinto (USA), Quentin Turko (USA).
The first Semifinal has been set with Braden Jones (USA), Barron Mamiya (HAW), Cody Young (HAW) and Kala Willard (HAW).
A NW swell produced rippable 8-foot wave faces with offshore winds in the Pipe lineup today. Contest officials will reconvene tomorrow morning to make a call by 7am, with the Wahine Pipe Pro getting a start at 8am. Defending event winner Keala Kennelly (HAW) will surf in Heat 3 against Mainei Kinimaka (HAW), Stephanie Da Silva (HAW) and Leila Riccobuano (HAW).
Results
Pipe Pro Junior
Surfers shown in order of 1st through 4th
Quarterfinals – 1st and 2nd advance, 3rd=9th place, 4th=13th place
QF1: Braden Jones (USA), Barron Mamiya (HAW), Jake Marshall (USA), Sebastian Williams (ZAF)
QF2: Cody Young (HAW), Kala Williard (HAW), Kona Oliveira (HAW), Christopher Bluthardt (HAW)
QF3: Nolan Rapoza (USA), Ryland Rubens (USA), Finn McGill (HAW), Riley Laing (AUS)
Round of 32 – 1st and 2nd advance, 3rd=17th place, 4th=25th place
H1: Barron Mamiya (HAW), Kona Oliveira (HAW), Ryder Guest (HAW), Sammy Gray (HAW)
H2: Sebastian Williams (ZAF), Christopher Bluthardt (HAW), Dante Silva (HAW), Wyatt McHale (HAW)
H3: Kala Willard (HAW), Jake Marshall (USA), Cole Houshmand (USA), Kaulana Apo (HAW)
H4: Cody Young (HAW), Braden Jones (USA), Kainaru Kato (HAW), Kelson Lau (HAW)
H5: Finn McGill (HAW), Keoni Picollo (HAW), Brodi Sale (HAW), Makana Pang (HAW)
H6: Ryland Rubens (USA), Quentin Turko (USA), Taichi Wakita (JPN), Noah Beschen (HAW)
H7: Kainehe Hunt (HAW), Nolan Rapoza (USA), Cole Alves (HAW), Noa Mizuno (HAW)
H8: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Riley Laing (AUS), Logan Bediamol (HAW), Kalani Rivero (USA)
Round of 48 – 1st and 2nd advance, 3rd=33rd place, 4th=41th place
H1: Kona Oliveira (HAW), Dante Silva (HAW), Sage Tutterow (HAW), Kai McIntyre (HAW)
H2: Sebastian Williams (ZAF), Sammy Gray (HAW), Conor Kennedy (HAW), Wil Reid (USA) NS
H3: Cole Houshmand (USA), Kainaru Kato (HAW), Kuio Young (HAW), Kei Kobayashi (USA)
H4: Braden Jones (USA), Jake Marshall (USA), Jackson Bunch (HAW), Luke Swanson (HAW)
H5: Keoni Picollo (HAW), Quentin Turko (USA), Noah Hill (USA), Koa Yokota (HAW)
H6: Ryland Rubens (USA), Brodi Sale (HAW), Jake Riccobuano (HAW), Crosby Colapinto (USA)
H7: Nolan Rapoza (USA), Riley Laing (AUS), Ocean Macedo (HAW), Pono Auld (HAW)
H8: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Kainehe Hunt (HAW), Sage Burke (USA), Kanoa Shannon (USA)
Round of 56 – 1st and 2nd advance, 3rd=49th place, 4th=53rd place
H1: Kona Oliveira (HAW), Sebastian Williams (ZAF), Wolf Wertheimer (HKG), Simon Hetrick (USA)
H2: Cole Houshman (USA), Braden Jones (USA), Parker Cohn (USA), Nick Marshall (USA)
H3: Quentin Turko (USA), Crosby Colapinto (USA), Griffin Foy (USA), Aldo Chirinos (CRI)
H4: Nolan Rapoza (USA), Sage Burke (USA), Joe Keogh (AUS), Mauiki Raioha (PYF) NS