PAPARA, Tahiti, French Polynesia – (Wednesday, March 14, 2018) -- Gabriela Bryan (HAW)earned the first perfect 10-point ride of the Papara Pro Open Tahiti, a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 1,000 event, for committed, above-the-lip power surfing today in the women’s first Quarterfinal. Bryan was in a league of her own while the men’s division showcased equally high-performance surfing with the man-on-man Quarterfinal heats set for a final day tomorrow.

Bryan, who placed runner-up at the Papara Pro Junior Vahine two days ago and won the Sunset Pro Junior in January, had a flawless approach today and utilized priority with calculation. The wave set up perfectly for multiple maneuvers and she unanimously wowed the judges with high-level, seamless surfing.

“I had first priority on that and I needed to better a 7,” Bryan said post-heat. “Taking off, the wave looked like it was going to double-up pretty well and to better a 7 you kind of just need to put everything into every turn and that’s what I did. I had a pretty critical last section and I ended up making it, so I was pretty stoked.”


Absolute determination from Bryan garnered excellent scores from judges. Image: WSL/Thomas

Hailing from Kilauea, Kauai, Bryan, 15, has grown up surfing the powerful Hawaiian surf and attributes this to her steadfast style.

“On Kauai there’s so many gnarly waves that you just have to go out of your comfort zone and just give it your best, all while being safe,” she continued. “It definitely helps (being from Kauai) because you always are going to have to push the limits.”

Another notable performance from the women’s division came from Papeno‘o’s Karelle Poppke (PYF), niece and surf student to Hira Teriinatoofa (PYF), who had a standout performance in the  Men's Round 1 yesterday. Poppke had a commanding vertical backside attack and tallied an excellent 9.0 in the second Quarterfinal to eliminate Kelta O’Rourke (HAW) from competition. Poppke, 20, also had the highest two-wave total of the day in the women's division, a 17.80.


Local threat Poppke will go against Bryan in the first Semifinal once competition resumes. Image: WSL/Rolland

“The waves were pumping and really good,” Poppke said. “I just surf and have fun. It’s a challenge (going against the Hawaii athletes) because I know they have really good surf and I just want to prove my surfing. I’m just staying focused on my goal to win this contest and have fun in the water.”

A Tahitian power heat kept the beach abuzz with excitement when Taumata Puhetini, Vehiatua Prunier, Hira Teriinatoofa and Eliott Napias battled in the final exchange of the Men’s Round 3. Completely in command of the wave, Puhetini was a force of precision and poise and nailed multiple excellent rides, including a 9.50 for a long right-handed wall that provided the opportunity for a series of forehand attacks, capped off with a critical floater that landed him basically on the beach. Puhetini scored a combined heat total of 18.00, the highest in the competition.

“I feel pretty good, the waves are good today, some good lefts and rights and I found two good scores, I’m stoked,” said Puhetini. “I feel confident for tomorrow because I got that 9 and that 8, I surfed pretty good, my boards are good, I feel good and ready for tomorrow.”


Puhetini successfully completed his ride after landing the critical closeout section on the inside. Image: WSL/Rolland 

Puhetini last competed in the 2017 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing on Oahu’s North Shore, however cites financial reasons for not traveling or competing in 2018; the Papara Pro Men’s QS 1,000 is his first event of the year. When he is not surfing, Puhetini works as a local butcher in Fa‘a‘a and Papeete and hopes to travel back to Hawaii for the highly-anticipated winter surf season this year.

2016 Regional Junior Champion and technically polished goofy-footer, Noa Mizuno (HAW)advanced through two rounds today despite feeling under the weather.

“I woke up this morning a little sick so I’m just trying to preserve energy for tomorrow,” he said. “It seemed like I was trying to go through the motions, but guess I was getting bigger scores for those corner rights. But I was feeling good and my board feels really good, I can’t wait for tomorrow.”


Mizuno's backhand fundamentals were on-point in today's punchy surf. Image: WSL/Rolland

Mizuno complimented an all-Hawaii heat in Round 3, including Ocean Macedo and Logan Bediamol of Maui and Michael O’Shaughnessy from the Big Island. Macedo advanced behind Mizuno with a 15.60 combined heat total, however Mizuno scored the best ride of the 25-minute heat, an 8.40 for textbook technique.

“Today is good because there’s a lot of waves and you can roll the dice a lot,” Mizuno continued. “I don’t know how many waves I caught, I think probably either 8 or 9 in that last heat so just more chances to get the score. It was fun.”

Defending event winner Ariihoe Tefaafana (PYF) stream rolled through Rounds 2 and 3 today and tallied two heat wins and multiple excellent scores including a 9.0. His consistent surfing and calculated forehand attack garnered a spot into the Quarterfinals, where he will meet Vehiatua Prunier (PYF) in a man-on-man clash.

The Papara Pro Open features four different divisions including a Men's and Women's QS 1,000 and a Men's and Women's Pro Junior, and has a holding period of March 11 - 16. Live scoring will be available on WorldSurfLeague.com and the Papara Pro event pages, and the final day of competition will be broadcast LIVE by Polynesie 1re at http://la1ere.francetvinfo.fr/polynesie/.
 
RESULTS
Athletes listed in first through fourth, all surfers from Hawaii unless otherwise noted.

Women’s Quarterfinals, 1st advanced, 2nd = 5th place
QF1: Gabriela Bryan, Izzi Gomez (USA)
QF2: Karelle Poppke (PYF), Kelta O’Rourke
QF3: Keala Tomoda-Bannert, Angelina Yossa
QF4: Leila Riccobuano, Savanna Stone

Men’s Round 3 (Round of 16), 1st and 3nd advance, 3rd = 9th place, 4th = 13th place
H1: Noah Hill, Robert Grilho, Christopher Bluthardt, Cole Alves
H2: Noa Mizuno, Ocean Macedo, Logan Bediamol, Michael O’Shaughnessy
H3: Ariihoe Tefaafana (PYF), O’Neill Massin (PYF), Shayden Pacarro, Kauli Vaast (FRA)
H4: Taumata Puhetini (PYF), Vehiatua Prunier (PYF), Hira Teriinatoofa (PYF), Eliott Napias (PYF)

Men’s Round 2 (Round of 32), 1st and 2nd advance, 3rd = 17th place, 4th = 25th place
H1: Cole Alves, Michael O’Shaughnessy, Kainehe Hunt, Sheldon Paishon
H2: Robert Grilho, Ocean Macedo, Ulualoha Napeahi, Lahiki Minamishin
H3: Logan Bediamol, Noah Hill, Mateia Hiquily (PYF), Wyatt McHale
H4: Noa Mizuno, Christopher Bluthardt, Ian Gentil, Brodi Sale
H5: Ariihoe Tefaafana (PYF), Eliott Napias (PYF), Stellio Bobet (PYF), Matahi Drollet (PYF)
H6: Shayden Pacarro, Vehiatua Prunier (PYF), Tereva David (PYF), Turo Ariitu (PYF)
H7: Taumata Puhetini (PYF), O’Neill Massin, Luciani Heremoana (PYF), Maxime Ratia (PYF)
H8: Hira Teriinatoofa (PYF), Kauli Vaast (PYF), Joey Johnston, Heifara Tahutini (PYF)

Women’s Round 3 (Round of 16), 1st and 2nd advance, 3rd = 9th place, 4th = 13th place
H1: Gabriela Bryan, Karelle Poppke (PYF), Ariana Shewry (NZL), Aelan Vaast
H2: Kelta O’Rourke, Izzi Gomez (USA), Rina Kitazawa (JPN), Heimiti Fierro (PYF)
H3: Angelina Yossa, Savanna Stone, Tiana-Breeze De Mooij (NZL), Pomare Dreisziger (CHL)
H4: Leila Riccobuano, Keala Tomoda-Bannert, Luana Coelho Silva, Marie Moana Troja (PYF)