Barbados’ and the Caribbean’s top female surfer Chelsea Tuach finished third at the World Surf League (WSL) US Air Force Super Surf Pro presented by Jersey Mike’s Subs, as she made her second consecutive World Surf League final at the weekend, at the North America and Hawaii/Tahiti Nui Qualifying Series (QS) 3000 event.
After her strong showing this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Tuach is now the fourth-ranked female surfer in the North American rankings, after making the last day for the second time in two weeks, and finishing runner-up at the La Marginal event in Puerto Rico.
Three- to five-foot, stormy conditions pushed contenders to bring their best with Kirra Pinkerton (USA) emerging victorious over Canada’s Sanoa Dempfle-Olin, following a marathon Finals Day. This marks Pinkerton’s first-ever Super Girl Surf Pro after a decade of competing in the event series.
Barbados’ first-ever Championship Tour qualifier, Tuach, was one of two Barbados surfers in Jacksonville, along with Chelsea Roett. In Friday’s Round of 96, Roett placed second in Heat 8, finishing with 8.03 (4.83 + 3.20) to advance to the Round of 64 behind the USA’s Zoe Panettiere, who got 11.64 (7.17 + 4.47).
Tuach, meanwhile, had a bye to Saturday’s Round of 64, where she was second in Heat 3 with 10.60 (6.60 + 4.00) behind the USA’s Olivia Storrer, the latter being given 12.17 (6.67 + 5.50). Roett also manoeuvred past the Round of 32, with a consistent 8.06 (4.33 + 3.73) to end second in Heat 7. Eden Walla of the USA earned 8.90 (5.67 + 3.23) to win that heat.
In the Round of 32, Tuach had the fourth best score, 14.10 (8.00 + 6.10) to take Heat 1 from the hard-charging Hawaiian, Eweleiula Wong, who made 13.77 (7.60 + 6.17). Roett, too, had a strong performance in the Round of 32, topping Heat 3 with 10.20 (6.33 + 3.87) ahead of the USA’s Kylie Pulcini with 8.13 (4.43 + 3.70).
Tuach showed her elite backhand attack, and her ability to adapt to conditions from pumping El Rastrial, Puerto Rico, to challenging Jacksonville Beach was on full display.
“That definitely felt good to win that heat. That heat this morning was a little tricky with not as many opportunities and then I was watching Kirra rip it up the heat before mine,” said Tuach. “I saw there were more opportunities and I love the heats where you can just keep surfing. You go from first to second to third, back to first, it’s just really fun to surf it out.”
Roett’s journey would come to an end in the last 16, as she fell to Canada’s Sanoa Dempfle-Olin, 9.50 (5.17 + 4.33) to 4.13 (3.13 + 1.00) in Heat 3. Tuach, on the other hand, had the second-best winning total for the round, 13.83 (7.33 + 6.50) to win Heat 1 over Hawaii’s Vaihitimahana Inso, 12.24 (7.17 + 5.07).
The strong run continued for Tuach, who again met Hawaii’s Wong in the quarterfinals, winning Heat 1 11.63 (6.00 + 5.63) to 9.34 (6.67 + 2.67) in spite of another strong backhand ride from her opponent.
Notwithstanding a strong semifinal outing, Tuach lost to Canada’s Dempfle-Olin in the semis, 16.10 (8.27 + 7.83) to 14.10 (7.27 + 6.83). Tuach broke her quarterfinal curse at the Super Girl Surf Pro but fell to an in-form Dempfle-Olin after an exciting back-and-forth battle.
The next WSL North America QS event will be the Pacifico Cerritos Surf Open QS 1000 beginning November 20 through 23. The next Hawaii/Tahiti Nui QS event will be The Hawaiian Islands HIC Haleiwa Pro QS 1000 beginning November 25 through December 7.
(TF)
