Three champions were crowned at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) Barbados Surf Pro men’s 5000 and women’s qualifying series, presented by Diamonds International, held last Sunday at the world-famous Bathsheba Soup Bowl.
A heart-wrenching exit in the quarterfinals for the Burke brothers, Josh and Jacob, dashed the hopes of the hosts having talent in the semi-finals and final.
Carlos Munoz of Costa Rica won the men’s category, while Talia Swindal of the United States captured the women’s title, and her compatriot, Will Deane took the juniors.
A former Championship Tour competitor, Munoz was a happy man, and rightfully so, after recording a massive 16.77 score in the final against Sebastian Williams of Mexico.
This marked the second qualifying series win for Munoz, achieved through two fantastic wave scores of 8.67 and 8.10.
Williams was no pushover though, and he challenged Munoz throughout the final, but he had to settle for runner-up with a total of 14.87.
It was a high-calibre surfing showdown between the two, but veteran Munoz showcased his experience and flair in the ocean.
The waves were not kind to Williams, and he searched long and hard for a good swell towards the end of the 20-minute to 25-minute allotted countdown, but he struggled to find the perfect set.
In the women’s final, Swindal faced fellow American Reid van Wagoner and displayed confidence and skill, securing success with a total of 11.17, thanks to her exceptional forehand and crossbody manoeuvres.
Unfortunately for Van Wagoner, the waves did not cooperate and Swindal strategically held off her opponent on the final wave, limiting her to a total of 8.10.
Deane, a 17-year-old born and raised in the American state of North Carolina, could easily have made the late Zander Venezia proud when he captured the Live Like Zander Junior Pro competition.
Facing a tough field of top-class junior surfers from around the world, Deane stayed true to form, earning an impressive score of 8.17 to claim the title.
Compatriot Hayden Rogers made a late push, but he fell short, finishing second with a total of 7.33.
(AS)
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