Kaua‘i’s Kalani Vierra and Blanche Yoshida were crowned No. 1 in the world yesterday at the International Tandem Surfing Association championships in Santander Liencres, Spain. Vierra, 41, and Yoshida, 54, officially became the first champions of the newly formed World
Kaua‘i’s Kalani Vierra and Blanche Yoshida were crowned No. 1 in the world yesterday at the International Tandem Surfing Association championships in Santander Liencres, Spain.
Vierra, 41, and Yoshida, 54, officially became the first champions of the newly formed World Tandem Tour series.
They won their semifinal heat early in the morning and returned nearly four hours later to surf in the final.
They defeated Brian Keaulana and Kathy Tejada of Makaha, Chuck Inman and Tiffany Rabacal of Honolulu and a Rico Leroy and Sarah Burrell of France in yesterday’s finals.
Vierra and Yoshida surfed small waves but was able to pull off all their moves.
Just last month, Vierra and Yoshida won the World Title of Tandem Surfing competition in Waikiki. Earlier in the year, they won a competition on Maui and the Guy Takayama LongBoard ProAm in Hungtington Beach, Calif.
This is the fifth win for Yoshida. She won her first championship in 1968 and held the title through 1973.
Inman and Rabacal finished second. Keaulana and Terada finished third. The French pair finished fourth.
Vierra and Yoshida return to Kaua‘i on Tuesday.
