PLAYA VENAO, PANAMA — The Verizon Hawai‘i Surf Team proved strong as 10 of its 12 athletes progressed in the next rounds of the qualifying rounds of their respective divisions. Despite Playa Venao’s big shifts in tides, each competitor was
PLAYA VENAO, PANAMA — The Verizon Hawai‘i Surf Team proved strong as 10 of its 12 athletes progressed in the next rounds of the qualifying rounds of their respective divisions. Despite Playa Venao’s big shifts in tides, each competitor was able to adapt and progress into the next round.
Day 3 of competition kicked off with the end of the Girls Under 18, which saw Dax McGill post a heat win in her first ISA WJSC heat ever.
“I’m so stoked to have made that heat. The waves were tricky but I got a good score and it was so fun to compete in my first ISA” McGill said.
McGill advanced through two rounds as fellow teammates Brianna Cope, Mahina Maeda and Tatiana Weston Webb also advanced to Round 3 of competition in the Girls Under 18 division.
The Boys Under 18 team also put up spectacular performances, which saw Kaua‘i’s Kaoli Kahokuloa lead the charge with a convincing Round 3 heat win with a phenomenal air 360. Fellow teammate Isaiah Moniz wasn’t quite as lucky and is relegated to the Repercharge round of the double elimination format. Koa Smith and Kain Daly along with Kahokuloa advanced on to the Quarterfinal in the qualifying round.
Ian Gentil advanced through two rounds which puts him into the Boys Under 16 Quarterfinal along with teammates Kalani David and Josh Moniz. Seth Moniz, the youngest of the Moniz clan, has been knocked down to the Repercharge round of the Under 16’s and will compete on Day 4 of competition.
The ISA WJSC format allows all competitors a double elimination style of competition in which all competitors are allowed a second chance round which is the Repercharge round to continue to compete once they are eliminated from the Qualifying round.
