KALAPAKI — Krystl Apeles said being a tandem surfing world champion has not sunk in yet. “This is her first world championship and she’s still up there,” said Kalani Vierra, her tandem surfing partner Monday at Kalapaki Beach. “We’re so
KALAPAKI — Krystl Apeles said being a tandem surfing world champion has not sunk in yet.
“This is her first world championship and she’s still up there,” said Kalani Vierra, her tandem surfing partner Monday at Kalapaki Beach. “We’re so excited, we want to train and push the sport.”
Vierra and Apeles captured the International Tandem Surfing Association title at Makaha, Oahu on Dec. 5, clearly in the lead from the opening heat against teams from France, California, and Australia.
During the final heat, the Kauai duo piled up 12.80 points to capture the trophy over the pair of Chuck Inman and Lauren Oiye of California who finished with 9.20, and Rico Leroy and Sarah Burel of France who ended at 7.17 points.
This solid performance started on the opening day when Vierra and Apeles opened with 13.18 points with Inman and Oiye following at 10.82 points on 1- to 2-foot waves. By the second heat, waves had increased to 2- to 4-feet and Vierra and Apeles topped the field with 16.97 points followed by Leleo Kinimaka and Megan Talabis Anderson compiling 6.92 points.
“We were pretty focused,” Vierra said. “We practiced for the high surf because all week leading to the competition, there was high surf. On the first day, the waves were flat. They actually postponed the meet for three hours to allow the surf to build. The second heat was held in surf 2- to 4-feet, and overnight, the surf was extreme, going to double overheads.”
Vierra said they were focused on the French because they were good in big and small surf.
“The California team, when we saw them in Waikiki, were strong in lifts, but not in big surf,” Vierra said. “The funny thing is that California finished in second and the French ended third.”
The world championship is the fifth for Vierra and the first for Apeles. Both have been doing tandem surfing since 2007.
In 2008, Vierra partnered with his daughter Eliza and captured the ITSA title and the ISA title in 2009.
He partnered with Krystl in 2015.
Apeles said her road to the world championship started in 2007 while trying out for the University of Hawaii cheer squad.
“On the way to school, my mother saw the ‘Hana Hou’ magazine which had a tandem surfing couple on the cover,” Apeles said. “She looked at the magazine and said, ‘You could do that.’ During the cheer tryouts, my stunt partner said someone was looking for a tandem surfing partner and I was on the water. The funny thing is that during the time leading to 2015, I saw Kalani on the water in Australia.”
Both surfers thanked their supporters.
“Jack Leonard of the Kauai Gymnastics Academy is like a Shaolin priest,” Vierra said. “He is very inspirational and can lift your mind and skill just by talking to you.”
He said families are also important to their success.
“Without their support, we would not be here,” Vierra said. “It takes a lot.”
Next, they want to see tandem surfing grow as a sport.
“We are happy to help anyone who is interested in tandem surfing,” Vierra said. “One day, maybe we’ll travel as ambassadors to the sport and invite them to Kauai.”
