A sparse lineup at Sunset Beach is a rarity, so when it becomes available, those in a position to take full advantage certainly do so. That’s what makes the Sunset Pro so much fun, despite being just a QS 1,000
A sparse lineup at Sunset Beach is a rarity, so when it becomes available, those in a position to take full advantage certainly do so. That’s what makes the Sunset Pro so much fun, despite being just a QS 1,000 contest and having little impact on the international Qualifying Series rankings. Already four days into the waiting period, the event is still yet to send its first heat into the waters of Oahu. But organizers will be keeping an eye on the waves for a potential 7 a.m. call this morning.
A crew of 88 surfers comprise the main draw, most of them with a ton of local knowledge and an 808 phone number. Round three holds the highest-ranked competitors, which includes Kauai surfers Koa Smith, Kamalei Alexander, Alex Smith, Evan Valiere, Gavin Gillette, Dylan Goodale and Kaimana Jaquias. A few of them were spotted grabbing some waves during this past weekend’s huge swell that churned on Kauai’s North Shore and even stirred some big stuff on the east and south sides.
Bruce Irons headlines the second-round starters, along with Chris Foster and Danny Fuller. Fuller is always a threat at Sunset, making that apparent two years ago with his win at the HIC Pro.
Crowd favorite Reef McIntosh will be looking to advance from round one, but he won’t be the only big-wave veteran with an early start. Maui’s Albee Layer will take a quick break from Jaws to also give Sunset Beach a go.
Such a large Kauai crew is no surprise, given that more than 70 surfers are from Hawaii. Mason Ho, Jamie O’Brien, Sunny Garcia, Ian Walsh, Torrey Meister, Myles Padaca, Joel Centeio, Tanner Hendrickson, Kiron Jabour, Billy Kemper and Seth and Josh Moniz are a few of the other favorites.
Brazil’s Lucas Silveira, fresh off his win at the World Junior Championships in Ericeira, Portugal, will open up in round three against Kekoa Cazimero, Imai Devault and a round two winner.
Along with the pro event, the Sunset Pro Junior will run all in one day. It is also heavily concentrated with Hawaii groms with only eight of the 32 participants from other nations. Former Team Hawaii selectees like Barron Mamiya, Kaulana Apo, Cody Young, Finn McGill and Noa Mizuno will all be going after the junior title.
It would also be silly not to mention Australia’s Josh Kerr, who picked up the win Sunday at the Todos Santos Challenge in Baja California, Mexico. Kerr is known to be one of the most talented all-around surfers in the world and has finished in the Championship Tour’s top 11 each of the past five seasons. But his win at Todos Santos could garner him more respect than any aerial maneuver or wicked snap ever could.
Kerr surfed the final along with runner-up Greg Long, Carlos Burle, Damien Hobgood, Nic Lamb and Rusty Long.
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David Simon can be reached at dsimon@thegardenisland.com.
