SURFING NEWS - South Africa’s Jordy Smith delivered one of the most dramatic moments on the opening day of the 2025 Lexus Tahiti Pro Presented by I-SEA, securing his place in the WSL Final 5 with a near-perfect ride in one of surfing’s heaviest waves.
Competing in the Elimination Round, Smith found himself under pressure after local wildcard Teiva Tairoa (PYF) posted a powerful 8.33 ride.
With less than ten minutes left and his campaign on the line, Smith paddled into a massive set wave, dropped in late, and disappeared deep inside the barrel before being spat out cleanly.
The judges rewarded his commitment and execution with a 9.50 – the highest single-wave score of the day.
“I’m just so stoked, bro,” said Smith. “I told myself, ‘I know you can do this, Jordan,’ and I just believed in myself to the end. Now that I’ve clinched, I’m like, now we’re having fun, boy.”
Smith’s result not only keeps his World Title dreams alive but also sets him up for a high-stakes Round of 16 showdown against local favourite Kauli Vaast.
High Drama on Day 1 at Tahiti’s Legendary ‘End of the Road’
Stop No. 11 of 12 on the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour (CT), the Lexus Tahiti Pro opened with eight-to-ten-foot barrels at the infamous Teahupo’o reef break.
With the Final 5 spots on the line and conditions delivering powerful surf, the day was packed with standout performances, surprise eliminations, and emotional victories.
Colapinto’s title hopes alive
Griffin Colapinto (USA) threw down a statement performance, posting an 18.00 heat total for two deep backhand barrels. Coming into the event just outside the Final 5 rankings, the Californian is chasing a critical result to qualify for the Lexus WSL Finals in Fiji later this month.
“This week has been amazing,” said Colapinto. “I’ve had the waves of my life and some of the biggest wipeouts, too. I’m just trying to stay present and enjoy this special place.”
Tahitian wildcards bring the heat
Local wildcard Kauli Vaast (FRA) – a CT runner-up and Olympic gold medallist – showed exactly why he’s a threat at home. With a 16.33 two-wave total, he advanced confidently into the Round of 16. Fellow Tahitian Mihimana Braye also stunned the field by eliminating World No. 3 Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) in a slow-paced but tactical heat.
Other key result
Italo Ferreira (BRA), the reigning Tahiti Pro champion, progressed smoothly with a composed heat win, inching closer to securing a Final 5 berth.
Ethan Ewing (AUS) was forced into the Elimination Round despite a strong Opening Round score but survived a tense matchup with Seth Moniz (HAW) to keep his Finals hopes alive.
Cole Houshmand (USA) and Jack Robinson (AUS) delivered standout performances, both winning their heats and keeping their seasons on track.
Alan Cleland (MEX) pulled off another dramatic buzzer-beater win, this time eliminating Barron Mamiya (HAW) to continue his dream rookie season.
Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) also kept his Final 5 campaign alive with a strong Opening Round win.
What's next
The final heat of the Elimination Round remains and will be contested when competition resumes. The next call is scheduled for Friday 8 August at 06:30 TAHT for a possible 07:05 start.
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