The Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela resumed on Day 2 in clean one-to-two foot surf and decided the women’s quarterfinalists in a tricky lineup.
Vahine Fierro, an unknown 15 year-old surfer hailing from Tahiti, took the whole regional contingent by surprise when she dominated her Round 3 heat to make her way into the quarterfinals of the event.
“I’m usually competing in Australasia and I’m here sort of by chance, as I’m traveling with my family through Europe,” Fierro explained. “I’m very used to small wave surfing at beachbreaks and I felt good out there.”
In her first full season amongst the Australasian Junior crowd, Fierro is currently in 10th position on the regional rankings. In Sopela, the young goofyfooter belts the day’s highest combined heat total, an impressive 15.27 out of a possible 20 and will be a force to be reckoned with when the event resumes.
“I’m really impressed with the level of the girls, I hardly know anyone here and it’s good to compete against new people,” Fierro continued. “I just want to keep making heats and we’ll see how far I can go.”
Anat Lelior (ISR) 15, maintained the great form she demonstrated in Portugal a few weeks ago, reaching the quarters and relegating current rankings leader Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) to second place in their Round 3 matchup.
“The waves were super small and fast so that was definitely not easy out there,” Lelior said. “It was mostly a one-turn affair, but I’m super happy to be here and having fun with my friends. I was definitely more comfortable on my forehand in those conditions and I’m used to train in similar surf in Israel. I’m hoping for bigger waves now, that’s why I’m here to learn and improve. I really like Teresa and how she surfs, I was surprised to come first ahead of her.”
Current European Junior No.3 Carol Henrique (PRT) 20, survived a close call in the second round but came back swinging to net her own ticket for the quarters. The Portuguese powersurfer suffered an interference call in her first heat of the day, and managed to advance, despite relying only on her top score, an impressive 8.50 considering the conditions.
“I’m loving it here in Sopela, it’s been fun so far and I’m super happy to make my heats,” Henrique stated. “I don’t really have any pressure but being up there on the rankings I definitely want to do well and the qualification for the World Juniors is a possibility in the back of my mind.”
Title race frontrunners led the show, maximizing their efforts to select the best scoring opportunities and perform on single maneuvers and quick combinations. When the event resumes, the remaining eight surfers will compete for a precious spot on the podium of the event, and the valuable ranking points on offer in Sopela.
With a solid swell on the horizon and easing cross-shore winds for Saturday, organizers have called for a 7:30am call for the men’s competition, and 12pm for the women.
The Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela is scheduled from July 23-26, 2015 in Sopela, Bizcaya / Basque Country. For all results, photos, video highlights and press releases, log on toworldsurfleague.com.
The Sopela Pro Junior is supported by Peña Txuri Surf Eskola among others.
UPCOMING Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela Women’s quarterfinal matchups:
QF 1: Anat Lelior (ISR) vs. Juliette Brice (FRA)
QF 2: Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) vs. Carol Henrique (PRT)
QF 3: Vahine Fiero (PYF) vs. Marcela Machado (CNY)
QF 4: Ariane Ochoa (EUK) vs. Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK)
Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela Women’s Round of 12 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Anat Lelior (ISR) 10.34, Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) 8.33, Emily Currie (GBR) 4.73, Noive Ceballos (ESP) 4.33
Heat 2: Carol Henrique (PRT) 9.34, Juliette Brice (FRA) 7.40, Maddi Aizpurua (EUK) 6.27, Yolander Hopkins (PRT) 5.40
Heat 3: Vahine Fiero (PYF) 15.27, Ariane Ochoa (EUK) 13.46, Lisa Girardet (REU) 9.00, Uhaina Joly (FRA) 3.77
Heat 4: Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) 12.07, Marcela Machado (CNY) 11.43, Isabel Gundin (ESP) 8.90, Melania Diaz (ESP) 4.00
Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela Women’s Round of 24 RESULTS:
Heat 1: Teresa Bonvalot (PRT) 8.63, Carol Henrique (PRT) 8.50, Sara Urresti (EUK) 5.23, Emily Williams (GBR) 3.60
Heat 2: Anat Lelior (ISR) 7.47, Yolander Hopkins (PRT) 6.40, Peony Knight (GBR) 5.97, Noa Iturripea (EUK) 4.37
Heat 3: Juliette Brice (FRA) 9.60, Noive Ceballos (ESP) 6.00, Mariana Assis (PRT) 4.87, Aitana Irulegi (EUK) 2.73
Heat 4: Maddi Aizpurua (EUK) 6.96, Emily Currie (GBR) 6.73, Nina Reynal (FRA) 6.00, Mahe Javegny (REU) 5.44
Heat 5: Ariane Ochoa (EUK) 12.07, Marcela Machado (CNY) 8.07, Camilla Kemp (PRT) 7.47, Lucy Campbell (GBR) 4.13
Heat 6: Lisa Girardet (REU) 7.23, Isabel Gundin (ESP) 4.43, Victoria Capdepont (FRA) 3.97, Paula Fraga (ESP) 2.13
Heat 7: Melania Diaz (ESP) 5.60, Uhaina Joly (FRA) 5.23, Noa Lelior (ISR) 3.80, Ainara Aymat (EUK) 2.66
Heat 8: Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) 11.07, Vahine Fiero (PYF) 8.94, Leire Fuente (EUK) 8.14, Ophelie Couchot (FRA) 4.46
REMAINING Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela Women’s Round of 48 RESULTS:
Heat 5: Camilla Kemp (PRT) 7.40, Victoria Capdepont (FRA) 2.53, Naumi Eychenne (PYF) 1.50
Heat 6: Isabel Gundin (ESP) 8.07, Marcela Machado (CNY) 7.60, Violeta Sanchez (ESP) 5.10, Mailys Cantrelle (CNY) 1.48
Heat 7: Melania Diaz (ESP) 6.50, Leira Fuentes (EUK) 6.40, Anael Peguine (ISR) 2.34, Indira Hernandez (ESP) 1.50
Heat 8: Vahine Fiero (PYF) 7.54, Noa Lelior (ISR) 7.17, Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) 6.60
UPCOMING Peña Txuri Junior Pro Sopela Men’s Round of 64 MATCHUPS:
Heat 1: Nelson Cloarec (FRA), Lander Davila (ESP), Patrick Mainstone (ESP), Guilherme Fonseca (PRT)
Heat 2: Leon Glatzer (DEU), Pedro Coelho (PRT), Thomas Debierre (GLP), Martin Coret (REU)
Heat 3: Diego Mignot (FRA), Gearoid McDaid (IRL), Angus Scotney (GBR), Liam Murray Strout (GBR)
Heat 4: Timothee Bisso (GLP), Thomas Delplace (FRA), Paul Monborne (FRA), Miguel Betegon (ESP)
Heat 5: Andy Criere (FRA), Alex Bauduin (CNY), Simao Penha (PRT), Antonio Duarte (PRT)
Heat 6: Nomme Mignot (FRA), Luis Perloiro (PRT), Lourenco Alves (PRT), Lucas Bernard (REU)
Heat 7: Arne Bergwinkl (DEU), Imanol Yeregi (EUK), Nalu Doutres (FRA), Asier Iriondo (EUK)
Heat 8: Natxo Gonzalez (EUK), Endika Garai (ESP), Yael Pena (CNY), Justin Becret (FRA)
Heat 9: Miguel Blanco (PRT), Luca Dioguardi (CNY), Eliott Napias (PYF), Colin Doyez (REU)
Heat 10: Aldric God (FRA), Jacome Correia (PRT), Enzo Cavallini (GLP), Julen Egiguren (EUK)
Heat 11: Lens Arancibia Avila (FRA), Kalani Da Silva (CNY), Joshua Braddock (GBR), Harry De Roth (GBR)
Heat 12: Joao Kopke (PRT), Quentin Grenard (FRA), Titoua Canevet (FRA), Francisco Da Silva Duarte (PRT)
Heat 13: Jobe Harriss (GBR), Charly Termeau (FRA), Erwan Blouin (FRA), Lenni Jensen (DEU)
Heat 14: Gatien Delahaye (GLP), Luis Diaz (CNY), Leo Paul Etienne (GLP), Martin Cortijo Gonzalez (ESP)
Heat 15: Tommy Boucaut (FRA), Will Davey (GBR), Francisco Almeida (PRT), Dylan Groen (DEU)
Heat 16: Charly Quivront (FRA), Harry Timson (GBR), Liam Turner (GBR), Gonzalo Gutierrez (ESP)