Another of the seven QS regions is also dominated by a French surfer. After two stages, Kiara Goold is leading the way on the tour… Hawaii/Tahiti Nui! Based with her family in the Teahupo’o Valley and just eight months older than Zebrowski, the 14-year-old Tahitian reached the final of the Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro on Sunday, September 22, a Californian QS 3,000 counting for both the North America region and Hawaii/Tahiti Nui.
The Rip Curl Pro Anglet also succumbs to Tya Zebrowski’s surfing
And three for Tya Zebrowski! The 13-year-old French nugget has chained a third victory in four stages this season of the European qualifying circuit (QS) of the World Surf League by winning, this Friday in the Basque Country, the Rip Curl Pro Anglet. Impressive
On the small waves of Oceanside, the Polynesian became the youngest surfer to reach the final of this event, which is now well established in the women’s QS landscape. This year again, it welcomed some international big names, from the former Californian elite Alyssa Spencer to the Hawaiian Moana Jones Wong, winner in 2022 of the CT round at Pipeline, via the Costa Rican Leilani McGonagle, the Hawaiian Zoe McDougall and the Californian Kirra Pinkerton, former WSL junior world champion.
World Surf League/Steinmetz
Kiara Goold eliminated Hawaiian Keala Tomoda-Bannert, who is experienced in CS jousting, in the round of 16.
Kiara Goold also beat the latter in the round of 64. Before decimating the young and talented Hawaiian contingent all by herself. She started by ousting Keala Tomoda-Bannert (11.50-5.74) in the 8th finals, experienced in the jousts of the upper level of the Challenger Series (CS, themselves the antechamber of the highest level, the CT) and reigning champion of the Hawaii/Tahiti Nui region.
She already has no shortage of tunes
In the quarter-finals, the Tahitian took another nice scalp: that of Vaihitimahana Inso (10.00-3.87), leader of the regional ranking before the Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro. Then, in the semi-finals, Eweleiula Wong (10.40-5.47), who has also already tasted the CS, was eliminated. Only the Californian Eden Walla resisted her in the final (13.00-11.77) to become, at… 15 years old, the youngest surfer to wear the Super Girl cape in Oceanside.
World Surf League/Steinmetz
Kiara Goold at the Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro in Oceanside.
“It’s fantastic to have participated in my first QS final and I’m even more proud of myself because I tried to do a big aerial maneuver, even if I didn’t manage to land it,” said the Tahitian, who was able to show the extent of her aerial surfing last June at the Stab High Japan. A competition based on progressive surfing, to which Tya Zebrowski was also invited and which Kiara Goold won. “I want to thank all my friends and family who stayed in Tahiti for encouraging me,” she added. “I’m really happy to represent the surfing community and the island of Tahiti.”
To the 295 points of her 13th place in the Hawaiian QS 1,000 of Ala Moana Bowls last June, Kiara Goold adds the 2,340 big points of her final in Oceanside and thus takes the reins of the provisional ranking. Followed by Eweleiula Wong (2nd), Vaihitimahana Inso (3rd), Keala Tomoda-Bannert (4th) and Moana Jones Wong (5th). There will be four (wild card included), at the end of the season, to earn their place for the Challenger Series 2025.
