Chelsea Tuach found her way back the the top of the podium after falling off the CT last season. The Bajan came into the Shoe City Pro QS1,000 looking to find her form again and did just that -- posting the highest single-wave score of the women's event with a 9.00 in the Quarterfinals. Tuach now preps for a massive year ahead of her with this nice win to build from.
"It feels so good to start off the year with a win after feeling a lot of nerves at the end of last year so this is amazing," Tuach said. "It was great to surf my way through some rounds and I had a lot of confidence going into that final already having a few heats under my belt. I felt like I was in a good rhythm with a good game plan and it all fell into place, just like old times."
2017 Shoe City Pro Champion Chelsea Tuach - WSL / Jackson Van Kirk
"I'll stay in California for awhile and get some training in while working on some boards with Matt Barron before heading over to Australia for those QS6,000's," Tuach continued. "I'll be working on my technique more than anything -- no heat strategy, nothing like that, just get my form really dialed in. I'm feeling fresh again for those events which feels great and can't wait to get the year really off and running."
2017 Shoe City Pro Runner-up Samantha Sibley - WSL / Mike Moir
Event wildcard Samantha Sibley took full advantage of the opportunity given to her all the way to the Final and finished runner-up. The 14-year-old kept her dream run alive with a massive performance in the Semifinals, topping Tuach, and then getting off to an early lead before the Bajan responded. Still just a Junior Tour competitor, Sibley will keep her main ambition there with plenty of time to grow.
"I'm so stoked and had no expectations coming into this event -- my goal was just to make it through my first heat, but to get runner-up is awesome," Sibley said. "I was totally not expecting any of this to happen and can't believe it right now. This event got such good waves with yesterday being perfect and today it was a bit more tricky, but still so fun."
Tia Blanco - WSL / Jackson Van Kirk
Last year's runner-up, Tia Blanco, found herself in another Shoe City Pro Final but couldn't keep pace with her early performances during the last heat of the event. Blanco's aiming much higher than her Top 20 finish on the QS Rankings last year and knows this is just a step in the right direction.
"I think being selective throughout this event got me into that final, but I could've been more selective in that last heat. I'm really looking forward to Australia now and this was great practice for the upcoming bigger events."
Kaleigh Gilchrist - WSL / Jackson Van Kirk
Kaliegh Gilchrist has transitioned from being a 2016 Gold Medalist at the Rio Games for Water Polo to a full-time QS competitor and started the year off right where she wanted to be -- competing for a Shoe City Pro title. Despite falling shy of the win, Gilchrist's ambitions are nothing short of what you would expect from an Olympian and prepares for a big 2017 after nearly six years away from competitive surfing.
"It was grindy out there but couldn't be more stoked with my first QS final -- it's exactly how I wanted to start the year even though the competitor in me is frustrated with a fourth-place finish. It lights a fire under me to just train harder and I've got a great crew around me with Simmo [Ryan Simmons] and DSC Training so this is the best opportunity I've been given."
Chelsea Tuach's Back on Top with a Shoe City Pro Victory
Andrew Nichols
Chelsea Tuach found her way back the the top of the podium after falling off the CT last season. The Bajan came into the Shoe City Pro QS1,000 looking to find her form again and did just that -- posting the highest single-wave score of the women's event with a 9.00 in the Quarterfinals. Tuach now preps for a massive year ahead of her with this nice win to build from.
"It feels so good to start off the year with a win after feeling a lot of nerves at the end of last year so this is amazing," Tuach said. "It was great to surf my way through some rounds and I had a lot of confidence going into that final already having a few heats under my belt. I felt like I was in a good rhythm with a good game plan and it all fell into place, just like old times."
"I'll stay in California for awhile and get some training in while working on some boards with Matt Barron before heading over to Australia for those QS6,000's," Tuach continued. "I'll be working on my technique more than anything -- no heat strategy, nothing like that, just get my form really dialed in. I'm feeling fresh again for those events which feels great and can't wait to get the year really off and running."
Event wildcard Samantha Sibley took full advantage of the opportunity given to her all the way to the Final and finished runner-up. The 14-year-old kept her dream run alive with a massive performance in the Semifinals, topping Tuach, and then getting off to an early lead before the Bajan responded. Still just a Junior Tour competitor, Sibley will keep her main ambition there with plenty of time to grow.
"I'm so stoked and had no expectations coming into this event -- my goal was just to make it through my first heat, but to get runner-up is awesome," Sibley said. "I was totally not expecting any of this to happen and can't believe it right now. This event got such good waves with yesterday being perfect and today it was a bit more tricky, but still so fun."
Last year's runner-up, Tia Blanco, found herself in another Shoe City Pro Final but couldn't keep pace with her early performances during the last heat of the event. Blanco's aiming much higher than her Top 20 finish on the QS Rankings last year and knows this is just a step in the right direction.
"I think being selective throughout this event got me into that final, but I could've been more selective in that last heat. I'm really looking forward to Australia now and this was great practice for the upcoming bigger events."
Kaliegh Gilchrist has transitioned from being a 2016 Gold Medalist at the Rio Games for Water Polo to a full-time QS competitor and started the year off right where she wanted to be -- competing for a Shoe City Pro title. Despite falling shy of the win, Gilchrist's ambitions are nothing short of what you would expect from an Olympian and prepares for a big 2017 after nearly six years away from competitive surfing.
"It was grindy out there but couldn't be more stoked with my first QS final -- it's exactly how I wanted to start the year even though the competitor in me is frustrated with a fourth-place finish. It lights a fire under me to just train harder and I've got a great crew around me with Simmo [Ryan Simmons] and DSC Training so this is the best opportunity I've been given."
Samantha Sibley
Cleland, Houshmand Power Their Way into Quarterfinals, Women's Semifinalists Locked In, Lindblad Leads the Charge, Finals Day Ready with
The former Super Girl Surf Pro victor Samantha Sibley kicked off her return to the jersey with a Round of 40 heat win in Huntington Beach
World-class women join emerging North America, Hawaii/Tahiti Nui talents in Oceanside September 16 - 18.
Reigning Super Girl victor Caroline Marks, multiple event winner Sage Erikson, and more are locked in for one of the world's largest
Some of the region's best and emerging talents look to make their mark at the first stop of the 2022/23' Qualifying Series season.
Shoe City Pro
Despite the tricky low-tide conditions, Round 1 of the women provided plenty of great surfing from top seeded surfers.
After a short-lived rookie season on the Dream Tour, the Bajan is back on the Qualifying Series with a bright outlook.
While the men's event gets underway today, the women gear up for a Saturday start with a pool of talent ready to take on Huntington Beach.
The Shoe City Pro is locked in as the first event on the Qualifying Series schedule for both the men and women once more.