Former Championship Tour competitor Alessa Quizon opened up Round Three debut with a big win at the Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000 after watching all the action unfold for two days alongside her fellow top seeds. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
While lay days can be a time for enjoyment and playing tourist, the women were anxious to get their event back underway and unleashed on the lineup of Drill Hall Beach upon their return to action. Top seeds debuted in Round Three with great performances at the Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000 and nearly all showcased their dominance.
Mikaela Greene found near-perfection for a 9.50, the highest single-wave score, and added an 8.00 to secure the highest heat total of the women's event thus far. Greene has been on the QS grind for a few years and awaits her big breakthrough win. The Australian, however, doesn't put any pressure on herself moving forward here in Barbados.
Mikaela Greene has her eyes set on her first big result at higher-rated QS event. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
"There's some really fun waves out there and it's just amazing they're holding this competition here -- you just have to keep your eyes open and take advantage," Greene said. "It's great to get a start like this here, I'm basically just using these QS3,000's as stepping stones so it's great to get a little bit of experience under my belt. It helps get sorted for the QS6,000s, but I've had a couple rough heats in the higher-rated events."
Philippa Anderson finished 13th on the QS last year and is using that high-seeding to her full advantage. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
The No. 1 seed Philippa Anderson showed why she holds that position with a near-perfect 9.00 in her Round Three debut. Anderson has always been toward the top of the rankings, but hasn't quite found herself in the qualification scenario. She's now in new territory with being the top seed.
"It was super fun after waiting a few days to surf so it was great to get that out of the way," Anderson said. "Every day Paige [Hareb] and I would be out here early morning, do our routine, but then the guys would go so we've just had a good time playing tourist. It's cool to be the top seed, but you have to look at it like any other event. ...This is my first time here and it's just amazing, even if I'd lost that first heat I would've loved this experience so it's all uphill from here."
Fourteen-year-old Kirra Pinkerton made her long-awaited debut -- and it was well worth it. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
But, it was wildcard Kirra Pinkerton who lived up to the position and eliminated Anderson's travel partner, and former CT competitor Paige Hareb. The 14-year-old picked apart the Drill Hall Beach lineup in her debut heat with a last-minute 8.30 to advance under an in-form Brisa Hennessy and continued to show her competitive prowess against some of the world's best.
"That was really sketch after seeing Brisa [Hennessy] get the second wave of the set and I just paddled out hoping there was another one," Pinkerton said. "When it came I knew I just had to surf it to its potential. I'm really comfortable on my backhand after working with Jimmy Hogan and he's been helping a lot with my bottom-to-top turns out here -- along with where to sit in the lineup so it's really great."
Barbadian Chelsea Tuach is on home turf and used that to her full advantage with a great opening Round Three heat. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
Chelsea Tuach rounded off a great day of competition with a win in Round Three, Heat 8. The Barbadian grew up on this wave and felt right in her element to secure a spot into Round Four. Last year's CT rookie will has a big field of the women QS's best to deal with, but has her home crowd behind her every step of the way.
"The nerves have been building up so much just waiting to get in the water so it felt great to get in there and get on a couple," Tuach said. "I feel really good, my boards feel great and it's my home break -- it just has a good, positive and inspiring energy around it with all my support on the beach. This is something that's very inspiring to the Barbadians to see all these surfers come here and surf our break, we're seeing the caliber we have to be at. I'm just really excited and can't wait for the rest of the week to unfold."
Australian Holly Wawn wasn't to be left out of the mix with an 8.33 to begin her campaign at the Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
A 7:00 a.m. EDT call will determine an 8:00 a.m. start for either men's or women's Round Four action at Drill Hall Beach.
Explosive Performances Unfold In Barbados; Women's Top Seeds Debut
Andrew Nichols
While lay days can be a time for enjoyment and playing tourist, the women were anxious to get their event back underway and unleashed on the lineup of Drill Hall Beach upon their return to action. Top seeds debuted in Round Three with great performances at the Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000 and nearly all showcased their dominance.
Mikaela Greene found near-perfection for a 9.50, the highest single-wave score, and added an 8.00 to secure the highest heat total of the women's event thus far. Greene has been on the QS grind for a few years and awaits her big breakthrough win. The Australian, however, doesn't put any pressure on herself moving forward here in Barbados.
"There's some really fun waves out there and it's just amazing they're holding this competition here -- you just have to keep your eyes open and take advantage," Greene said. "It's great to get a start like this here, I'm basically just using these QS3,000's as stepping stones so it's great to get a little bit of experience under my belt. It helps get sorted for the QS6,000s, but I've had a couple rough heats in the higher-rated events."
The No. 1 seed Philippa Anderson showed why she holds that position with a near-perfect 9.00 in her Round Three debut. Anderson has always been toward the top of the rankings, but hasn't quite found herself in the qualification scenario. She's now in new territory with being the top seed.
"It was super fun after waiting a few days to surf so it was great to get that out of the way," Anderson said. "Every day Paige [Hareb] and I would be out here early morning, do our routine, but then the guys would go so we've just had a good time playing tourist. It's cool to be the top seed, but you have to look at it like any other event. ...This is my first time here and it's just amazing, even if I'd lost that first heat I would've loved this experience so it's all uphill from here."
But, it was wildcard Kirra Pinkerton who lived up to the position and eliminated Anderson's travel partner, and former CT competitor Paige Hareb. The 14-year-old picked apart the Drill Hall Beach lineup in her debut heat with a last-minute 8.30 to advance under an in-form Brisa Hennessy and continued to show her competitive prowess against some of the world's best.
"That was really sketch after seeing Brisa [Hennessy] get the second wave of the set and I just paddled out hoping there was another one," Pinkerton said. "When it came I knew I just had to surf it to its potential. I'm really comfortable on my backhand after working with Jimmy Hogan and he's been helping a lot with my bottom-to-top turns out here -- along with where to sit in the lineup so it's really great."
Chelsea Tuach rounded off a great day of competition with a win in Round Three, Heat 8. The Barbadian grew up on this wave and felt right in her element to secure a spot into Round Four. Last year's CT rookie will has a big field of the women QS's best to deal with, but has her home crowd behind her every step of the way.
"The nerves have been building up so much just waiting to get in the water so it felt great to get in there and get on a couple," Tuach said. "I feel really good, my boards feel great and it's my home break -- it just has a good, positive and inspiring energy around it with all my support on the beach. This is something that's very inspiring to the Barbadians to see all these surfers come here and surf our break, we're seeing the caliber we have to be at. I'm just really excited and can't wait for the rest of the week to unfold."
A 7:00 a.m. EDT call will determine an 8:00 a.m. start for either men's or women's Round Four action at Drill Hall Beach.
Kirra Pinkerton
The current North America No. 3 Kirra Pinkerton already has one QS win in 2024 and returns to Jacksonville Beach looking for more.
The event standout Kirra Pinkerton continued to showcase her backhand power, this time posting an 8.33 and surging into the Quarterfinals.
Marathon day unfolds to high-performance showcase with men's and women's Finals Day draws set.
The perennial North America threat Kirra Pinkerton showed her explosive backhand attack to accrue one of the day's best scores of a 7.33
For the first time since 2022 on the Challenger Series, Kirra Pinkerton is into the Quarterfinals after a decimating performance over Sol
Barbados Surf Pro
An update from the QS grind.
It was an incredible finish at Drill Hall Beach and two former CT competitors walked away with historic titles.
Two former Championship Tour competitors battled it out for the final, but it was Bevilacqua who emerged victorious.
Stacked matchups came to life for both the men and women to determine the finals day draw.
After vital Round Four matchups at the Barbados Surf Pro QS3,000, finals day is set at Drill Hall Beach.