SABANG BEACH, Baler, Philippines (Tuesday, February 6, 2024) - Four winners were crowned today on an action-packed Finals Day at the Baler International Pro. The small one-to-two feet of swell did nothing to slow down the performances of Asia's best surfers as they battled it out in the finals of the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3000 and Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) events.
Rogelio Jr Esquievel (PHL) was the sole non-Japanese surfer to take a win, as he furthered his perfect record on the LQS. Meanwhile, Natsumi Taoka (JPN) claimed the win over Filipina Daisy Valdez (PHL) in the women's LQS Final, and Minami Nonaka (JPN) and Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) took out the men's and women's QS 3000, respectively.
Minami Nonaka - WSL / Abdel Elecho
22-year-old Nonaka was able to earn the win over one of her closest friends, Sara Wakita (JPN). The pair have long dreamt of sharing a final together, often saying to each other, "See you in the final!" Wakita controlled the majority of the first 20 minutes of the 30 minutes available before Nonaka found a 6.40 (out of a possible 10) to take a very narrow lead. Nonaka soon followed it up with an 8.00 for a speedy two-turn combo and then again built her scoreline with a 7.65, leaving Wakita in need of an excellent score when the buzzer sounded. Despite placing runner-up, Wakita could not have been happier for her friend, the two jumping up and down together as they hugged in celebration.
"I'm really happy to have won," Nonaka said. "It was really great to be able to surf against Sara. I'm so glad that we both got 7-point scores in the Final and had a really good heat. I don't really care about the rankings, but I'm glad to move up. There are two more events in Australia. I'm going to do my best there, because it will decide whether or not I'll qualify for the Challenger Series."
It is Nonaka's third QS 3000 final of the season and her first win at this level, having previously won two QS 1000's in South Africa in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The added points see her within the Challenger Series qualification line in No. 3 on the Asia Region QS rankings, while Wakita's runner-up finish has extended her rankings lead even further.
Hiroto Ohhara - WSL / Abdel Elecho
Not wasting any time, Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) opened the men's Final with the highest single wave score of the event, a 9.00 (out of a possible 10). A slow outside section led into a fast-running inside that Ohhara was able to aggressively slice before speeding into an air reverse. After a blitzing Semifinal performance, Joh Azuchi (JPN) was unable to find a score above a 6.90 in the Final. Right before the 5-minute countdown Ohhara found an 8.25 to increase his heat total to an event-high 17.25 (out of a possible 20), leaving Azuchi needing a combination of scores, which he was unable to break before the clock wound down.
"I just want to say thank you to all the locals here in the Philippines and Baler and all the sponsors, WSL, and all my family and friends," Ohhara said. "I just really want to go home and celebrate with my family."
Ohhara's second QS 3000 victory of the season saw him jump into the Challenger Series qualification cut line, where he now sits in the No. 3 position. Meanwhile, Azuchi moved into No. 2, and a Semifinal finish from Rinta Oooto (JPN) landed him the rankings lead.
Natsumi Taoka - WSL / Abdel Elecho
Last week's La Union International Pro's Semifinalists became this week's Baler International Pro Finalists as Natsumi Taoka (PHL) and Daisy Valdez (PHL) met in the LQS women's Final. It was the first LQS Final for Valdez, one of the icons of Filipina surfing whose daughter and husband are also competitive surfers. Taoka needed the victory to keep herself in the driver's seat for Longboard Tour qualification however, and the veteran tour competitor took control of the heat from the start and did not let up. Gracing the waves with her tight signature footwork and clean nose-rides, Taoka took her second win of the season, all but securing her place on the 2024 Longboard Tour in the process.
"I'm so happy to win the competition," Taoka said. "I was not focused on the result, but actually it's really important for me to qualify. I really enjoyed surfing the final heat with Daisy."
Rogelio Jr Esquievel - WSL / Abdel Elecho
Continuing his unprecedented perfect LQS record, the pride of the Philippines, Rogelio Jr Esquievel (PHL), claimed his fourth LQS win out of four events entered. The Filipino faced his closest rival, Kai Hamase (JPN), in the Final for the second time in as many events. Esquievel earned the highest heat total of the event, 17.40, in the Final, as the pair once again pushed each other's performances.
"It feels amazing," Esquievel said. "It was just a dream for me before, to be here. I'm super-stoked because the Filipino athletes are really improving every time. Every year they're putting on a great show, like RJ (Chico Lopez), Rico (Dumaguin), Jomarie (Ebueza). Daisy (Valdez) did really well. We'll be practicing more for the next competitions here."
Despite placing runner-up and finishing No. 2 on the LQS rankings, Hamase still had plenty to be happy about today, having likely secured qualification for the 2024 Longboard Tour. Though the season doesn't finish until June and there is the potential for another event to be added, Hamase's current total has him sitting out of reach of the rest of the field.
"I'm so happy to qualify, so happy," Hamase said. "I really want to win over Jr (Esquievel). This time I lost again, but next time I will try to get Jr again."
The inaugural Baler International Pro ran at Sabang Beach from February 1 - 6.
Esquievel Punctures Japanese Clean Sweep at Inaugural Baler International Pro
WSL
SABANG BEACH, Baler, Philippines (Tuesday, February 6, 2024) - Four winners were crowned today on an action-packed Finals Day at the Baler International Pro. The small one-to-two feet of swell did nothing to slow down the performances of Asia's best surfers as they battled it out in the finals of the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3000 and Longboard Qualifying Series (LQS) events.
Rogelio Jr Esquievel (PHL) was the sole non-Japanese surfer to take a win, as he furthered his perfect record on the LQS. Meanwhile, Natsumi Taoka (JPN) claimed the win over Filipina Daisy Valdez (PHL) in the women's LQS Final, and Minami Nonaka (JPN) and Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) took out the men's and women's QS 3000, respectively.
22-year-old Nonaka was able to earn the win over one of her closest friends, Sara Wakita (JPN). The pair have long dreamt of sharing a final together, often saying to each other, "See you in the final!" Wakita controlled the majority of the first 20 minutes of the 30 minutes available before Nonaka found a 6.40 (out of a possible 10) to take a very narrow lead. Nonaka soon followed it up with an 8.00 for a speedy two-turn combo and then again built her scoreline with a 7.65, leaving Wakita in need of an excellent score when the buzzer sounded. Despite placing runner-up, Wakita could not have been happier for her friend, the two jumping up and down together as they hugged in celebration.
"I'm really happy to have won," Nonaka said. "It was really great to be able to surf against Sara. I'm so glad that we both got 7-point scores in the Final and had a really good heat. I don't really care about the rankings, but I'm glad to move up. There are two more events in Australia. I'm going to do my best there, because it will decide whether or not I'll qualify for the Challenger Series."
It is Nonaka's third QS 3000 final of the season and her first win at this level, having previously won two QS 1000's in South Africa in 2018 and 2019, respectively. The added points see her within the Challenger Series qualification line in No. 3 on the Asia Region QS rankings, while Wakita's runner-up finish has extended her rankings lead even further.
Not wasting any time, Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) opened the men's Final with the highest single wave score of the event, a 9.00 (out of a possible 10). A slow outside section led into a fast-running inside that Ohhara was able to aggressively slice before speeding into an air reverse. After a blitzing Semifinal performance, Joh Azuchi (JPN) was unable to find a score above a 6.90 in the Final. Right before the 5-minute countdown Ohhara found an 8.25 to increase his heat total to an event-high 17.25 (out of a possible 20), leaving Azuchi needing a combination of scores, which he was unable to break before the clock wound down.
"I just want to say thank you to all the locals here in the Philippines and Baler and all the sponsors, WSL, and all my family and friends," Ohhara said. "I just really want to go home and celebrate with my family."
Ohhara's second QS 3000 victory of the season saw him jump into the Challenger Series qualification cut line, where he now sits in the No. 3 position. Meanwhile, Azuchi moved into No. 2, and a Semifinal finish from Rinta Oooto (JPN) landed him the rankings lead.
Last week's La Union International Pro's Semifinalists became this week's Baler International Pro Finalists as Natsumi Taoka (PHL) and Daisy Valdez (PHL) met in the LQS women's Final. It was the first LQS Final for Valdez, one of the icons of Filipina surfing whose daughter and husband are also competitive surfers. Taoka needed the victory to keep herself in the driver's seat for Longboard Tour qualification however, and the veteran tour competitor took control of the heat from the start and did not let up. Gracing the waves with her tight signature footwork and clean nose-rides, Taoka took her second win of the season, all but securing her place on the 2024 Longboard Tour in the process.
"I'm so happy to win the competition," Taoka said. "I was not focused on the result, but actually it's really important for me to qualify. I really enjoyed surfing the final heat with Daisy."
Continuing his unprecedented perfect LQS record, the pride of the Philippines, Rogelio Jr Esquievel (PHL), claimed his fourth LQS win out of four events entered. The Filipino faced his closest rival, Kai Hamase (JPN), in the Final for the second time in as many events. Esquievel earned the highest heat total of the event, 17.40, in the Final, as the pair once again pushed each other's performances.
"It feels amazing," Esquievel said. "It was just a dream for me before, to be here. I'm super-stoked because the Filipino athletes are really improving every time. Every year they're putting on a great show, like RJ (Chico Lopez), Rico (Dumaguin), Jomarie (Ebueza). Daisy (Valdez) did really well. We'll be practicing more for the next competitions here."
Despite placing runner-up and finishing No. 2 on the LQS rankings, Hamase still had plenty to be happy about today, having likely secured qualification for the 2024 Longboard Tour. Though the season doesn't finish until June and there is the potential for another event to be added, Hamase's current total has him sitting out of reach of the rest of the field.
"I'm so happy to qualify, so happy," Hamase said. "I really want to win over Jr (Esquievel). This time I lost again, but next time I will try to get Jr again."
The inaugural Baler International Pro ran at Sabang Beach from February 1 - 6.
Minami Nonaka
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