CERRITOS BEACH, Baja California Sur, Mexico (Saturday, November 23, 2024) - Today, Jett Schilling (USA) emerged victorious at the World Surf League (WSL) Pacifico Surf Open Cerritos, a men's Qualifying Series (QS) 1000, in stunning fashion over fellow event standout Taro Watanabe (USA). Three-to-five foot, high-performance conditions provided a showcase of power, progression and dramatics on Finals Day to crown Schilling the inaugural event victor over a heavily-contested field.
Jett Schilling Soars in Comeback Fashion to Claim QS 1000 Victory in Pumping Conditions
The Final featured two of the event's top performers with Taro Watanabe(USA) and Jett Schilling (USA) posting some of its best single-wave scores and heat totals throughout the contest. Fireworks ensued right off the opening horn with Watanabe unleashing more of his forehand power on the pristine wall of Cerritos Beach to multiple critical sections for a 9.17 (out of a possible 10). Schilling answered back with a 7.33 of his own, but Watanabe found another gem moments later to combine more forehand gauges and post a 7.83 to take a commanding lead over his fellow Southern Californian. The 2023 Championship Tour (CT) qualification threat, Schilling, found a righthand dreamer to lay down his backhand attack and posted an 8.17 of his own to get back in the heat.
But, Watanabe followed suit with an insatiable forehand blast on multiple sections once again and posted an excellent 8.53 to up the ante and leave Schilling in need of a 9.53 to regain the lead. Schilling kept swinging and found his opportunity to strike, soaring a massive alley-oop and stomping it to earn a 9.73, combining for a 17.90 (out of a possible 20) heat total, and taking the lead at the 10-minute mark before holding firm until the final horn for a momentous win.
"I'm just super stoked and grateful. The waves were firing, the people were amazing, thank you to the locals for letting us surf your lineup the past few days and just so thankful," said Schilling. "It's a nice confidence booster going into the rest of the year and happy to win a competition this year, and hopefully win some more. Taro is one of the best surfers in the world with such style and big shoutout to him for pushing me. That was a fun battle with him so I'm grateful for that."
Schilling's Round of 16 performance on Day 3, posting a 9.93, set the tone leading into Finals Day and continued to find excellent moments in the Quarterfinals over Kepa Mendia (USA). The perennial QS threat, Schilling, continued that form into the Semifinals in a battle against Cerritos' standout Lucas Cassity (MEX). Cassity's narrow lead over Schilling wasn't enough as Schilling's combination of backhand hammers posted a 9.50 and left Cassity needing excellence of his own to catch the Southern Californian. With the win Schilling moves to No. 4 on the regional rankings.
Taro Watanabe's (USA) relentless forehand attack continuously pushed the scale throughout the event. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
Taro Watanabe Surges on Finals Day toward Runner-up Finish
Back-to-back Finals for Watanabe earned him back-to-back runner-up finishes after finishing second at the La Marginal Surfing Pro QS 3000 and surging once more on Finals Day. Watanabe's forehand power and progressive style led to a 16.10 heat total in the Quarterfinals over fellow Californian Kai Kushner(USA) before taking on fellow event standout, Mexico's own, Sebastian Williams (MEX) in a stout Semifinal battle. Now, Watanabe looks to continue his form and keep pushing in the jersey with the SLO CAL Open Morro Bay up next where he claimed his first-ever win in 2022.
"This event may be the best event I've ever had so just have to look at that good in that," said Watanabe. "Hats off to Jett, that alley-oop was insane. He's an amazing surfer and I gave him that wave with priority knowing I couldn't do much with it and he just did a huge air. I did what I could and I'm happy with that and just such a great event. Morro Bay is close to home so I'll probably go there and at the end of the year these 1000s count if you do good in them so I'll just keeping surfing heats and having fun."
Right at home for Lucas Cassity and into a career-best Semifinal appearance. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
Mexico's own Sebastian Williams and Lucas Cassity Earn Semifinal Appearances
Cerrtios' own Lucas Cassity (MEX) had his home crowd cheering from start to finish at the Pacifico Surf Open Cerritos with incredible performances. Cassity took down Luke Wyler (USA) in a showcase of aerial progression, posting a 17.33 heat total, and now moves to No. 35 on the rankings after clashing with eventual victor Jett Schilling (USA) in the Semifinals. This marks the 16-year-old's best result on the QS as he looks for more moving forward in the 2024/2025 season.
Sebastian Williams reminded everyone how dangeros he can be in a jersey with a terrific showing. - WSL / Andrew Nichols
One of Mexico's renowned talents of Sebastian Williams (MEX) was relentless throughout this event and battled with event standout Taro Watanabe (USA) in their Semifinal bout after Williams bested Taj Lindblad (USA) in the Quarterfinals. Watanabe narrowly earned the edge over Williams as two continued to showcase their progression and power with Williams earning his best-career QS finish and showing what he's capable of in the jersey.
The 2024 North America QS season continues at the SLO CAL Open Morro Bay, a men's and women's QS 1000, beginning December 5 through 8 at Morro Rock.