Sitting at No. 19 on the QS ranks, Tanner Gudauskas knew a Quarterfinal birth at the Vans World Cup would bring him within striking distance of earning a spot on the Samsung Galaxy Championship Tour. With just a minute remaining in his Round Four heat, it looked as if North Shore standouts Koa Smith and John John Florence were going to waltz into the Quarters.
But Tanner took full advantage when Sunset granted him one last wave, and earned the score he needed with one solid turn. His last-minute 4.53 took the heat win, and knocked out Triple Crown leader John John Florence."I was so nervous, I knew I needed to get a good wave and if I had one more opportunity I was just going to go for it," said a relieved Gudauskas. "A set came out of nowhere and I knew I needed to go hard and it's crazy, it's like surfing in a wild river out there, there's lumps like moguls."