A second-consecutive dream day unfolded at The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro, a men's and women's Qualifying Series (QS) 1000, with pristine Sunset Beach conditions. Six-to-eight foot, offshore winds provided a full day of near-perfection, high-performance showcases, and scattered upsets among top-seeded competitors. Women's Quarterfinals and men's Round of 64 bouts finished to set up an epic Finals Day conclusion.
Kiron Jabour Shakes Up Top Seeds' Debut with 9.60
One of the North Shore's chargers, Kiron Jabour, returned to the QS jersey in his Round of 96 debut before finding the event's highest single-wave score so far of a 9.60 (out of a possible 10). Jabour navigated a heaving Sunset barrel before unloading on his forehand attack and bested top seeded competitors Diego Ferri and Nalu Deodato alongside Levi Young (HAW), who also advanced.
"I haven't done a contest in about six years and it's fun to have that challenge of putting on the jersey and feeling the nerves," said Jabour. "If I want to do a contest it's going to be at home and you can't ask for much else than pumping sunset. I'm stoked to be at home with the family and just getting some heats done."
Joshua Moniz (HAW) locked into a 9.00 in his 2024 Sunset debut. - WSL / Tony Heff
Joshua Moniz Joins 9-Point Club to Kickstart North Shore Season
No stranger to success on the North Shore, Joshua Moniz already has a Pipe QS event title to his name and started off with a 9.00 in the Round of 64 at Sunset. Moniz continued to find his form, posting a day's best 15.90 (out of a possible 20) heat total to surge toward Finals Day and earn another North Shore staple event to his resume.
"Surfing perfect Sunset is mental. It's been the best Sunset I've seen for a contest in almost six years," said Moniz. "It's pretty easy when it's consistent and big and you're just on your own mission. You're really hoping to get the waves that hit the reef well so you can perform."
Former Sunset QS victor Billy Kemper found a 15.00 heat total of his own to storm toward the Round of 32 with a heat win alongside the likes of Hawaii/Tahiti No. 1 Ezekiel Lau, Kai Paula, Luke Tema, Cody Young, Luke Swanson, Landon McNamara, and more looking to etch their name into Sunset Beach history.
"From caddying for Sunny's [Garcia] last win to some of my wins it's been such a crazy ride," said Kemper. "My first pro win was here and caddying for Sunny for his last win here was just as important and as rewarding as me winning. All the mentors out here like Sunny, Kahea [Hart], Pancho [Sullivan], the list goes on. I'm just grateful and I'm stoked to be back in the jersey."
Eweleiula Wong's Electric Start Goes Near-Perfect at Sunset
Fresh off her second year among the Challenger Series elite, Eweleiula Wong smashed her The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro debut with a near-perfect 9.00 and 14.50 heat total. Wong's aggressive forehand flowed through a sizeable Sunset wall with power and precision to overtake the Quarterfinal bout. Now, Wong prepares for Finals Day alongside an in-form Lucy Jarrard, who also advanced, toward earning a maiden win at the iconic reef break.
"The goal is always to win but I just want to surf like myself in bigger conditions and get more used to surfing in this power," said Wong. "I'm feeling pretty confident. I just finished the Challenger Series season and I didn't do as well I wanted so I'm hoping to regain some more confidence in the QS events."
Zoe McDougall (HAW) returned to the QS jersey in phenomenal form at Sunset Beach. - WSL / Tony Heff
Zoe McDougall Digs Deep and Makes Her Statement
Another 2024 Challenger Series contender Zoe McDougall returned to home waters of the North Shore and looked right in rhythm with pumping conditions. McDougall's forehand power notched a 14.50 heat total of her own and surged into Finals Day alongside current No. 2 Vaihitimahana Inso.
Finals Day is set to commence tomorrow, Monday, November 4 beginning at 8:00 a.m. HST with men's of Round 32 action to kick off the event's conclusion.
Day 1 Recap: North Shore Delivers Pumping Swell to Start Sunset Pro
The famed Sunset Beach came to life for opening day of the World Surf League (WSL) The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro, a men's and women's Qualifying Series (QS) 1000, and provided a spectacle of power surfing. A solid eight-foot, WNW swell at one of the North Shore's most iconic waves put contenders to the test. Women's Round of 24 and men's Round of 96 were finished in their entirety with excellent showcases, early shake ups, and sets the stage for top seeds to make their debuts.
Koa Smith (HAW) in his comfort zone with pumping Sunset Beach conditions. - WSL / Tony Heff
Near-Perfection for Kingston Panebianco and Koa Smith
The men followed women's performances and elevated the scale with excellent scores and near-perfection unraveled courtesy of Kingston Panebianco and Koa Smith in their respective heats.
One of the North Shore's mainstays, Smith, went to work on his backhand attack to push the day's highest heat total of a 15.50 (out of a possible 20) heat total. Smith is no stranger to waves of consequence and felt right at home in the pumping Sunset conditions as he now looks to take on top-seeded competitors in the Round of 64.
"Sunset is absolutely pumping and I got gifted a set and my mindset is super simple out here," said Smith. "You just have to get the wave and go as vertical as possible and that paid off. That 9.00 was a perfect wave. I thought it might drain on the takeoff but with Sunset you can't just look for the barrels and get the turns in, but if the lip comes over you head you know you're getting barreled."
Emerging talent Kingston Panebiancon (HAW) wasted no time enjoying the fruits of Sunset Beach. - WSL / Tony Heff
Panebianco tipped the scale in his debut with a 9.25 and 15.25 heat total after finding a Sunset gem that allowed him to open up on his forehand. The rising talent, Panebianco showed he's ready for what Sunset Beach has to offer as he looks to build his resume in the QS jersey.
"Right when it came in I knew that 9.25 was a good one. I saw it coming in and it just lined up perfectly," said Panebianco. "It had three big sections and it was really fun out there. It's as good as Sunset gets I think with barrels and just everything so I'm stoked."
Some of Hawaii/Tahiti Nui's threats including world-renowned waterman Kai Lenny, current No. 2 Oliver Zietz, Luke Tema, Legend Chandler, Merrik Mochkatel, Benji Brand, and more all earned brilliant debut wins and now prepare for the Round of 64.
Lucy Jarrard (HAW) threw herself into hefty Sunset gems for a 12.50 heat total. - WSL / Tony Heff
Lucy Jarrard Tackles Macking Sunset Beach in Debut
The women took over Sunset Beach to start competition and held their own with Lucy Jarrard accruing a 12.50 heat total to kickoff her campaign. Jarrard's forehand attack matched the power Sunset had to offer and pushed the scale early. Now, she prepares for the Quarterfinals featuring the women's top seeds.
"It feels really good to do well in that first heat. It's fun but there's also really big sets that will smash you," said Jarrard. "I got crushed a couple times but it was still fun. I was just trying to find a good lineup and follow the game plan with my coach. It worked so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
North Shore charger Moana Jones Wong (HAW) proved she's ready for Sunset. - WSL / Tony Heff
Moana Jones Wong Starts Strong for Quarterfinal Appearance
Two-time Hawaii/Tahiti Nui QS Regional victor, and former Championship Tour (CT) Pipe Pro victor, Moana Jones Wong was right at home in North Shore's heavy waters. Jones Wong's backhand attack was more than enough to take down an early heat win as the proven wave of consequence competitor looks for more when competition resumes.
"It's super intense because there's water moving and being first heat of the day is really stressful. The sun is glaring up above the mountains where the lineups are," said Wong. "You're out there trying to read the wave and let a couple sets come by to let you know where you need to be. It's really cool with everyone one the bike path cheering us on and when you surf Sunset you want to surf the real deal."
Also, Raquel Heckert and Malia Lima earned Round of 24 victories and head into the Quarterfinals.
Competition is confirmed to resume tomorrow Sunday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. HST, and will conclude with Finals Day on Monday November 4. Today's WNW swell and favorable winds are projected to continue delivering solid surf for Sunset Beach through Sunday.