TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Friday, August 19, 2022) – Today, Courtney Conlogue (USA) and Miguel Pupo (BRA) won the Outerknown Tahiti Pro, Stop No. 10 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT) and the final competition ahead of the Rip Curl WSL Finals. Following four days of action at the famed Teahupo’o surf break, Finals Day culminated in clean four-to-six-foot waves, alternating between women’s and men’s rounds. This competition marked the return of the women’s CT to Teahupo’o for the first time in 16 years and witnessed inspiring performances from all competitors.
Following the Outerknown Tahiti Pro, the WSL Tours and Competition team has confirmed the Top 5 men and Top 5 women who will compete in the Rip Curl WSL Finals, the one-day event that will determine the 2022 World Champions.
Conlogue Becomes First Woman To Win CT in Teahupo’o for First Time in 16 Years
Californian Courtney Conlogue (USA) has claimed a historic win at the Outerknown Tahiti Pro Teahupo’o, being the first woman to do so since 2006. Conlogue was on fire all the event, showing serious commitment to book herself a spot in the Final with Brisa Hennessy (CRI). The Final was a matchup between two of the event standouts, but Conlogue took control, by being in-tune with the waves and displaying incredible finesse in the tube. She posted a 7.50 (out of a possible 10) and backed it up with a mid-range score to put Hennessy out of contention. Conlogue claimed her 13th CT victory and her first since the 2019 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
“Honestly I’m just so grateful for this–it’s been a long time since I’ve had a win,” Conlogue said. “This year has had so many challenges and highs and lows. I love this wave. This wave is so magical and I feel really lucky to win here. It was great to share the Final with Brisa. She was charging all event and sending it. This is the perfect way to end the year. This one is for all my friends and family and sponsors, I wouldn’t be here without them. And also, to WSL for bringing the women back here, I’m grateful.”
Runner-up Brisa Hennessy Clinches Last Spot in Rip Curl WSL Finals
Earlier in the day, eventual runner-up Henessy came up against Californian Lakey Peterson (USA) in a Quarterfinal 4 Heat which would see the winner clinch a spot in the WSL Final 5, ahead of next month’s Rip Curl WSL Finals. With Peterson coming into the event in sixth on the rankings and Hennessy in fifth, Hennessy claimed the Heat win by pulling into a long draining barrel to claim the heat win. Hennessy’s second place finish here today has put her in the fourth seed spot for the WSL Finals.
Hennessy will be joined by Stephanie Gilmore (AUS), Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), Johanne Defay (FRA), and Carissa Moore (HAW) this September for the Rip Curl WSL Finals at Lower Trestles.
“I’m trying to soak this all in, at the moment,” Hennessy said. “Having my mom and dad here and all of the women on tour sharing this beautiful lineup is so special. It was incredible to share the final with Courtney (Conlogue) – she is such an inspiration in consequential waves and is just a fun person to be around, so it’s been a great day. I’m feeling positive at the moment and want to carry this positive energy into Trestles.”
Miguel Pupo (BRA) claimed his maiden Championship Tour victory today at the Outerknown Tahiti Pro with an incredible performance against local wildcard Kauli Vaast (FRA), in what was both surfers’ first CT Final.
“It took me 10 years to finally win a CT event,” said Pupo. “I’ve been winning on the Challenger Series, and I wanted to get one [CT win] this year, and get a trophy to see my hard work pay off. This trophy is for you my love, my babies, my mom, my dad, everyone on my crew. Thank you so much for all of your support.”
Despite missing the WSL Final 5 by one spot and finishing in sixth place on the CT rankings, Pupo is sure to be a contender in 2023. He celebrates his best year on the CT, since 2011, with his first Final and his first win at the Outerknown Tahiti Pro. The Brazilian started the season off with a third place finish at Billabong Pro Pipeline and had shining moments at events throughout the year, such as the Oi Rio Pro and Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach.
Vaast came into the Final as the man to beat, having taken down 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA), World No. 3 Ethan Ewing (AUS) and Matthew McGilivray (RSA). However, he was up against CT veteran Miguel Pupo (BRA), who put on his best performance of the event, threading multiple long critical tubes, to post multiple excellent scores for a heat total of 17.17. Vaast came close to turning the tide but, uncharacteristically, fell on the exit of a couple of set wave barrels and came short of claiming first Tahiti Pro win for a Tahitian.
“I feel incredible right now,” Vaast said. “I may have lost, but it is what it is. That’s just competition and I’m super happy for Miguel. There are so many emotions with all of this support from Tahiti and in the channel. I want to cry – it’s a good feeling.”
Competitors and Seeding Confirmed for Rip Curl WSL Finals
The Outerknown Tahiti Pro confirmed the competitors and finalists for the Rip Curl WSL Finals. After the 10-stop Championship Tour, the Top 5 men and Top 5 women on the CT rankings will now prepare for the final event, which will be held at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif. from September 8 – 16, 2022.
Outerknown Tahiti Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Results: HEAT 1: Kauli Vaast (FRA) 12.26 DEF. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF) 5.23 HEAT 2: Kelly Slater (USA) 14.77 DEF. Yago Dora (BRA) 14.10 HEAT 3: Caio Ibelli (BRA) 11.00 DEF. Nathan Hedge (AUS) 10.76 HEAT 4: Miguel Pupo (BRA) 13.07 DEF. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) 11.04
Up Next: Rip Curl WSL Finals
The final stop on the 2022 WSL CT will be the Rip Curl WSL Finals, which holds a competition window from September 8 – 16, 2022. The event will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners.The Outerknown Tahiti Pro is proudly supported by our partners Outerknown, Tahiti Tourism, Corona, Pura Vida, Red Bull, Oakley, Hydro Flask, Expedia, True Surf, Surfline, Polynesia 1, Vini, and Air Tahiti Nui.For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
EARLIER UPDATES BELOW
CONGRATS COURTNEY CONLOGUE! CONGRATS MIGUEL PUPO!
COURTNEY CONLOGUE TAKES DOWN BRISA HENNESSY AND MIGUEL PUPO BEATS LOCAL TALENT KAULI VAAST
Outerknown Tahiti Pro delivers at Teahupo’o (TAY’AH HU’ PO’O)
TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Friday, August 19, 2022) – The Outerknown Tahiti Pro, Stop No. 10 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT), has been called on with Teahupo’o continuing to produce pumping surf in the five-to-eight foot range for Finals Day. The men’s Quarterfinals will start at 7:05 a.m. TAHT, followed by the women’s Quarterfinals, women’s and men’s Semifinals, and women’s and men’s Finals, with the 2022 Outerknown Tahiti Pro winner’s being crowned by the end of today.
The fourth heat of the women’s Quarterfinals will decide who takes the fifth spot in the women’s WSL Final 5 with Brisa Hennessy (CRI) taking on Lakey Peterson (USA) in a make or break heat. Hennessy currently holds the fifth spot but if Peterson wins the heat she’ll move from sixth to fifth.
The opening heat of the women’s will be one to watch with two event favorites in Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) and Caroline Marks (USA) doing battle for a spot in the Semifinals.
Nathan Hedge (AUS) and Caio Ibelli (BRA) showed incredible commitment with standout performances yesterday and will be matching up with one another in Quarterfinal Heat 3 this morning.
Outerknown Tahiti Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Matthew McGillivray (ZAF)
HEAT 2: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Kelly Slater (USA)
HEAT 3: Nathan Hedge (AUS) vs. Caio Ibelli (BRA)
HEAT 4: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Miguel Pupo (BRA)
Outerknown Tahiti Pro Women’s Quarterfinal Matchups:
HEAT 1: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Caroline Marks (USA)
HEAT 2: Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Courtney Conlogue (USA)
HEAT 3: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA)
HEAT 4: Brisa Hennessy (CRI) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA)
FINAL 5 ARE SET…on an EPIC Day…Watch ‘Catch Up’ and more…
HUGE Day of Surfing…some historic moments.
Aug 18, 2022Forecast promises come to fruition in breathtaking form, World Title hopes realized and laid to waste, plus GOAT eyes another career milestone.
The most critical wave in the world is now somehow more extreme than ever.
Added to the mutant barrels, committed drops, and razor-sharp reef is the fact that Teahupo’o serves as the last fight for the WSL Final 5.
The women get their first shot at the famed barrel in 16 years and the world’s best surfers get one last chance to lay it all on the line for a spot in the Rip Curl WSL Finals.
Toledo 2. Robinson are seeded…Ewing, Ferreira and Igarashi are set in Top 5 but need Tahiti to finish before final seeding.
Surf was much better…solid 4-6’occ 8′ classic Teahupo’o
Slater, Hedge and Toledo kicked off Opening Rnd #4 with Slater Legend and records growing…now with 72 excellent heat scores in this event alone.
The Elimination rounds (8 heats) kicked off about 1030am with overlapping heats
Earlier Update: Tough Day with conditions Wednesday.
Short Day of Competition as Teahupo’o Awakens for Outerknown Tahiti Pro
Gilmore and Weston-Webb Clinch Their Spot in the WSL Final 5 as Scenarios Ramp Up
Robinson, Vaast and Hennessy Steal The Show at Teahupo’o
Mixed Results For Tahiti’s Finest on Day 2 of Competition
Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Wednesday, August 17, 2022) – The Outerknown Tahiti Pro, Stop No. 10 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT), has seen an on and off day of competition with changing wind conditions forcing a number of holds and the event to be put on standby due to deteriorating conditions. In between the squalls however, Teahupo’o began to awaken, with some solid five-to-six foot plus waves breaking, offering competitors in the women’s Elimination Round and first three heats of the men’s Opening Round some incredible tube rides ahead of of what is expected to be the day of the window, tomorrow at the ‘End of the Road.’
Gilmore and Weston-Webb Clinch Their Spot in the WSL Final 5 as Scenarios Ramp Up
A clutch performance from Brisa Hennessy (CRI) in Heat 2 of the Elimination Round saw her post the highest single wave of the round, pulling into a huge Teahupo’o pit to earn a 7.00 point ride to progress into the Quarterfinals. It was an epic show of commitment from Hennessy, who currently sits in fifth place on the rankings and needs a solid result here in Tahiti to guarantee her spot in the Rip Curl WSL Finals. Without that wave, she would have been out of the event, and possibly out of the WSL Final 5. The heat win eliminated 2022 CT Rookie Gabriela Bryan (HAW) from the event and from the race to the Rip Curl WSL Finals.
“It’s an honor to be at this event,” Hennessy said. “It feels like it’s been a long time coming and the women that were here 16 years ago paved the way for us which is really inspiring and I hope to inspire more girls with being back here now.”
“I feel like I could have been deeper on that one actually,” Hennessy said. “All the locals have been telling me that you need to feel like you’re taking off on a closeout, and it’s true – I need to be doing that more often.”
One of the event favorites who no one expected to see in the Elimination Round was Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA), who snuck through her matchup with Isabella Nichols (AUS) to clinch herself a spot in the WSL Final 5. Weston-Webb struggled to find a rhythm in her heat but did just enough to progress into the Quarterfinals and lock in an opportunity to battle for her maiden World Title. The heat loss puts Nichols out of contention for a Final 5 finish and ends her 2022 CT season.
Another potential top 5 competitor who snuck through her heat was Lakey Peterson (USA), who kept her dream alive with a win over Tyler Wright (AUS) in Heat 3 of the Elimination Round. Peterson dug deep to thread one decent barrel and progress, leaving Wright out of Final 5 contention.
With Nichols, Bryan and Wright out of contention for the WSL Final 5, seven-time WSL Champion Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) was able to lock in her spot at Trestles as she looks to claim a record breaking eighth World Title.
Jack Robinson and Kauli Vaast Steal The Show on Day 2 at Teahupo’o
Current world No. 2 Jack Robinson (AUS) might be competing in his first Outerknown Tahiti Pro but the 23-year-old comes into the event as one of the standout favorites with a long affinity with Teahupo’o. This affinity was on full display in his Opening Round heat as Teahupo’o began to bare it’s teeth and Robinson, under priority spun and took a huge drop into a perfect barrel, only to be spat out into the channel and awarded a near perfect 9.43 (out of a possible 10) for his efforts. Robinson then backed it up for an excellent heat total of 16.26 (out of a possible 20) to claim an easy win over wildcard Michel Bourez (FRA) and Nat Young (USA). Progressing into Round of 16 means that Robinson is now locked in the second spot in the WSL Final 5, and a win here would give him the top spot at Trestles.
“It’s been a while since I’ve taken a drop like that,” Robinson said. “Maybe since the Pipe event earlier this year – I haven’t surfed Teahupo’o for three years so it felt nice to get one like that. It’s been an on-and-off day so I think the call to wait for the wind to settle was a good one. I haven’t done that on this reef for a while so it felt so good to be back.”
Someone who has spent more time than most in the Teahupo’o barrel is local trials winner Kauli Vaast (FRA), who played a giant dominating role the last time the event ran in 2019. Today, Vaast picked up where he left off, overcoming Barron Mamiya (HAW) and Ethan Ewing (AUS), with an impressive display of local knowledge that saw him pick off the best barrels of the matchup to take the win, even riding half of one wave switchfoot through the barrel.
“I was pretty confident heading into that heat,” Vaast said. “I could see the waves continuing to improve with the wind and knew what I’d be looking for and found it. I got three or four in a row and even rode switch on one so I could stall longer in the barrel. I’m into the next round and just want to go have fun and enjoy the experience.”
Mixed Results For Tahiti’s Finest on Day 2 of Competition
Along with Vaast, Local Women’s Wildcard Vahine Fierro (FRA) put on a solid display in her Elimination Round heat to dispatch current world No. 2 Johanne Defay (FRA). Fierro found time in the tube as well as turn sections to take a convincing win and progress into the Quarterfinals where she will take on five-time WSL Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) in what will no doubt be a heat to watch. Former CT stalwart and WSL Wildcard Michel Bourez (FRA) was unable to find a rhythm in his heat and will hope to re-group ahead of the Elimination Round tomorrow.
Event organizers will reconvene tomorrow morning at 6:45 a.m. to make another call on competition for a potential 7:05 a.m. TAHT start.
Watch LIVE
The Outerknown Tahiti Pro will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check local listings for coverage from the WSL’s broadcast partners. For fans watching in Brazil, coverage of the competition’s Quarterfinals and beyond will continue exclusively on WorldSurfLeague.com and SporTV.
COVID-19 Updates
The health and safety of our athletes, staff, and the local community are of the utmost importance and the WSL has been working closely with local authorities to put a robust set of procedures in place to keep everyone safe.
The Outerknown Tahiti Pro is proudly supported by our partners Outerknown, Tahiti Tourism, Corona, Pura Vida, Red Bull, Oakley, Hydro Flask, Expedia, True Surf, Surfline, Polynesia 1, Vini, and Air Tahiti Nui.
Wednesday: Women’s Elimination Round 2 Started at 7:05 a.m. TAHT and HAWAII Time…
All 4 Women’s rounds were completed before the contest was put ON HOLD due to onshore winds ruffling the lineup.
BREAKING NEWS AT 11AM…by making to the QTRS… both Tatiana Weston-Web and Stephanie Gilmore clinch their spot in the Top 5!
They both now have a shot at the World Title at Lower Trestles in September against Carissa Moore #1 and Johanne Defay #2…this leaves only one slot left!
Brisa Hennessy and Lakey Peterson are #5 and #6 currently.
Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Wednesday, August 17, 2022) – The Outerknown Tahiti Pro, Stop No. 10 on the World Surf League (WSL) 2022 Championship Tour (CT), has been called on at Teahupo’o for the second consecutive day. The swell has filled in overnight making for waves in the five-to-eight foot range and building. Women’s Elimination Round 2 will commence at 7:05 a.m. TAHT, followed by Men’s Opening Round 1, and Men’s Elimination Round 2.
The day will kick off with an exciting matchup as current World No. 2, Johanne Defay (FRA), takes on wildcard and Teahupo’o standout Vahine Fierro (FRA) in the Elimination Round, Heat 1. Battling it out in the women’s Elimination Round, Heat 5 will be CT Veterans Lakey Peterson (USA) and Tyler Wright (AUS), who are both looking for a big finish here in Tahiti for a chance of making the Final 5.
The men’s Opening Round Heat 1 will see 2019 World Champion Italo Ferreira (BRA) take on Matthew McGillivray (RSA) and goofy-footer Yago Dora (BRA), in what will no doubt be an exciting matchup between three chargers.
Heat 5 of the men’s Opening Round will see Griffin Colapinto (USA) look to consolidate his spot in the WSL Final 5 but will have to first get past Championship Tour veterans and Teahupo’o standouts Jordy Smith (RSA) and Jadson Andre (BRA).
Outerknown Tahiti Pro Women’s Elimination Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Johanne Defay (FRA) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA)
HEAT 2: Brisa Hennessy (CRI) vs. Gabriela Bryan (HAW)
HEAT 3: Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Isabella Nichols (AUS)
HEAT 4: Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Tyler Wright (AUS)
Outerknown Tahiti Pro Men’s Opening Round 1 Matchups:
Heat 1: Italo Ferreira (BRA), Matthew McGillivray (RSA), Yago Dora (BRA)
Heat 2: Ethan Ewing (AUS), Barron Mamiya (HAW), Kauli Vaast (FRA)
Heat 3: Jack Robinson (AUS), Nat Young (USA), Michel Bourez (FRA)
Heat 4: Filipe Toledo (BRA), Kelly Slater (USA), Nathan Hedge (AUS)
Heat 5: Griffin Colapinto (USA), Jordy Smith (RSA), Jadson Andre (BRA)
Heat 6: Kanoa Igarashi (JPN), Caio Ibelli (BRA), Jackson Baker (AUS)
Heat 7: Callum Robson (AUS), Samuel Pupo (BRA), Seth Moniz (HAW)
Heat 8: Miguel Pupo (BRA), Connor O’Leary (AUS), Jake Marshall (USA)
