Disappointment for Kauli Vaast on the famous Cloud 9 wave in the Philippines. The Paris 2024 Olympic champion was defeated in his opening heat by Filipino wildcard Jayuard Alciso, invited to the competition, after a particularly tight series.
The Tahitian totaled 12.17 points, coming from two waves scoring 6.67 and 5.50. It wasn’t enough against his opponent, who prevailed with 12.93 points, notably aided by a 7.33 ride. Less than a point separated the two surfers at the end of the 35-minute clash.
The Tahitian was disappointed, entering this penultimate stage of the season in ninth place in the world rankings. After breaking into the CT top 10 at the previous event in Portugal, the Vairao-born surfer slips two places and falls to 11th.
Despite this early elimination, the outlook remains encouraging for the Tahitian, who is contesting his first full season among surfing’s world elite this year.
Marco Mignot Also Eliminated
The other Frenchman in the men’s draw fared no better. Marco Mignot, ranked 15th worldwide before this stop and now 17th, was also eliminated in the round of 32, defeated by Hawaiian Seth Moniz by a score of 12.66 to 10.33.
The Philippines Pro, held on Siargao Island, constitutes the eleventh and penultimate stop of the 2026 Championship Tour. The world’s top surfers will reconvene in December at Pipeline, Hawaii, for the season’s final showdown, at the end of which the world titles will be awarded.
