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| Asian Games bronze medalist Jayuard Alciso delivered the biggest upset so far in the WSL Philippine Pro. PSC |
SIARGAO—Filipino wildcard Jayuard Alciso upset French Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast to advance to Round 2 of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro at Cloud 9 here Sunday.
The Asian Games bronze medalist posted 12.93 points in Round 1, Heat 8, with a 7.33 on his seventh wave and a 5.60 on his ninth to beat Vaast, the world's No. 9 surfer.
“I'm so happy to win this heat. This is my first time competing here, and beating an Olympic gold medalist is not easy. I'm really proud of myself,” Alciso said after the victory.
He said seeing his family, friends, and girlfriend watching from the beach helped him during the competition.
“I'm 100 percent focused because all my friends, my family and my girlfriend were there watching me. Their support helped me stay focused, and I was able to come up with big scores,” he said.
Alciso also thanked the local fans in Siargao who cheered him on throughout his heat.
“I'm so happy to make it to Round 2. I just want to thank my supporters, my family, friends, my girlfriend, and all the locals here in Siargao. Thank you all for supporting me,” he added.
Earlier in the day, John Mark “Marama” Tokong first gave the Filipino crowd plenty to cheer about after beating Brazilian World No. 11 Samuel Pupo to advance.
Tokong put up 16.60 points on waves of 8.60 and 8.00, while Pupo could only manage 11.00 in their opening-round heat.
Surfing before a big home crowd, Tokong handled the pressure well, making the most of the 6-to-8-foot waves under light conditions.
He admitted that competing in front of his fellow Filipinos was not easy, but he tried not to think too much about the pressure once he got into the water.
“It's crazy and amazing. There was a lot of pressure, but I just told myself to relax, keep things simple, and enjoy the waves,” Tokong said.
He could hear his family, friends, and supporters cheering from the shore whenever he came out of a wave. For the Filipino surfer, that made the experience even more special.
“I'm not doing this just for myself, but also for my family, friends, fans, and especially the Philippines. Representing my country is very important to me,” he said.
With one round behind him, Tokong is now looking forward to his next heat, hoping to give the Filipino fans another performance to cheer for.
The historic competition is presented by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), with the support of Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Lyndon Barbers, General Luna Mayor Johnson Sajulga, and Vice Mayor Romina Sajulga.
Surfers eliminated in the opening round will receive US$13,000 (around ₱830,000), while the champion will pocket US$80,000 (approximately ₱5.1 million).
Also supporting the event are the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and NEA/SIARELCO.
Fans can watch the competition live on the One Sports YouTube channel and Cignal Play.
