Quarterfinalists Decided at ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro

PLAYA DE PANTIN, Valdoviño / Galicia - Spain (Friday, August 30, 2024) - The World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro enjoyed another action-packed day of surfing, completing the women's and men's Round of 32 and Round of 16 in two-to-three foot waves. A decreasing swell and challenging tides led to inconsistent sets, throwing even the top seeds off their game. With only a few opportunities in each heat, it all came down to wave selection. 

The biggest upsets of the day saw the defending event winners Maxime Huscenot (FRA) and Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) eliminated from the competition, as well as the winners of the previous QS events in Lacanau and Newquay, Mafalda Lopes (POR) and Lukas Skinner (GBR). New winners will be crowned and it will have a big impact on the European QS rankings.

In the women's Round of 16, World Junior Champion Francisca Veselko (POR) surfed a smart heat, getting off to a quick start and picking off the best waves from way out the back and connecting all the way to the inside. She scored a 7.23 (out of a possible 10) and 6.83 for powerful turns in the pocket, earning the best heat total of the round with 14.06 (out of a possible 20). 

"It's really fun out there," Veselko said. "I watched the heat before and saw the girls surfing all the way to the inside so I knew the best plan will be to catch a wave from out the back and connect it all the way. I just stuck to my gut and I'm glad it worked out. It's very tiring on the legs though, almost like the Huntington hop!"

"It's been a long, crazy year for me especially on the Challenger Series, so it's good to feel like myself again. I'm just taking it heat by heat and trying to stay present," Veselko said.

Olympian Teresa Bonvalot (POR) looked comfortable in her first heat at Pantin to take the win and advance to the Quarterfinals, with Tya Zebrowski (FRA) hanging on to second to eliminate Pauline Ado (FRA) and Gabriella Dinis (POR). 

"I'm feeling good and I'm really happy to be back in Pantin," Bonvalot said. "I have amazing memories here, so I'm just trying to enjoy my time here. It's been kind of tricky with the high tide, with it being slower on the outside. If you can manage that well and get the right waves you can be one step ahead."

"I just try to focus on myself in the heat. You just need to think about yourself, the waves and the moment. Each wave is an opportunity to improve and that's all I'm focusing on," Bonvalot said.

As the tide started to drop, judges were rewarding more committed surfing to the closeout sections on bigger waves. Nicolas Paulet (FRA) did exactly that, finding the best waves of the heat to take the win ahead of Luan Nogues (FRA).

"It's super tough as every heat is different, the conditions are changing all the time," Paulet reacted. "The judges seemed to prefer one big maneuver out the back and a strong finish, which I tried to do and I'm glad it worked. You have to be like a chameleon out there and adapt. We're not done yet, now I focus on the next heat tomorrow."

Fellow French surfer and veteran competitor Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) adapted well, and realised he might have to do something different. After trailing more than halfway through his heat, Couzinet launched a big air and stayed with the wave to finish on the inside to get the required score and the heat win over Charly Quivront (FRA).

"When I saw this round, I thought this was the hardest heat for sure," Couzinet reacted. "I thought I'll have to bring my air game, because I've been struggling to get good scores. When I saw that wave I knew I had to hit it hard. At least I'm making my heats and now we're into the quarters."

The day finished on an exciting note with Sean Gunning (ESP) wasting no time, paddling into two great waves and launching a frontside air on both occasions. Gunning scored a 7.50 and 6.00 within the first 5 minutes of the heat and comfortably held the lead all the way, with Gatien Delahaye (FRA) in second.

The next call will be on Saturday, August 31 at 10:30 a.m. GMT+2.

ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro Women's Quarterfinal Matchups

HEAT 1: Carolina Mendes (POR) vs. Noah Klapp (DEU)

HEAT 2: Sarah Leiceaga (FRA) vs. Francisca Veselko (POR)

HEAT 3: Teresa Bonvalot (POR) vs. Bahia Frediani (FRA)

HEAT 4: Tya Zebrowski (FRA) vs. Anat Lelior (ISR)

ABANCA Pantin Classic Galicia Pro Men's Quarterfinal Matchups

HEAT 1: Nicolas Paulet (FRA) vs. Afonso Antunes (POR)

HEAT 2: Luan Nogues (FRA) vs. Hans Odriozola (ESP)

HEAT 3: Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) vs. Gatien Delahaye (FRA)

HEAT 4: Charly Quivront (FRA) vs. Sean Gunning (ESP)