ALoha Friday: Opening Rounds Called ON at SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown

Women’s Opening Round Starts at 7:30 a.m. TAHT
Men’s Opening Round and Women’s Elimination Round To Follow
Watch LIVE at WorldSurfLeague.com

Pictured: Five-time World Champion Carissa Moore (HAW) will compete in Heat 2 of the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown and is on the cusp of provisional qualification for the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Credit: © WSL / Pullenot

TEAHUPO’O, Tahiti, French Polynesia (Friday, August 11, 2023) – Competition has been called ON for opening day of the SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown, the penultimate stop on the World Surf League (WSL) 2023 Championship Tour (CT) season. The women’s Opening Round will commence at 7:30 a.m. local time and will be followed by the men’s Opening Round and the women’s Elimination Round. Teahupo’o has turned on clean surf in the four-to-six-foot range, which should make for an exciting opening day of competition.

The opening heat of the event will see 11-time World Champion Kelly Slater (USA) take on 2023 CT Rookie Ian Gentil (HAW), and WSL Final 5 hopeful Yago Dora (BRA), who is in need of a massive result here to guarantee his maiden Rip Curl WSL Finals’ appearance.

Local hopeful Kauli Vaast (FRA) will hope to back up his runner-up finish from last year with another big result on home soil but will first have to get past Teahupo’o standouts Joao Chianca (BRA) and Jordy Smith (RSA) in Heat 2 of the Opening Round.

Heat 1 of the women’s Opening Round will see three of the most exciting competitors from the next generation in Molly Picklum (AUS), Caitlin Simmers (USA) and Gabriela Bryan (HAW) do battle as all three look to stamp their authority on the hollow tubes of Tahiti.

SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown Women’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Molly Picklum (AUS) vs. Caitlin Simmers (USA) vs. Gabriela Bryan (HAW)
HEAT 2: Carissa Moore (HAW) vs. Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) vs. Aelan Vaast (FRA)
HEAT 3: Tyler Wright (AUS) vs. Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) vs. Vahine Fierro (FRA)
HEAT 4: Caroline Marks (USA) vs. Lakey Peterson (USA) vs. Johanne Defay (FRA)SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown Men’s Opening Round Matchups:
HEAT 1: Yago Dora (BRA) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW) vs. Kelly Slater (USA)
HEAT 2: Joao Chianca (BRA) vs. Jordy Smith (RSA) vs. Kauli Vaast (FRA)
HEAT 3: Griffin Colapinto (USA) vs. Caio Ibelli (BRA) vs. Mihimana Braye (PYF)
HEAT 4: Filipe Toledo (BRA) vs. Liam O’Brien (AUS) vs. Matahi Drollet (PYF)
HEAT 5: Gabriel Medina (BRA) vs. Barron Mamiya (HAW) vs. Seth Moniz (HAW)
HEAT 6: John John Florence (HAW) vs. Kanoa Igarashi (JPN) vs. Rio Waida (INA)
HEAT 7: Jack Robinson (AUS) vs. Connor O’Leary (AUS) vs. Callum Robson (AUS)
HEAT 8: Leonardo Fioravanti (ITA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS) vs. Matthew McGillivray (RSA)

Watch LIVE: SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown
The Shiseido Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown holds a competition window from Friday, August 11, through Sunday, August 20, 2023. Once called on, the competition will be broadcast LIVE on WorldSurfLeague.com, the WSL’s YouTube channel, and the free WSL app. Check out more ways to watch from the WSL’s broadcast partners.

The SHISEIDO Tahiti Pro Presented by Outerknown is proudly supported by Outerknown, Tahiti Government, Red Bull, YETI, Oakberry, Mophie, Surfline, True Surf, Air Tahiti, Vini, Polynesie 1, Chery, Fédération Tahitienne De Surf, and Sports de la Polynésie Française.