Oʻahu surfers assert home-island dominance at WSL The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro

Oʻahu’s Eweleiula Wong and Luke Tema each claimed wins at the World Surf League The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro, a men’s and women’s Qualifying Series 1000, in iconic Sunset Beach conditions on Monday.

A dream conclusion crowned Wong and Tema victors in six-to-eight-foot, pristine swell as they battled through heavily stacked fields of proven chargers. Impressive showings from 2023 event victor Shion Crawford (HAW) and reigning Hawaiʻi/Tahiti QS Regional victor Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) earned them runner-ups moving into the next stop.

Eweleiula Wong takes down maiden QS victory

Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) got the women’s Final underway against two-time QS Regional victor Moana Jones Wong (HAW), perennial Challenger Series threat Eweleiula Wong (HAW), and No. 1 entering the event, Kiara Goold (PYF). After Tomoda-Bannert added to her score line, Eweleiula fired back with a 7.25 (out of a possible 10) on her powerful forehand to overtake the lead ten minutes into the Final. But, Eweleiula wasn’t done yet and posted another solid, 6.75 to push her lead and forced her opponents into needing excellent numbers to catch her.

But, no opportunities of major scoring potential came through before time expired and (Eweleiula) Wong emerged victorious to claim her first-ever QS win – pushing her atop the regional rankings. 

“I’m super stoked to win my first QS. I haven’t made it to a Final in a really long time so I’m super stoked,” said Wong. “I hardly ever surf Sunset and usually just stick to Haleʻiwa but I’m stoked to have won in pretty solid Sunset and I’ll probably surf here a bit more now. I definitely do as well as I wanted to on the Challenger Series so these QS events at home are really nice and build some confidence and hopefully requalify for the Challenger Series next year.”

After a phenomenal showing in her Quarterfinal debut on Day 2, Wong started her Finals Day campaign in a stout Semifinal battle against then No. 1 Goold, defending event victor, Maui’s Nora Liotta (HAW) and an in-form Lucy Jarrard (ASM). Wong held firm for a Semifinal win alongside Goold advancing as Goold notched back-to-back Finals appearances. It all ended with Wong’s maiden QS win.

She and the women now prepare for the US Air Force Super Girl Surf Pro presented by Jersey Mike’s Subs QS 3000 beginning Nov. 8 through 10.

Luke Tema claims first-ever QS win over heavily-stacked field

The men’s Final witnessed a clash of Hawaiʻi/Tahiti Nui’s emerging talents including defending event victor Shion Crawford (HAW), Luke Tema (HAW), Luke Swanson (HAW) facing proven QS veteran Torrey Meister (HAW). Meister unleashed his signature forehand power to post an excellent 8.00 for an early jump on the field before Crawford matched Meister’s power with his own for an 8.75. But, with minimal backups, Tema seized his opportunity to showcase his high-performance capabilities for an 8.35, combined with his 6.50, to overtake the lead with just over five minutes left.
 
Swanson and Crawford’s last efforts fell short of the requirement and Tema earned his maiden QS chair-up the beach to kickstart the North Shore competitive leg.
 
“There were so many good guys in the field and it was hard. I had a lot of close heats but I’m stoked to come out on top,” said Tema. “Luke [Swanson] and Shion [Crawford] and Torrey [Meister], they all push me and I’ve been surfing with Luke and Shion forever so it was so cool to share a Final with them. I thought it was done when I got the worst of the first exchange but then that eight came in at the end. I’ll just go into Haleʻiwa and try to get a win but I’m mainly just so stoked to win this one.”
 
Tema started his Finals Day surge in the men’s Round of 32 with a decisive win before heading into a stacked Quarterfinal bout featuring the likes of Mason Ho (HAW). But, the 18-year-old, Tema, held firm and advanced behind Meister in their Semifinal clash with Ho and Tahiti’s hard-charging Eimeo Czermak (PYF). Tema now sits at No. 1 on the rankings heading into Haleʻiwa with another big opportunity ahead.

For the men, QS competitors now set their eyes to Haleʻiwa for a chance to claim a victory of their own and push toward 2025 Challenger Series qualification.

Runner-ups Shion Crawford and Keala Tomoda-Bannert gather momentum

For Tomoda-Bannert, this marks back-to-back Finals in Hawaiʻi QS events as she now gets ready to defend her US Air Force Super Girl Surf Pro win beginning Nov. 8. The Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi competitor set the tone on Finals Day in her Semifinal bout after matching the day’s best single-wave score of a 9.00 and carried that momentum to a big runner-up finish.
 
“It feels really nice to be in a Final again after it was kind of a tough year. Getting second gives me a lot of confidence to go into next week at the Super Girl,” said Tomoda-Bannert. “It’s exciting to get some good results and the women are doing really well so I have to keep the rhythm going but I’m not putting a lot of pressure on myself to requalify for the Challenger Series. I’ll get to go home and reset which is what I love to do between contests and feel like my confidence is there so I’m happy.”

2023 event victor Shion Crawford (HAW) nearly pulled a historic, back-to-back win but fell just short and earned a momentum-building runner-up result. Crawford showcased his forehand power throughout the event, posting multiple excellent numbers and a 9.00 during his Finals Day surge through the Round of 32, Quarterfinals, and Semifinals. The rising threat faced some of Hawaiʻi’s most proven QS contenders including a superheat in the Semifinals featuring multi-event winner Billy Kemper (HAW), 2019 event winner Cody Young (HAW), and eventual third-place finisher Luke Swanson (HAW).
 
“I wanted to go back-to-back and it feels good to almost do that but I’m stoked to go into Haleʻiwa and just wanting to do my surfing,” said Crawford. “I’m definitely excited to get back there and hopefully it’ll be firing and hopefully take a win there. It’ll be really fun just to be in my routine and surfing at my home break.” 

The Hawaiian Island Sunset Pro results

Women’s The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro Final Results:
1 – Eweleiula Wong (HAW) 14.00 
2 – Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) 9.90
3 – Kiara Goold (PYF) 7.30
4 – Moana Jones Wong (HAW) 5.25
 
Men’s The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro Final Results:
1 – Luke Tema (HAW) 14.85
2 – Shion Crawford (HAW) 14.50
3 – Luke Swanson (HAW) 12.30
4 – Torrey Meister (HAW) 10.90
 
Women’s The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) 16.00 DEF. Moana Jones Wong (HAW) 10.80, Vaihitimahana Inso (HAW) 6.65, Zoe McDougall (HAW) 6.25
HEAT 2: Eweleiula Wong (HAW) 9.45 DEF. Kiara Goold (PYF) 9.00, Nora Liotta (HAW) 7.85, Lucy Jarrard (ASM) 5.45
 
Men’s The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro Semifinal Results:
HEAT 1: Torrey Meister (HAW) 12.45 DEF. Luke Tema (HAW) 12.35, Mason Ho (HAW) 11.90, Eimeo Czermak (PYF) 9.95
HEAT 2: Luke Swanson (HAW) 13.15 DEF. Shion Crawford (HAW) 12.25, Billy Kemper (HAW) 8.90, Cody Young (HAW) 7.45
 
Men’s The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro Quarterfinal Results:
HEAT 1: Luke Tema (HAW) 14.40 DEF. Mason Ho (HAW) 11.25, Jae Wood (HAW) 4.15, Shiloh Tennberg (HAW) 4.10
HEAT 2: Torrey Meister (HAW) 11.75 DEF. Eimeo Czermak (PYF) 9.85, Rylan Beavers (HAW) 9.35, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 8.20
HEAT 3: Billy Kemper (HAW) 15.80 DEF. Shion Crawford (HAW) 13.85, Koa Smith (HAW) 9.60, MaiKai Burdine (HAW) 6.50
HEAT 4: Luke Swanson (HAW) 12.05 DEF. Cody Young (HAW) 10.40, Mihimana Braye (FRA) 9.00, Oliver Zietz (NLD) 7.10
 
Men’s The Hawaiian Islands Sunset Pro Round of 32 Results:
HEAT 1: Mason Ho (HAW) 13.75 DEF. Kiron Jabour (HAW) 11.90, Kai Lenny (HAW) 11.10, Dylan Franzmann (HAW) 8.65
HEAT 2: Luke Tema (HAW) 13.00 DEF. Eimeo Czermak (PYF) 11.95, Kai Martin (HAW) 11.50, Levi Young (HAW) 5.15
HEAT 3: Torrey Meister (HAW) 12.80 DEF. Jae Wood (HAW) 11.35, Kainalu McCormick (USA) 9.65, Marco Rista (HAW) 7.40
HEAT 4: Rylan Beavers (HAW) 14.00 DEF. Shiloh Tennberg (HAW) 10.65, Benji Brand (HAW) 8.90, Tyler Newton (HAW) 3.20
HEAT 5: MaiKai Burdine (HAW) 10.95 DEF. Luke Swanson (HAW) 9.85, Logan Bediamol (HAW) 9.40, Landon McNamara (HAW) 4.35
HEAT 6: Shion Crawford (HAW) 16.75 DEF. Cody Young (HAW) 13.00, Finn McGill (HAW) 11.60, Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 11.40
HEAT 7: Mihimana Braye (FRA) 15.30 DEF. Koa Smith (HAW) 13.60, Joshua Moniz (HAW) 13.25, Kai Paula (HAW) 11.75
HEAT 8: Oliver Zietz (NLD) 14.00 DEF. Billy Kemper (HAW) 13.00, Turo Ariitu (PYF) 12.05, Kalani Rivero (HAW) 11.15