Despite a drop in swell after yesterday's thumping conditions, the stakes only got higher in Round Three of the Hawaiian Pro. For select Championship Tour surfers like Kelly Slater and John John Florence, the 2016 World Champ, it was business as usual on the rippable rights, and they coasted into Round Four.
But the big performances came from the Qualifying Series warriors who are looking to make jumps to the Championship Tour or simply big impressions. Vasco Ribeiro and Joan Duru continued their solid Hawaiian Pro campaigns with impressive displays of rail surfing on the clean walls. Portuguese standout Frederico Morais also powered his way to a clutch Round Three win. And 18-year-old Griffin Colapinto had plans of his own, above the lip. The San Clemente native was the clear standout of the day, making his mark with a near-perfect Hail-Mary air to win his heat in the dying seconds.