Jinzun Harbour continuing to provide the goods for the world's best longboarders. - WSL / Tom Bennett
The race to become the 2017 Men's World Longboard Champion has intensified as the title favorites dropped like flies on Day 5 of the Taiwan Open World Longboard Championship.
Coming into the event, Taylor Jensen was the clear favourite to win his third World Title after victory at the Kumul PNG WLC event earlier this year. In Quarterfinal 2 Jensen had the tough assignment of taking on reigning World Champion Phil Rajzman in a battle of the powerhouses. The two surfed very different heats with Rajzman keeping busy on the rights while Jensen was on the lefts, taking his time to get started. Unfortunately for Jensen he failed to find a rhythm and was taken down by the Brazilian who won with heat total of 13.84.
Phil Rajzman knows he can't win back-to-back World Titles, but there's still an event win on the line. - WSL / Tom Bennett
"Taylor is a great friend of mine so coming up against him is tough when he is in the Title race and I am not," Razjman said. "I am not in the a position to win the World Title but I want to do my best at every event I go to. If that means beating people who are going for a title then so be it."
In a twist, Rajzman actually is a key to Jensen's chances at the title. If Phil wins, Jensen holds onto top spot on the rankings and leaves Taiwan as World Champion. If Edouard Delpero, Cole Robbins or Harley Ingleby win the event, it will go down to a surf-off between them and Jensen.
One competitor who kept his title hopes alive was Frenchman Edouard Delpero, who took down Hawaii's Kai Sallas. Sallas, who arrived here at No. 2 on the rankings, was a standout all event. However, he fell short of a win over Delpero, who has won in Taiwan as a Qualifying event last year.
Edouard Delpero has jumped into contention for the title with a win in the Quarterfinals over Kai Sallas. - WSL / Tom Bennett
"Last year was great training for me here so I'm super comfortable," Delpero said. "I haven't considered the chance of a world title and am still only focused on winning this event. If anything else comes from it that will be amazing but for now it's all about winning the event."
Quarterfinal 4 was a battle between Australia's Harley Ingleby and Antoine Delpero from France. The two-time world champion, Ingleby came hot out of the gates to take a solid lead early with a heat total of 15.77. Delpero chased well but in the windy conditions was unable to take the lead.
Harley Ingleby will be going for a third world title when competition resumes at Jinzun Harbour. - WSL / Tim Hain
"That was really tough out there in the wind," Ingleby said. "It's really opened up now with Antoine, Taylor and Kai dropping out of the event which certainly makes things exciting. There's still heats to surf so I don't want to get too far ahead of myself and just focus on my Semifinal for now."
Cole Robbins searching for cover and his best result at the WLC as he also moves into world title contention. - WSL / Tim Hain
Things Just Got Interesting at The Taiwan Open Men's WLC
Tom Bennett
The race to become the 2017 Men's World Longboard Champion has intensified as the title favorites dropped like flies on Day 5 of the Taiwan Open World Longboard Championship.
Coming into the event, Taylor Jensen was the clear favourite to win his third World Title after victory at the Kumul PNG WLC event earlier this year. In Quarterfinal 2 Jensen had the tough assignment of taking on reigning World Champion Phil Rajzman in a battle of the powerhouses. The two surfed very different heats with Rajzman keeping busy on the rights while Jensen was on the lefts, taking his time to get started. Unfortunately for Jensen he failed to find a rhythm and was taken down by the Brazilian who won with heat total of 13.84.
"Taylor is a great friend of mine so coming up against him is tough when he is in the Title race and I am not," Razjman said. "I am not in the a position to win the World Title but I want to do my best at every event I go to. If that means beating people who are going for a title then so be it."
In a twist, Rajzman actually is a key to Jensen's chances at the title. If Phil wins, Jensen holds onto top spot on the rankings and leaves Taiwan as World Champion. If Edouard Delpero, Cole Robbins or Harley Ingleby win the event, it will go down to a surf-off between them and Jensen.
One competitor who kept his title hopes alive was Frenchman Edouard Delpero, who took down Hawaii's Kai Sallas. Sallas, who arrived here at No. 2 on the rankings, was a standout all event. However, he fell short of a win over Delpero, who has won in Taiwan as a Qualifying event last year.
"Last year was great training for me here so I'm super comfortable," Delpero said. "I haven't considered the chance of a world title and am still only focused on winning this event. If anything else comes from it that will be amazing but for now it's all about winning the event."
Quarterfinal 4 was a battle between Australia's Harley Ingleby and Antoine Delpero from France. The two-time world champion, Ingleby came hot out of the gates to take a solid lead early with a heat total of 15.77. Delpero chased well but in the windy conditions was unable to take the lead.
"That was really tough out there in the wind," Ingleby said. "It's really opened up now with Antoine, Taylor and Kai dropping out of the event which certainly makes things exciting. There's still heats to surf so I don't want to get too far ahead of myself and just focus on my Semifinal for now."
Cole Robbins
Upsets continued with four former World Champions defeated during the Quarterfinals.
Taiwan Open World Longboard Champs - Women's
The Californian clinches his third World Title in Taiwan.
The Californian has won his third World Title in longboarding in an epic surf-off against Edouard Delpero at the Taiwan Open.
The Frenchman nabs his first longboard championship victory, forcing a World Title showdown with Taylor Jensen.
A few shock exits at the Taiwan Open has turned things up a notch.
Stong winds force a lay-day and keep us waiting to find out who will become 2017 World Champ.