- WSL / Mariano Antúnez

After three consecutive lay days, competition finally began at the 2019 Rip Curl Pro Argentina. Clean peaks in the 3-foot range (1 meter) at Biologia in Playa Grande were on hand for the start to the only World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) event in Argentina this year. Fans on the beach were stoked to see 24 heats run today at the Men's QS 1500 and Women's QS 1000.

Thiago Camarão - Rip Curl Pro Argentina Thiago Camarão - WSL / Mariano Antúnez

Samuel Pupo (BRA) has been surfing at an extremely high level on the QS in 2019. Pupo continued his form on Friday scoring the highest heat total of the day of 14.25 (out of a possible 20 points) which included an 8.50 by landing a clean full rotation. The current WSL South America Junior Champion is focused on making it onto the Championship Tour (CT) sooner rather than later.

Other athletes in the Men's division that had solid performances today were past event winners Thiago Camarão (BRA) and Wesley Leite (BRA) as well as standouts Matheus Navarro (BRA), Lucca Mesinas (PER) and hometown heroes Facundo Arreyes (ARG) and Leandro Usuña (ARG).

Leandro Usuna - Rip Curl Pro Argentina Leandro Usuna - WSL / Mariano Antúnez

Upon completion of Round 1 of the Men's comp, the Women hit the water in the early afternoon. The two-time WSL South America Champion, Dominic Barona (ECU) dominated the two pervious events held in Mar del Plata, winning both. In the first heat of the day, Barona kept up her hi-performance surfing by taking the win over Catalina Mercere (ARG) and Julia Duarte (BRA).

Later on, the crowd on the beach went wild in Heat 3 as both local surfers Lucia Indurain (ARG) and Lucia Cosoleto (ARG) advanced into Round 2. However, Brazilian surfers Taina Hickel (BRA) and Camila Cassia (BRA) saved the best for last with their performances in the final two heats of the day, topped off by Cassia's 13.40 heat total.

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