- WSL / Rémi BLANC
- WSL / Rémi BLANC
Highlights: Crunch Time at Tenerife
1:00
The Cabreiroá Las Americas Pro Tenerife decides the event's Semifinalists in an epic day of surfing.

The QS1,500 Cabreiroá Las Americas Pro Tenerife continued in a slightly decreasing swell still serving up clean three-to-four foot waves reeling down the lefthand reef break of La Izquierda / Spanish Left. Here's a breakdown of the event's Quarters:

Women's Quarters

The opening Quarter was a somewhat slow battle between Anat Lelior and Tessa Thyssen. The two goofy footers have shown some of the best surfing yesterday in the women's event earlier rounds but couldn't quite find the same rhythm. Lelior built a healthy lead and the heat came down to a final opportunity for Thyssen in the dying moments of the heat, but the Caribbean came up short and Lelior advanced.

Anat Lelior (ISR) Anat Lelior (ISR) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

The second Quarter was a similar affair until the 10 minute mark when local surfer Daniela Boldini started on a bomb to perform three critical backhand turns and post a 9.00 point ride. The huge score put her in the lead ahead of Frankie Harrer who found a last opportunity in the final minute but unfortunately fell on her second turn and Boldini took her spot into the Semis.

Daniela Boldini (CNY) Daniela Boldini (CNY) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

"I can't believe it!" she said. "I feel incredible and so fortunate to be here and in the semis. I only compete at the Canarian Surfing Federation events normally. I did a couple of Pro Juniors and this is the second QS event I have done. This is one of my favourite waves and with these conditions - high tide and no wind and I really enjoyed it. I have a coach, Nacho Sebastian and I train with him three times a week. I take it seriously and would love to compete on the CT one day."

In the following heat, Juliette Lacome found a great wave right away and posted a 7.17 to take the lead. Carol Henrique struggled to find the right waves until the five minute mark when she kickstarted her comeback. As time ran down, a last big set came for the Portuguese and Henrique unleashed a series of big vertical turns for a 7.67 to turn the heat at the last second and eliminate Lacome.

Carol Henrique (PRT) Carol Henrique (PRT) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

"I feel amazing, I just saw my last chance on that wave and I put all my heart in it," she said. "I never stopped believing and kept positive thoughts all the way. I had a rough start in that heat so I'll try to be more patient in the next one and wait for the right waves."

Leticia Canales Bilbao killed the last Quarter in the first 8 minutes with two great waves including an excellent 8.83 and never really left Nadia Erostarbe a chance to recover. Erostarbe did climb out of her combination situation towards the end of the heat with a good 6.93 but much too late and Canales Bilbao took the final spot for the Semis.

Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) Leticia Canales Bilbao (EUK) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

Men's Quarters

By the time the men's Quarters paddled out, waves had continued to slow down, fewer sets broke and longer lulls made it tough for the surfers. Vasco Ribeiro found himself scoreless for a long twenty minutes while Paul Cesar Distinguin built a good scoreboard, starting on all the smaller waves inside and capitalizing with his crisp forehand carves. The Frenchman kept the lead all the way and secured the first ticket for the Semis.

Paul Cesar Distinguin (FRA) Paul Cesar Distinguin (FRA) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

"Waves tend to come a lot for like 15 minutes and then disappear sometimes for more than half an hour," he analyzed. "The previous heat had plenty of waves so I knew it was going to stop for us. I decided to catch as many waves as I can and I'm happy it went my way."

Exactly as Distinguin called it, the following heat had plenty of sets. Thomas Debierre dropped the hammer early on in the second Quarter with a near-perfect 9.23 in the opening minute of his exchange with Marlon Lipke. The Portuguese surfer replied with a 7.33 to stay in fighting distance but the Frenchman found another epic wave and put a 9.93 on the board to win the affair with an astounding 19.16 heat total.

Thomas Debierre (FRA) Thomas Debierre (FRA) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

"I know the big backside turns score high so I just did what I know how to do and it worked out well," he said. "I grew up in waves very similar to this in Guadeloupe and that's probably why I feel so comfortable out there."

In the third Quarter, Tristan Guilbaud was in total control of the heat with two good waves until Lucca Mesinas found a perfect little runner in the dying seconds to post a 7.67 and upset the current leader of the European QS. The Peruvian had previously annihilated a set wave in Round 5 to post a 9.50 and confirmed his excellent form this afternoon.

Lucca Mesinas (PER) Lucca Mesinas (PER) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

Timothee Bisso and the defending event champion Ruben Vitoria wrapped up the action for the day in the last Quarter. Bisso got busy early and posted two solid scores while Vitoria struggled with wave selection and got stuck with lower scores. The ocean didn't provide many more opportunities and Bisso advanced as the third Frenchman in the Semis.

Timothee Bisso (FRA) Timothee Bisso (FRA) - WSL / Rémi BLANC

Event officials have called surfers back at 11 a.m Sunday for the event finals.

Tune in from February 4-10, 2019 for the LIVE Webcast and check out all the photos, videos and updates right here!

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