Zane Saenz - APP World Tour Sunset Beach Pro

• Posted on 22 February 2019
• By Zane Saenz
• 0

Zane Saenz tearing it up at the APP World Tour Sunset Beach Pro

 

Competing on the APP World Tour Sunset Beach Pro was pure fun! I was really excited to compete this year for the first time in this event, after watching it every year since I was a little kid and dreaming of being in it. I used to do the Nakamakai division at Turtle Bay and always got to see these athletes coming to compete at the World Tour and I was a grom in awe of them. It was such an amazing  experience to meet people all around the world at this event and they all are just super passionate about the sport, and very skilled at it. 

 

 

Day 1 held the two rounds of trials where I was surfing. The conditions were very stormy but luckily I had the opportunity to surf Sunset a lot this Winter and was able to catch several waves, and win my first two heats and advance to round 3.

 

 

Day 2 was just as difficult but the swell was even bigger! Unfortunately I got knocked out in Round 3. I had the U16 finals as well and got third place. The women’s finals was also on this day, and Fiona Wylde took her first Sunset win!

 

 

Day 3 was very glassy and had some good sized sets rolling through, but sometimes had long lulls in between sets. I had my U18 heatsand semifinals this day and had a lot of fun in great waves. Poenaki Raioha took the win for the Open’s men division, with a great performance with a  near perfect ride! This event was a great experience to meet the best stand up paddlers in the world and see the high level of performance and competition that this sport is reaching. I’m planning to compete in other APP World Tour events scheduled for this year and keep training to improve my surfing.

 

 

 

-Zane