UURBIZTONDO BEACH, San Juan, La Union, Philippines (Tuesday, January 20, 2026) – A huge opening day of action in the World Surf League (WSL) La Union International Pro Tour qualifier saw women’s Quarterfinalists determined in ideal conditions. A rising two-to-three-foot swell started the day exceptionally clean and glassy, setting the stage for the large international field to begin contesting the four 2026 Longboard Tour wildcards available for the winners and runners-up. Round of 48 and Round of 32 for the women were completed, along with men’s Round of 72.
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After taking the past season off, Longboard Tour veteran Maria Fernanda Reyes (PER) returned to WSL competition today for the first time in over a year. The 28-year-old Pan American Games Gold Medalist posted the first excellent score of the event, an 8.17 (out of a possible 10) in a stacked Round of 48 heat that saw Lucy Small (NZL) edge slightly ahead of Indie Hoffman (USA), who was eliminated along with Mikee Ramos (PHL). Fernanda Reyes exhibited her trademark mix of critical nose-rides and strong carves to post the equal highest heat total of the day, 14.67 (out of a possible 20) in her first appearance in the Philippines.
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“I’m happy to have won my heat and get a great score,” Fernanda Reyes said. “It’s a really beautiful beach, the waves are fun. It’s my first time here, and I’m here with my husband and my best friends. The people are super nice, great vibes. Thanks to WSL for this competition and to the Philippines for the organization.”
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Small and Fernanda Reyes also progressed through their respective Round of 32 heats and into the Quarterfinals. Advancing in that round behind Small was Ambre Victoire Damestoy (FRA), who is competing in her first-ever WSL event. The duo eliminated two long-time Longboard Tour competitors in Kaitlin Mikkelsen (USA) and Kirra Molnar (AUS).
Another competitor with more than a decade’s experience on the Longboard Tour, Natsumi Taoka (JPN), found excellence in her opening heat. Taoka posted an 8.33, the highest single-wave score of the day, for a speedy wave that included two hang-tens amongst multiple critical fives. An event winner in 2023 and runner-up in 2025, Taoka has grown to love the waves of La Union over many years competing in the Philippines and now brings that experience against the largest international field Monaliza Point has seen to date.
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“It’s like my favorite place, La Union,” Taoka said. “We don’t have many reef breaks in Japan, so it was a bit hard for me when I first came here, but now I’ve come to La Union so many times and I’m so comfortable surfing here. When I practiced this morning, I surfed at 5:45 a.m. It was dark, but the waves were glassy, clean, and so easy to hang-five. Compared to this morning, the waves are a bit bumpy and windy but I found my own rhythm and was so happy to get an 8.33.”
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Taoka advanced ahead of rising local star Mara Lopez (PHL). The 14-year-old moved into the Quarterfinals immediately prior to her older sister, Ashlee Lopez (PHL), who claimed the win in a tight match-up that saw Shiela Mae Convicto (PHL) also progress. The Filipino pair eliminated South Africa’s sole representatives, Christy Gilmour (RSA) and Tarryn King (RSA) in the same heat.
Kaede Inoue (JPN) claimed her first LQS win at the La Union International Pro in 2024 and today posted solid scores to advance into the Quarterfinals. A tight battle for second place behind Inoue went the way of Summer Romero (USA). The 43-year-old 2004 World Longboard Champion, Romero, was able to keep ahead of 25-year-old Maya Glasenapp (FRA) and 21-year-old Delilah Hutchins (CRC), both of whom had strong showings in the Round of 48 prior to being eliminated in the Round of 32.
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A rookie on the Longboard Tour in 2025, Inoue will next come up against Emily Currie (GBR), a competitor on the tour in 2024 who claimed two heat wins today. Fellow 2025 rookies Malia Ilagan (USA) and Ginger Caimi (ITA) will also appear in the Quarterfinals, as will tour veteran Ophelie Ah-Kouen (FRA).
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In the final heat of the day, Cash Hoover (USA) posted the equal highest two-wave total of 14.67 in a confident performance that saw the 16-year-old defeat Mare Robroch (NDL), Daisy Dela Torre (PHL), and Beatrice Conroy (AUS). Robroch also advanced, with local favorite Dela Torre eliminated alongside Conroy.
In the men’s Round of 72, John Bryan Martinez (PHL) set the pace for the local crew. One of four out of eight Filipino surfers in the round to progress, Martinez earned an 11.34 heat total that included a 6.67, one of the highest numbers of the day for the men. Competing in his very first WSL event, the 21-year-old La Union local was extremely excited to move forward in the draw.
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“I’m so happy because it’s my first time competing in the WSL,” Martinez said. “I was really stoked to surf in this heat with my friends. We surf together every day. I’m just so happy to win this heat right now. We just said we would enjoy it and surf like we do when we’re free-surfing. We didn’t really have a strategy or a plan, we just wanted to have fun.”
Martinez advanced ahead of Danilo Fontanilla (PHL), while Jeiru Zen Aribuabo (PHL) and Marvin Abat (PHL) also progressed in their respective heats and now join 14 other Filipino surfers in the Round of 64.
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A surprise name in the draw, Lukas Skinner (GBR) posted the highest single-wave score of the men for the day, a 6.90, to jump from fourth into first at the end of a close match-up that also saw Eduardo Bage (BRA) advance. One of the world’s leading junior surfers, Skinner decided to continue competing in the Philippines after his appearance in the recently wrapped WSL World Junior Championships. The 18-year-old joins his father Ben Skinner (GBR), a Longboard Tour veteran, in the draw of his first WSL longboard event.
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“After the World Juniors, I thought, why not stay here for the longboard event and compete with Dad,” Skinner said. “So we’ve been here for a while now. I’m absolutely loving my time here. This wave is so much fun. It’s just been really nice in boardshorts again and not in the cold at home. I’m super stoked to make that heat and get to have another heat with no one out there. First proper longboard event and stoked to take a heat win.”
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Riyue Bay’s Tianyang Wang (CHN) was also extremely excited to claim a heat win in his first WSL event, while the Gold Coast’s Archy Bemrose (AUS) rounded out the men’s winners for the day.
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The La Union International Pro will be held at Monaliza Point at Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan, La Union, Philippines, from January 20-24, 2026.