Recently crowned Australia/Oceania Junior Champion Isla Huppatz (AUS) posted event-high numbers in her Cloud 9 debut at the 2025 Siargao International Surfing Cup QS 6000. Credit: WSL / Cait Miers
CLOUD 9, Siargao Island, Philippines (Tuesday, October 28, 2025) – A full day of action at the 2025 Siargao International Surfing Cup World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 6000 event delivered a high performance spectacle. Cloud 9 continued its run of fun three-to-four foot surf that allowed the best surfers from throughout the Australia/Oceania and Asia regions to put on a show. The Round of 32 was completed for women and men, seeing the top women’s seeds make their first appearance.
Isla Huppatz (AUS) arrived at Siargao straight off the back of claiming the Australia/Oceania region Junior Champion title. The result qualified the 18-year-old for her second appearance in the WSL World Junior Championship, which will again be held in the Philippines in January. Huppatz reached the Quarterfinals in last year’s edition, her first competitive experience in the country, and has quickly picked up where she left off. Wasting no time in familiarizing herself with the Cloud 9 lineup in a jersey for the first time, Huppatz posted a 15.50 (out of a possible 20) heat total, the highest of the event so far. The Burleigh Heads surfer busted the tail through the lip on a heavy section before seamlessly linking two more turns to earn her high score of an 8.17 (out of a possible 10).
“I hadn’t surfed a heat yet, so there was a big build-up of nerves and then got some sick waves,” Huppatz said. “It was a bit more onshore and there wasn’t too many barrels, it was just turns and then I just picked off some good waves and tried to hit it as hard as I could. It’s a really fun wave, it gives you a lot of sections and I just surf it how it comes to me.”
One of the top seeds to debut today was 2022 event winner Nilbie Blancada (PHL). The 33-year-old local found the day’s first barrel of note in the opening heat of the day. Pulling in late after bottom-turning around a large section, Blancada drove from deep to collect a 7.00. With a smaller back-up however, the Filipino advanced in second place. It was 17-year-old Mirai Ikeda (JPN) who claimed the heat win with an extremely critical single forehand crack picking up a 6.50. Currently competing in her first season of the Challenger Series, Ikeda is hoping to gain some ground on the Asia QS rankings to maintain her position there.
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“I saw really, really good barrel-riding, so I was a little bit nervous because I had to get a backup, but I’m so happy to win this heat,” Ikeda said. “I’m not good at barrels, so I have to get more practice, but hopefully I’ll find one in my next heat. I love the waves here and I love the food and these vibes.
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After trailing the pack for the majority of her heat, current Australia/Oceania rankings leader and last year’s event runner-up, Charli Hately (AUS) unleashed her ferocious backhand on a small wave to jump into second place. Hately advanced behind current Challenger Series competitor Jahly Stokes (AUS), the pair eliminating Jasmine Studer (INA) and Shino Matsuda (JPN) in an all goofy-foot battle.
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Kana Nakashio (JPN) also advanced in second place, continuing to add points to her already strong lead in the Bonsoy Asia Super Series. Men’s leader Kei Kobayashi (JPN) won the final heat of the day in a match-up that saw four-time winner John Mark Tokong (PHL) face his earliest elimination in the event since 2016.
A late heat charge saw Dom Thomas (AUS) move into the Round of 16 with the highest men’s heat total of the event so far. Sitting in third place with less than four minutes left on the clock, Thomas launched a full rotation to collect a 7.00 and the heat lead. Barely a minute later, the 20-year-old spun the other direction with a lofty alley-oop, landing exceptionally smooth to collect an 8.17 for a 15.17 heat total.
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“I had a pretty shocking start,” Thomas said. “I didn’t really find a section, and I ended up just pulling into a bunch of really bad ones. And then got lucky at the end and found a good ramp, and then puddled back out and lucked into another one straight after it. Mentally, I’m feeling really good, happy to be here and be surfing and doing what I love. I’m feeling like I’m in a good spot right now with my surfing. I’ve got a really trusty air to go to if I need to, but I also trust my rail game, like thick and thin. So yeah, I’m feeling good.”
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The speedy attack of Ikko Watanabe (JPN) earned the 19-year-old a heat win and his first-ever advancement into the Round of 16 at the QS 6000 level. Watanabe has had mixed results since claiming the first QS victory of his career earlier this season at home in Japan, but a recent Semifinal finish at another QS 2000 has lifted him to No. 8 in the Asia region rankings. Facing former Championship Tour surfer Morgan Cibilic (AUS) and Olympian Reo Inaba (JPN) was nerve-wracking for Watanabe, who will now carry a boost in confidence into his next heat.
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“It was so fun out there,” Watanabe said. “I was so nervous surfing against Morgan Cibilic, one of my favorite surfers. I’m really happy with my equipment, my surfboard from Sharpeye really suits the conditions. I will do my best to give my best performance in the next heat as well.”
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Very different approaches saw Dane Henry (AUS) and Tom Whitpaine (AUS) both post scores of 7.83 to win their respective heats. For Henry a lofty full rotation was the answer, while for Whitpaine it was a vertical backhand attack. Similar backhand aggression worked for both Harley Walters (AUS) and Ben Lorentson (AUS) to claim heats wins of their own, while the lively pop of Bronson Meydi (INA) also landed the reigning WSL World Junior Champion in the Round of 16.
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The 2025 Siargao International Surfing Cup QS 6000 presented by Philippine Sports Commission is proudly supported by the Municipality of General Luna, the Provincial Government of Surigao Del Norte, and SISA. Sponsored by PAGCOR, Kudosurf, Vissla, Lamari, and SDMI Sports.
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