• An unidentified surfer practices ahead of the WSL Tahiti pro surfing trial at the famous break Teahupoo in Tahiti, French Polynesia. AFP
    An unidentified surfer practices ahead of the WSL Tahiti pro surfing trial at the famous break Teahupoo in Tahiti, French Polynesia. AFP
  • Surfers wait on the crest of the wave ahead of the WSL Tahiti pro surfing trial at the famous break Teahupoo in Tahiti, French Polynesia. AFP
    Surfers wait on the crest of the wave ahead of the WSL Tahiti pro surfing trial at the famous break Teahupoo in Tahiti, French Polynesia. AFP
  • Hawaiian surfer Nathan Florence competes at the famous break Teahupo'o during the 2019 Tahitian Teahupo'o surf trials. AFP
    Hawaiian surfer Nathan Florence competes at the famous break Teahupo'o during the 2019 Tahitian Teahupo'o surf trials. AFP
  • Winner of the competition Tahitian surfer Kauli Vaast. AFP
    Winner of the competition Tahitian surfer Kauli Vaast. AFP
  • Australian surfer Jack Robinson competes at the famous break Teahupo'o. AFP
    Australian surfer Jack Robinson competes at the famous break Teahupo'o. AFP
  • Brazilian surfer and world champion Gabriel Medina warms up before the 2019 Tahitian Teahupo'o surf trials. AFP
    Brazilian surfer and world champion Gabriel Medina warms up before the 2019 Tahitian Teahupo'o surf trials. AFP
  • A surfer competes during the 2019 Tahitian Teahupo'o surf trials at the famous break Teahupo'o. AFP
    A surfer competes during the 2019 Tahitian Teahupo'o surf trials at the famous break Teahupo'o. AFP
  • Children watch as a surfer competes. AFP
    Children watch as a surfer competes. AFP
  • A rainbow pierces through the clouds behind the famous break of Teahupoo in Tahiti, French Polynesia. AFP
    A rainbow pierces through the clouds behind the famous break of Teahupoo in Tahiti, French Polynesia. AFP
  • Spectators on boats watch as surfers compete. AFP
    Spectators on boats watch as surfers compete. AFP
  • Winner of the trials Tahitian surfer Kauli Vaast competes at the famous break Teahupo'o. AFP
    Winner of the trials Tahitian surfer Kauli Vaast competes at the famous break Teahupo'o. AFP

Other Sport

Surf's up as teenager Kauli Vaast wins 2019 Tahiti Pro Trials - in pictures

The 17-year-old defeated Hawaii's Tyler Newton in the final after a standout performance throughout the qualifying event

The National

August 20, 2019

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Kauli Vaast won the 2019 Tahiti Pro Trials, at Teahupoo, in French Polynesia.

The 17-year-old defeated Hawaii's Tyler Newton in the final after a standout performance throughout the qualifying event.

Tahitian surfer Vaast got the best scores of the trials en route to winning the golden ticket to the main event - a 18.10 in Round 1, a 17.10 in the quarter-finals and a 16.90 in the final.

"I really wanted to win this. We had perfect conditions all day. I've been training a lot all week, and it paid off. It'll be my first Championship Tour event," Vaast told Surfer Today.

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