Following Brazilian Gold Medalist’s Disappointing Withdrawal Young French Surfing Sensation Steps Up to WSL Championship Tour

For every surfing fan, the 2023 WSL season has been an emotional roller coaster. They have seen seasoned surfers being knocked out in the first round and novices taking home Championship Tour titles. Much drama has played out, and many things have been uncovered within the ocean’s waves. While competing against Ian Gentil in the Corona Open J-Bay, Brazilian surfer Italo Ferreira bruised his medial collateral ligament. Despite the fact that the surfer’s injury wasn’t career-ending, it did force him to miss some time on the Championship Tour and result in a pause in competition.

Italo Ferreira may finally take a break since the WSL has added a wild card entry to replace every Brazilian surfer. Kauli Vaast, a French surfer aged 21 who first competed in the 2022 Men’s Championship Tour at this same event, has been named as his replacement.

A unique way to get into the Men’s CT

French surfer Kauli Vaast is no stranger to the WSL surfing scene. The surfer has competed in and continues to compete in the WSL Challenger Series. Four times this season, he has competed in a Challenger Series event, with the Ballito Pro being his best result, a fifth-place finish. According to a WSL Instagram post, “Now welcoming two new faces to the @shiseido #TahitiPro draw!” Kauli Vaast and Vahine Fierro were added as wild-card entrants. In addition to these two, the winner of the Trails tournament will get a wild card spot on the Championship Tour as well.

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WSL also announced that due to Italo Ferreira’s “knee injury,” the aforementioned surfers will be entering the competition as wild cards instead. The French surfer has reason to celebrate since he also entered the competition as a wild card last year and shocked the surfing world with an incredible feat. Vaast is having a successful Challenger Series, but the French surfer was knocked out of the current Wallex US Open of Surfing in the 17th spot by Alister Reginato.

The French surfer’s immediate goal would be to get the best possible result in the Tahiti Pro. The 21-year-old may not make it to the Rip Curl Finals, but he will get to show the WSL what he can do in the Tahitian waves.

Surfing feat from last year’s event

Every time the Tahiti Pro has been held, the French surfer has made it to the Men’s Championship Tour. Since 2019, he has participated in the same tournament as a wild card participant, and in both 2019 and 2022, he has shown extraordinary abilities. Kauli Vaast reached the finals of the Tahiti Pro after eliminating every competitor he faced, including Kelly Slater, the 11-time World Surf League champion.

In the finals of the Outerknown Tahiti Pro, the French surfer competed against the Brazilian surfer Miguel Pupo. Each of the seven waves of fighting was exciting in its own right. However, Pupo and Vaast both scored very well on the fifth wave, earning scores of 9.00 and 7.37. Vaast felt the heat, but he was still holding out hope of taking home the wild card championship. Pupo scored an 8.17 on the next wave, while Vaast could only manage a 7.63. Pupo’s final score of 17.17 points put him 2.17 points ahead of Vaast, and he was proclaimed the champion of the 2022 Outerknown Tahiti Pro.

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