Jay-R Esquivel outduels WLT vet Ben Skinner, advances to world longboard quarterfinals

Pinoy surfer continues his dream run at Huntington Beach tilt
Aug 4, 2023
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PHOTO: Michael Eijansantos

JAY-R Esquivel continued his dream run in the World Longboard Tour as he overtook Great Britain’s Ben Skinner, posting a dominant heat that took him straight to quarterfinals at the Wallex US Open of Surfing.

In his duel against the world title threat, Esquivel opened up the round with his signature arched nose rides and a smooth ride of cutbacks all the way to the finish, posting a massive 8.27-point tally.

The La Union surfer eventually finished with a score of 15.44 and a clear runway into the QF round of the Huntington Beach competition.

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    Big Pinoy crowd cheers on for Jay-R Esquivel at Huntington Beach

    It was a day of upsets at the Longboard Classic. USA’s Richie Cravey also bested Longboard Tour stalwart Kai Sallas.

    Cheering for Esquivel from the beach was a huge crowd of Filipinos.

    “It was super nice to be here with all the Filipinos here cheering for me. Every time I rode a wave they were shouting and putting more energy on me, so I’m stoked I made it. In the Philippines, there are a lot of longboarders, especially in our place in La Union. We also have kids, like the next generation, and they are ripping too,” he said in a post-surf interview.

    Esquivel is the first Filipino to qualify in the World Longboard Tour.

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    PHOTO: Michael Eijansantos
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