LAGUNDRI BAY, NIAS / INDONESIA (Wednesday, June 25, 2025) – Lagundri Bay served up consistent four-to-six‑foot surf this morning for a gripping Women’s Quarterfinal round at the 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Nias Pro Qualifying Series (QS) 6,000. Four standout performers have emerged from a stacked draw to claim their place in the Semifinals.
Ella McCaffray Continues Title Defense
Ella McCaffray (USA) showed exactly why she’s the defending champion, locking in the only excellent score of the round, a 9.00 (out of a possible 10) for a clean barrel she’d been eyeing since morning. Her dominant performance earned her a 16.50 (out of a possible 20) heat total, the highest of the women’s event so far.
“I was so stoked to see waves this morning,” McCaffray said. “This region is so stacked. Everybody surfs really well, so I was happy to have some good waves in my heat.”
It was a tight matchup between the event’s 16-year-old standouts, Kya Heuer (INA) and Ruby Trew (AUS), with Heuer holding her nerve and advancing with a 10.83 total, narrowly overcoming Trew’s two-wave total of 10.00 in a heat that came down to the final exchanges. Heuer will face Lucy Darragh (AUS) in the Semifinal, after Darragh eliminated Tayla Green (NZL).
Also advancing to the Semifinals, Challenger Series surfer Charli Hately (AUS) edged out Japan’s Shino Matsuda in a close matchup, securing a 13.40 heat total.
Dylan Wilcoxen Explodes with Excellent Scores
Dylan Wilcoxen (INA) lit up the lineup with a standout performance, dropping two excellent scores within the first seven minutes of his heat – an 8.00 followed by a lofty frontside air for an 8.50. With Jin Suzuki (JPN) in a combination situation, the pressure eased, and Wilcoxen went even bigger, launching another air in the final minutes for a 9.00 ride, marking his third excellent score of the heat and locking in the event’s highest two-wave total of 17.50. The dominant display sets Wilcoxen on course for his career-best result as he heads into the Semifinal against New Zealand’s Elliot Paerata-Reid tomorrow.
Elliot Paerata-Reid (NZL) powered through with two 7-point rides to take the win and was fired up to go all the way. “I’m ready to go, I want it,” he said. “There were still a couple of barrels in the heat before mine, so I was pretty keen for that, but it didn’t really work out, so I leaned into the rail.”
Paerata-Reid was eyeing a Finals showdown with close friend and fellow quarterfinalist Jay Occhilupo (AUS). “The dream is to make the final together and have a rock-off for priority.”
Unfortunately Occhilupo’s run came to end at the hands of Teddy Dag Bille (SWE) in Heat 3 to move into the Semifinals and match up with Australia’s Lennix Smith.
The next call is on Thursday, June 26 at 7:30 a.m. GMT+7 for a potential 8:00 a.m. start.
The 2025 Nias Pro QS 6,000 & Pro Junior at Lagundri Bay will run from June 21 – 28, 2025. Watch live on WorldSurfLeague.com, WSL YouTube or the free WSL app.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
About the WSL
The World Surf League (WSL) is the global home of competitive surfing, crowning World Champions since 1976 and showcasing the world’s best surfing. The WSL oversees surfing’s global competitive landscape and sets the standard for elite performance in the most dynamic playing field in all of sports. With a firm commitment to its values, the WSL prioritizes the protection of the ocean, equality, and the sport’s rich heritage, while championing progression and innovation.
For more information, please visit WorldSurfLeague.com.
About the Asian Surf Co (ASC)
The Asian Surf Cooperative is a professional surfing organization with nearly two decades of experience in organizing, managing and supporting surfing events around the Asian Region, from local boardriders club competitions to World Championship Tour events including the recent 2022 Quiksilver Pro G-Land.
The ASC works with the WSL and has produced World Championship Tour events including the Corona Bali Pro at Keramas and the Quiksilver/ROXY Pro Gland, and has developed Qualifying Series events such as the Krui Pro and the Nias Pro from a QS1000 level to a QS5000 level in just a few short years.
For more information, please visit https://asiansurf.co/
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