Sebastian Zietz Wins Reef Hawaiian Pro

by: Cyrus

Hawaiian Sebastian Zietz defeated a bevy of top level competition to win the Reef Hawaiian Pro in overhead conditions at the famed Haeiwa reef break.  With the win, Zietz was rewarded with more than just $40,000 in prize money as the win qualified him for the 2013 ASP World Tour.

 

“Coming into it I was definitely thinking I wanted to qualify (for the ASP World Tour) but I never would have imagined I’d be in the running for the Triple Crown,” said Zietz, who is originally from the Hawaiian island of Kauai.  “Sunset’s a tricky one for me. I’ve never really done good there, but I’ve never done too well at Haleiwa either, so hopefully this could be my year. If I get into Pipe, I’ll be super ecstatic, I love surfing contests there.”

 

The Finals of the Reef Hawaiian Pro were stacked, with Zietz having to defeat fellow Hawaiians John John Florence and Freddy Patacchia and Brazilian Alejo Muniz to win the contest.

 

“I feel like each year I learn more and more on the tour with these older guys,” said Florence, who won is the defending Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Champion and has put himself in an excellent position to repeat his victory.  “Each heat I go into I learn something new and every time I lose it’s just another learning point, really. You just can’t make mistakes against those guys or you’re gonna lose.  You know, the extra money is always good, you’re really stoked on that, but I think the prestige of actually winning the Triple Crown is really the main thing.”

 

The North Shore of Hawaii is just heating up as the contest window of the Vans World Cup of Surfing, the second event of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, opens on November 25^th just seven miles northeast of Haleiwa at Sunset Beach.  All photos courtesy of Kirsten and Cestari with the ASP.  Visit VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com for more information.