<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Talia Swindal</strong> (USA), <strong>Taj Lindblad</strong> (USA), <strong>Sanoa Dempfle-Olin </strong>(CAN), and <strong>Kai Kushner</strong> (USA) have won the SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach presented by Surfing For Hope, a North America Qualifying Series (QS) 3,000 and Pro Junior, respectively. Pristine Finals Day conditions delivered three-to-five foot swell that Swindal, Lindblad, Dempfle-Olin, and Kushner capitalized on for massive moments throughout their charge atop the podium. Marquee wins for Swindal and Lindblad earned them 3,000 points toward 2024 Challenger Series qualificaiton as Dempfle-Olin and Kushner took the first wins of the 2024 Pro Junior season. </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Swindal Takes Over for First-Ever WSL Win, Moves to No. 1 on North America Rankings</strong></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>An electric women’s QS Final between good friends and two of North America’s top-tier contenders, <strong>Talia Swindal</strong> (USA) and <strong>Bella Kenworthy</strong> (USA), witnessed sparks from the start. Kenworthy started the Final with a 7.33 (out of a possible 10) as Swindal’s first wave earned her a 6.00. But, Swindal found a running righthander that provided multiple, critical sections that Swindal capitalized on for an excellent 8.00. Kenworthy attempted to catch Swindal, bettering her back up wave, but could not find the score needed to overtake Swindal. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I feel so good, I can't believe it. I'm just so thankful," said Swindal. "I want to dedicate this win to Lyon Herron, Lyon forever. It was so special to share that Final with Bella. I know she can throw a 9 or a 10 whenever she has to so I'm never comfortable out there with her having priority and needing a score. This means so much and just thank you to everyone supporting me, my family, my friends, this is incredible."</div><div><br /></div><div>Swindal’s charge started with a convincing over eventual Pro Junior event victor <strong>Sanoa Dempfle-Olin </strong>(CAN) in their Semifinal battle before earning her maiden WSL victory. The win takes Swinal to No. 1 on the North America QS rankings alongside <strong>Kirra Pinkerton</strong> (USA). </div><div><br /></div><div>This also marks back-to-back runner-up finishes in Pismo Beach for Kenworthy as she moves to No. 3 and within Challenger Series requalification.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Lindblad Goes Near-Perfect, First Competitor to Earn SLO CAL Sweep</strong></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>The crowd came to life once more in the men’s Final featuring San Clemente, California’s own <strong>Taj Lindblad</strong> and Mexico’s star talent <strong>Alan Cleland</strong>. Lindblad spends a lot of his time in the SLO CAL area and had the spectators in awe, posting a near-perfect 9.40 to overtake the lead from Cleland, who accrued a 14.66 by the halfway mark. But, Lindblad wasn’t done yet and then went on to post another excellent 8.13 to extend his lead and force Cleland into needing a near-perfect 9.70. The ocean did not provide Cleland the opportunity to claim the 9.70 and Lindblad earned his second-career QS victory. </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>“This is insane, there's a lot of ups and downs in surfing and I knew sometime would be my up,” said Lindblad. "It's been a hard year and I hadn't made a heat since April until Morro Bay in December. Just getting through that tough time and grinding through it paid off. [Kolohe] Andino helped me a lot, Ryan Simmons, my parents, my sister Sawyer whose a guru in heats. Thank you for everything and I'm so stoked to take this win."</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Lindblad’s undeniable run to the top began on Finals Day with a near-perfect 9.50 against an in-form <strong>Lucas Owston </strong>(USA) in their Semifinal battle. This also marks Lindblad’s sweep of the SLO CAL QS series after his win at Morro Bay in 2023 and now holds the No. 5 spot on the North America QS rankings as Cleland’s runner-up catapults him to No. 1. </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Demplfe-Olin Claims Maiden WSL Pro Junior Victory</strong></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>A clash of North America’s rising talents unfolded in the women’s Pro Junior Final featuring <strong>Bella Kenworthy</strong> (USA), <strong>Talia Swindal</strong> (USA), <strong>Sanao Dempfle-Olin</strong> (CAN), and <strong>Reid Van Wagoner</strong> (USA). Kenworthy jumped to an early lead with a 6.67, but Swindal and Dempfle-Olin both garnered 6-point rides of their own to stay within reach. Dempfle-Olin unleashed her backhand attack on a Pismo Beach gem to post an excellent 8.50 and overtake the lead as Kenworthy’s 7.60 put her just behind Dempfle-Olin. With time expiring, both Swindal and Kenworthy had an opportunity to turn the heat and fell just short as Dempfle-Olin claimed her first WSL Pro Junior victory, adding to her QS victory from 2023. </div><div><br /></div><div>"I'm super happy to take win in the Pro Junior, it was such a hard Final," said Dempfle-Olin. "I had a slower QS Semifinal and it felt really good to a get a wave. I was definitely motivated in that one. Thank you to everyone watching and supporting me, my family back at home, and Matt [Myers] and the crew. The vibes were great all week and I'm super happy." </div><div><br /></div><div>This win puts Dempfle-Olin atop the North America Pro Junior rankings to start the season and race toward the World Junior Championships alongside Kenworthy holding the No. 2 spot. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Kushner Breaks Through with Near-Perfection for First WSL Win</strong></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>The men’s Pro Junior Final produced fireworks as <strong>Ryan Huckabee</strong> (USA), <strong>Luke Wyler </strong>(USA), <strong>Kai Kushner</strong> (USA), and <strong>Lucas Cassity</strong> (MEX). Wyler kickstarted the Final with an excellent 8.50 utilizing his signature air game before Kushner unloaded on his backhand attack to garner a near-perfect 9.17. But, Wyler struck back to regain the lead with a 6.70 before Kushner answered one last time with a 6.43 and held firm until time expired with Huckabee and Cassity making their moves and finishing third and fourth-place respectively.</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>“That was a lot of work and it feels amazing to finally get a win,” said Kushner. “I'm in the zone when I'm out there and you have to be mentally strong. So to that get that wave under pressure and get the score is amazing. I want to say thank you to Josh and Jacob [Burke] for being here for me and everyone else at home, my family, for supporting me. I started meditating and just felt my surfing getting better the last few months so it's great to see it all come together.” </div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div>Kushner’s maiden WSL win places him as North America Pro Junior No. 1 with Wyler at the No. 2 position with a runner-up finish and now look to stay atop the rankings for an opportunity at the 2024 World Junior Championships.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next North America event will take competitors to the Surf and Wind City Cabarete Pro QS 1,000 beginning February 7 - 11. </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Women's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach QS Final Results:</strong></div><div>1 - Talia Swindal (USA) 14.00 1,000 points </div><div>2 - Bella Kenworthy (USA) 11.83 800 points</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Men's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach QS Final Results:</strong></div><div>1 - Taj Lindblad (USA) 17.53 1,000 points </div><div>2 - Alan Cleland (MEX) 16.70 800 points</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Women's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach Pro Junior Final Results:</strong></div><div>1 - Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN) 15.93 1,000 points </div><div>2 - Bella Kenworthy (USA) 15.17 800 points</div><div>3 - Reid Van Wagoner (USA) 13.50 650 points </div><div>4 - Talia Swindal (USA) 12.40 600 points</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Men's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach Pro Junior Final Results:</strong></div><div>1 - Kai Kushner (USA) 15.60 1,000 points </div><div>2 - Luke Wyler (USA) 15.20 800 points</div><div>3 - Ryan Huckabee (USA) 15.17 650 points </div><div>4 - Lucas Cassity (MEX) 10.07 600 points</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Women's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach QS Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div>HEAT 1: Bella Kenworthy (USA) 13.57 DEF. Mathea Dempfle-Olin (CAN) 10.64</div><div>HEAT 2: Talia Swindal (USA) 14.93 DEF. Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN) 12.77</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Men's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach QS Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div>HEAT 1: Taj Lindblad (USA) 18.67 DEF. Lucas Owston (USA) 15.27</div><div>HEAT 2: Alan Cleland (MEX) 14.73 DEF. Josh Burke (BRB) 7.66</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Women's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach Pro Junior Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div>HEAT 1: Talia Swindal (USA) 12.77 DEF. Reid Van Wagoner (USA) 9.56, Victoria Duprat (USA) 7.46, Candelaria Resano (NIC) 5.33</div><div>HEAT 2: Bella Kenworthy (USA) 16.87 DEF. Sanoa Dempfle-Olin (CAN) 13.70, Zoey Kaina (USA) 13.47, Olivia Storrer (USA) 10.80</div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><strong>Men's SLO CAL Open Pismo Beach Pro Junior Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div>HEAT 1: Ryan Huckabee (USA) 15.77 DEF. Lucas Cassity (MEX) 14.50, Reed Platenius (CAN) 14.03, Cole McCaffray (USA) 12.77</div><div>HEAT 2: Luke Wyler (USA) 15.87 DEF. Kai Kushner (USA) 15.83, Cannon Carr (USA) 13.43, Eeli Timperi (FIN) 13.43 </div><div><br /></div>