<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Kauai, Hawaii, native started strong in the Final against Stone after posting an excellent, meaning an 8.00 (out of a possible 10) or higher, 8.33 on her first wave. Bryan’s powerful style wouldn’t be denied as Stone took a brief lead in the heat midway through, but the eventual two-time Papara winner locked in a 3.43 to regain the lead before dropping another excellent 8.00 to secure the win -- posting the event's highest heat total of a 16.33 (out of a possible 20).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It feels really good to defend my title here,” Bryan said. “It was kind of difficult because there were not too many waves. But I am super happy that I got a few and I had a couple of really good scores.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bryan looked unstoppable from her first heat and didn’t let off the gas, posting at least one excellent score in each of heats as Stone looked to be the only one who could slow the in-form Kauai competitor. The 16-year-old overcame <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Riders/nora-liotta" target="_blank">Nora Liotta (HAW)</a></strong></em> in the Semifinals making easy of her opening Round 3 heat. Bryan’s strategy paid off throughout each heat, staying busy when waves were in abundance and showing her patience otherwise as she now preps for the Pro Junior where she earned runner-up last year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I had the same game plan and it worked out really good for every heat so I am super happy,” Bryan said. “I’ve just been talking with my coach before every heat and we’ve come up with a game plan that we stuck to.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This marks Stone’s first QS Final appearance since the Wahine Pipe Pro where she also fell to Bryan, earning a third-place finish. The 15-year-old, Maui, Hawaii, native smashed her way through the Semifinals over <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Riders/gabriella-knudson" target="_blank">Gabriella Knudson (HAW)</a></strong></em> with her own excellent 8.17, showing variety and power of her own. Stone walks away from a big day of competition with 750 points and a spark heading into the Pro Junior event, as well as the rest of 2019.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Of course I always want to win (laughs), it hurts a little to get second but there is another contest and it’s not done yet,” Stone said. “I’m excited for the juniors. I was a little surprised about the beginning of the Final after it was a little slow. We ended up getting a few volleys, but I was a little out of position on a few and Gaby (Bryan) ended up getting up a few good rights. I am happy to come here and ending up second is good for my ranking -- it’s better than anything I’ve done so far this year.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Events/mens-papara-pro-junior-tahiti-2019" target="_blank">men’s Papara Pro Open Tahiti Pro Junior</a></strong></em> also got in the water to round out a big opening day of competition with Rounds 1 and 2 completed. This marks the second of three stops for Pro Juniors in the Hawaii / Tahiit Nui region with vital points on the line and every heat counts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Papara Pro Open Tahiti</strong> runs March 10 - 15 and includes a <strong><em><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Events/mens-papara-pro-open-tahiti-2019" target="_blank">men’s QS 1,000</a></em></strong>, <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Events/womens-papara-pro-vahine-open-tahiti-2019" target="_blank">women’s QS 1,000</a></strong></em>, <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Events/mens-papara-pro-junior-tahiti-2019" target="_blank">men’s Pro Junior</a></strong></em>, and <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Events/womens-papara-pro-junior-tahiti-2019" target="_blank">women’s Pro Junior</a></strong></em>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Women's Papara Pro Open Tahiti QS 1,000 Final Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 - <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Riders/gabriela-bryan" target="_blank">Gabriela Bryan</a></strong></em> (HAW) 16.33 1,000 points</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 - <em><strong><a href="https://www.boardriding.com/Riders/savanna-stone" target="_blank">Savannah Stone</a></strong></em> (HAW) 11.43 750 points</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Women's Papara Pro Open Tahiti QS 1,000 Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SF 1: Gabriela Bryan (HAW) 14.57, Nora Liotta (HAW) 9.97</div><div style="text-align: justify;">SF 2: Savanna Stone (HAW) 14.34, Gabriella Knudson (HAW) 12.10</div>