Alciso upsets Olympic champion Vaast

Manila Times - Nov 1, 2026

SIARGAO, Philippines —  Filipino wildcard Jayuard Alciso upset French Olympic gold medalist Kauli Vaast to advance to Round 2 of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour Philippines Pro at Cloud 9 on Sunday. The Asian Games bronze medalist posted 12.93 points in Round 1, Heat 8, with a 7.33 on his seventh wave and a 5.60 on his ninth to beat Vaast, the world's No. 9 surfer. “I'm so happy to win this heat. This is my first time competing here, and beating an Olympic gold medalist is not easy. I'm really proud of myself,” Alciso said after the victory. He said seeing his family, friends and girlfriend watching from the beach helped him during the competition. “I'm 100 percent focused because all my friends, my family and my girlfriend were there watching me. Their support helped me stay focused, and I was able to come up with big scores,” he said. Alciso also thanked the local fans in Siargao who cheered him on throughout his heat. “I'm so happy to make it to Round 2. I just want to thank my supporters, my family, friends, my girlfriend and all the locals here in Siargao. Thank you all for supporting me,” he added. The historic competition...

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