Words: Sydney Pizza // Photos: @devindmedia
Day two here in Nags Head, has wrapped up and we are gassed! After a full day in the sun, with non-stop action and some major upsets, we have a lot to catch up on!
It was a sunny day in the low 90’s with a heat index of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, with not a cloud in the sky, swell coming out of the southeast at about one to two feet, and of course non-stop action!
After a lay day for the pros, the time had come and the day started off with a bang! Our pro line up for the weekend consists of Gerardo Valencia, Leo Freitas, Mason Broussard, Sydney Pizza, Elian Juarez, Nicole Phillips, Eoin Lally, ET Beaugrand, Zach Rubin, and Juan “Machete” Real. Our Brazilian beast, Leo Freitas made his 2026 US debut this weekend and skimmed the opening round and dominated. Leo won his heat with ease joining fellow team riders in the second round. Starting off round two, Mason, Elian, Eoin, Gerardo, Leo, all showing just a taste of their best got the Zaps up, and with massive re-entries, tube time, and combos, the boys won their heats and made it through to round three. Before we got down to business with the guys, Nicole and Syd went head-to-head in a seeding round heat, setting things up for tomorrow, and these chicks rip! They are ripping on all fronts, tech, combos, style and we can’t wait to watch the final tomorrow! Back to the Men, both Mason and Elian won their heats in round three finding more shade in still solid conditions, but it was a race against time before the tide filled in too high and the waves started to push on shore. Mason and Elian both threw crazy technical combos that got the crowd going and set up for the closest heat of the pros, Gerardo and Eoin, in arguably the most heated exchange of the day were matched up with Drayton Blount, and the entire heat was back-and-forth between everyone; one besting the other. From air re-entries of all kinds, to three shuvs out and frontside liners to barrels, Eoin came out on top with Gerardo securing the second spot and moving on. Setting up the quarterfinals for tomorrow as follows: Mason vs Gerardo, Elian vs Chester Burnett, and Eoin vs Liam Barnes.
To keep things moving, the Jr. Women took to the water and showed a lot of promise for the future of female skimming. Then into the Masters division where Evan Rubin put up a good fight against some tough competition. Then the Senior Grandmasters, and straight into the Semi-Pro quarterfinals where Will Grady, Brady Crall and Evan Rubin all did the best they could with some increasingly challenging conditions. Brady came out on top with some stylish wraps and steezy airs, and Evan close behind with three shuvs out, and stable wave riding, both guys advancing to the semi-finals tomorrow! Skimming back-to-back heats, Will and Brady gave the Men’s division a run for their money, in the semi-finals, and one more time to set up a second podium finish for the weekend, will be skimming in the final tomorrow.
After that the Menehunes, Boys, Legends, Junior Men, Girls, and Mini Boys hit the water and to round out day two for Team Zap, Brody Chandler-Thompson and Gio Tomasi absolutely stole the show in their respective Boys semi-finals. This division is getting increasingly competitive and is a crowd favorite always. Gio had one of the best amateur barrels of the day, a frontside driver, where he stood straight up, and then ducked down into the barrel for some serious tunnel vision, which without a doubt moved him into the final tomorrow. Not long after that his best bud Brody got a similar frontside line to cover up that got the crowd up and cheering!
Overall a great day for Team Zap, setting up some very nice podiums for finals day, so be sure to check out the live stream on YouTube and LiveHeats for all the finals action you don’t want to miss!
Check out results HERE on LIVEHEATS!
And check out the LIVESTREAM from the event HERE!
AND check out DAY 1 RECAP if you missed it!