By BRENT STUBBS

Chief Sports Editor

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Although they both gave gallant efforts in their repechage yesterday, Bahamian surfers Joey Gale and Lili Wagner were eliminated from the competition at the ISA World Surfing Games.

Gale competed in his repechage heat at El Sunzal surf break in Surf City, El Salvador, where he finished third in his heat and was eliminated. Wagner, competing in the open women’s repechage, was fourth in her heat and also got eliminated.

The surfers were judged by five judges on a scale of 1-10 based on manoeuvres on the waves. Their two best wave scores were added together for their heat total.

Tom Glucksmann, who accompanied the team as the coach, said he was very proud of their performances.

“I’m very proud of Lili becoming the first Bahamian woman to compete in this event since 2009,” said Glucksmann, who first started training Wagner as a teenager at his summer camp in Eleuthera. “She executed the game plan well, catching waves early and often.

“Joey’s 3.3 was the highest single wave score for our team so far and he again showed great style on his waves. With more competitive experience under his belt he can begin to make it through rounds in this competition.”

Gale, a 24-year-old native of Abaco, said his competition yesterday was close. “The conditions were a bit smaller than expected but still good. It came down to my last wave,” he said. 

“I had scored a 3.33 and a 1.87 while my competitors had two scores in the 4s and 5s. 

“I knew I needed to score somewhere around a 6 so I tried to push it on the last wave but ended up falling. But overall, I had a great experience. It’s always a big honour to represent The Bahamas.”

As he looks ahead to returning next year, Gale said he just needs to “work more on the mental and strategic side to competitive surfing.”

Wagner, the former owner of a shark diving company in Eleuthera before she decided to travel around the world surfing, said she felt she did really well, especially in posting her best heat total of the event. “I did exactly what I set out to do. I got my wave count up, I managed to catch five waves during my heat,” she pointed out. “All pretty low scores but a big improvement overall. 

“I had a higher heat total than my first one. Waves were smaller today and a bit more tricky but still proud of my efforts.”

Wagner, 27, said the WSG is an incredible event with lots of camaraderie amongst the surfers from all over the world. 

“It’s a privilege to be a part of it all,” she noted. 

For next year, Wagner said she plans to dial into more explosive manoeuvres and generate more power in the waves she surfs.

“Overall my takeaway is that that was an amazing learning experience and an incredible opportunity to represent The Bahamas,” she stated.

“Being able to surf at this level with some of the best in the world is a huge honour and I’m just happy I got to be a part of it all.”

Today, Luke Prosa, the only other Bahamian competing at the games, will be in his repechage heat. The Bahamas was expected to have four competitors entered, but Christopher Albury withdrew before the start of the games.