Surfing-Flawless Pupo, charging Conlogue win Tahiti Pro

Brazilian Miguel Pupo beat local Tahitian charger Kauli Vaast to win the Outerknown Tahiti Pro in epic surf at the infamous reef break of Teahupo'o on Friday, claiming his first victory in the final stop of the 2022 World Championship Tour.

With the women returning to Teahupo'o for the first time in 16 years, Californian veteran Courtney Conlogue charged to victory in the final over Costa Rica's Brisa Hennessy in solid, overhead barrels.

"It's been a long time since I've had a win and this year has had so many challenges...I'm just so grateful," said Conlogue, claiming her 13th WCT victory. "I love this wave - this wave is so magical."

The site for the surfing competition in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Teahupo'o is a hydrodynamic freak of nature, where thick swells from the Southern Ocean slam into a shallow coral reef creating some of the biggest and heaviest tubes in the world.

Pupo got off to a strong start in the final, weaving through a long, complicated tube to establish a lead over his young rival, surfing in his first WCT event.

Vaast looked to have got back in contention with a great barrel of his own, only to see Pupo weaving through a bigger tube on the next wave.

"It feels amazing. It took me 10 years to finally win a CT event," Pupo said. "I wanted to get a trophy this year, to see my hard work pay off."

Teahupo'o intimidates even some of the world's best surfers - men's ratings leader Filipe Toledo didn't catch a wave until the final minute of his first heat and was eliminated early by Australian wildcard Nathan Hedge.

In contrast, Matt McGillivray learnt to surf in South Africa's shark-infested waters and is a skydiver and BASE jumper in his spare time.

His appetite for danger served him well, scoring the only