Nelson Ahina III was one of three Hawaii surfers to reach the quarterfinals of the Riyue Bay ASP World Longboard Championships on Thursday before falling earlier today in Wanning, Hainan Island, China.

Peru’s Piccolo Clemente claimed the world title with a victory over Brazil’s Rodrigo Sphaier in today’s final, scoring a 13.60 to beat Sphaier’s 12.25.

"It felt for me like I was meant to win today,"said Clemente, who earned a 7.5 on his last wave, late in the final. "In the final I sat there nervous in the last minutes but confident a wave would come to me and again it happened."

Sphaier reached the final by defeating former world longboard champions Duane DeSoto and Harley Ingleby earlier today. DeSoto, of Makaha, finished equal fifth, having won his Round 5 heat Thursday to reach the quarterfinals.

Ahina, a Roosevelt High product, and Waikiki’s Kai Sallas also made it to the final eight, each winning a heat in Round 4 to move straight into the quarterfinals.

Ahina scored a 9.0 on his final wave in Round 4 to beat out Ingleby and DeSoto.

"That was an amazing heat for me," Ahina said. "The waves were so perfect and we were all scoring excellent rides and simply surfing for the enjoyment of riding waves."

Ingelby got the better of Ahina in the quarters, and Sallas was knocked out by France’s Antoine Delpero.