Tahiti’s O’Neill Massin paces field at Hawaiian Pro

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Tahiti’s O’Neill Massin and South Africa’s Beyrick DeVries put on a show Saturday on Day 2 of the Hawaiian Pro.

Massin won his second-round heat against three others with solid single-wave scores of 9.60 and 8.60 for a day’s best 18.20 at the World Surf League’s qualifying series event at Alii Beach Park in Haleiwa. The Hawaiian Pro is the first leg of the 37th annual Vans Triple Crown, a season-ending trio of events that bring together the world’s top surfers to Oahu’s North Shore.

DeVries posted scores of 7.10 and a whopping 9.90, which was the top number from judges Saturday in the waves that were up to 15 feet.

It was not a good day for Hawaii surfers. Imaikalani deVault, Dusty Payne, Robert Grilho, Will Hunt and Ian Gentil were eliminated in their second-round heats. Payne won the Hawaiian Pro in 2014.

Due to deteriorating conditions, organizers decided to run only eight of the 16 second-round heats. Conditions permitting, the contest continues today, and the waiting period runs through Saturday.

Hawaii’s Makai McNamara, Logan Bediamol, Eli Hannemann, Joshua Moniz and Billy Kemper are waiting to surf their second-round heats.

Fellow Hawaii surfers Seth Moniz, Sebastian Zietz, Ezekiel Lau and Barron Mamiya were seeded directly into the third round. Kelly Slater, an 11-time world champ and a two-time Triple Crown winner from Cocoa Beach, Fla., is also going to begin the event in the third round.

Haleiwa’s John John Florence, a two-time Triple Crown winner and also a two-time world champ, entered his name in the first two Triple Crown events, but decided to sit out the Hawaiian Pro as well as the second event, the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach.

“I’m focused on the Pipe Masters, working hard to be ready for the event,” Florence said in an email Saturday from his public relations staff to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

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VANS TRIPLE CROWN OF SURFING

>> Hawaiian Pro, at Alii Beach Park, Haleiwa, through Saturday

>> Vans World Cup of Surfing, at Sunset Beach, Nov. 25-Dec. 7

>> Billabong Pipe Masters, at Pipeline, Dec. 8-20