Although Sunset wasn't pumping during Round One of the Vans World Cup, a handful of Qualifying Series warriors secured critical early wins. North Shore local Josh Moniz posted an impeccable display of rail surfing on his home turf, and marched on to Round Two without flinching. But the international contingent stepped up as well with solid performances from Tahitian Taumata Puhetini and Australian Championship Tour veteran Tom Whitaker.
However, the clear standout in this set of heats was Costa Rican Carlos Muñoz. His silky smooth style on the choppy faces earned one of the highest heat totals of the day. Carlos may be a mellow guy out of the water, but he won't mind crushing Championship Tour dreams in later rounds at Sunset.