Coco Ho's last trip to the Quarterfinals on the Championship Tour was Easter weekend, at the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach. Her fifth-place finish there was her best result of the year up to that point. But today in Huntington Beach, she's matched that result already at the Vans US Open of Surfing, and she didn't take the easy route to get there. On paper, her Round Three heat versus current Jeep Leader and current World Champion Tyler Wright, as well as defending US Open Champ Tatiana Weston-Webb, looked like the toughest draw of the entire round. Known for her lighthearted vibe, Ho looked steely and relaxed in anticipation, remarking, "I didn't really think about the accolades in the water around me, everyone rips and everyone knows each other's strengths, but they're all really smart," Ho said. "We were all carrying fours, which are the sketchiest heats, but I'm stoked to get the one that separated it," she added, referring to her 6.50 that sealed the win.
