Jett Schilling Lands Big Win At Pacifico Surf Open Cerritos

It's been a minute since the WSL landed in Mexico. And it's been a minute since San Clemente's Jett Schilling has been chaired up the beach. But after a big win at the Pacifico Surf Open Cerritos, the party is on in Cabo right now. The first time a Qualifying Series comp as come to Cerritos, a previously quiet beachbreak on the Pacific side of the Baja Peninsula less than an hour's drive north of Cabo San Lucas, come finals day the surf was properly pumping with five-foot sets offering plenty of scoring potential.

And taking full advantage of said potential was Schilling, who stacked up several nine-point rides throughout the event. But saving his best for last, needing a massive score to overtake Taro Watanabe, who had a nine-pointer of his own in his scoreline, Schilling lofted an alley-oop, stomped the landing, and earned a near perfect 9.73 for the effort.

"I'm just super stoked and grateful. The waves were firing, the people were amazing, thank you to the locals for letting us surf your lineup the past few days and just so thankful," Schilling said afterwards. "It's a nice confidence booster going into the rest of the year and happy to win a competition this year, and hopefully win some more."

Watanabe, who was coming off another runner-up finish earlier this month at the La Marginal Surfing Pro, opened the final with a 9.17, which immediately put Schilling behind the eight ball. But he was quick to counter with an eight-point ride. Battling back and forth, then Watanabe put an 8.53 on the board, creating some distance between him and his Orange County rival. Needing a 9.53 to turn the heat, Schilling found his wave, picked his section, punted and got the score.