Gaskell posts Reef Hawaiian Pro’s top score

HALEIWA - Hank Gaskell of Hana advanced to the third round of the Reef Hawaiian Pro on Friday with the best score of the meet, and is waiting for his round-of-96 heat, as is Kevin Sullivan of Lahaina, while Dusty Payne of Lahaina posted first-place finishes in both the second and third rounds in waves of 4-6 feet at Alii Beach.

Gaskell posted an 18.80 in his second-round heat at the Triple Crown of Surfing event, easily outdistancing Hugo Savalli (14.10) of the French-owned island of Reunion. Corey Ziems (10.24) of Australia was third and Brad Ettinger (4.83) of California was fourth. Gaskell's best wave of the round, worth 9.50 points, was tied for the fifth-best of the event. His 9.30 wave was 10th-best.

Gaskell had two of the best three heats in the event through two days - he had a 17.17 in the first round on Thursday.

Payne had a 14.33 in the second round, and was followed in his heat by Oahu surfers Makua Rothman (9.00) and Mason Ho (8.10), and Australia's Jarrad Sullivan (5.93). In the third round, Payne had a 15.30, winning a heat that included three Australian surfers - Luke Munro (15.17), Rhys Bombaci (14.83) and Shaun Cansdell (9.50). Payne, who in the first round had a 9.33 wave and 16.00 heat, both eighth-best of the event, will face Rothman again in the fourth round, along with Nathaniel Curran of California and Josh Kerr of Australia.

Kevin Sullivan had a 12.90 in his second-round heat, finishing as the runner-up to South Africa's Rudy Palmboom (13.83). Antonio Bortoletto of South Africa had a 7.43, and Andre Silva of Brazil a 6.67.

Gaskell's third-round heat will include Ben Dunn and Shaun Gossmann of Australia and Alain Riou of Tahiti. Kevin Sullivan is to face France's Eric Rebiere and Australia's Phillip MacDonald and Dayyan Neve.