The F2 International Trials The first event on the PWA world tour this year launched into action today at Ho'okipa Beach Park, Maui in spectacular style. With strong trade winds and mast high waves sailors battled it out during the F2 International trials to qualify for the main event which kicks off tomorrow.

After a tough day on the water, Josh Angulo, Pascal Hardy, Paul Bryan, Nathan Mershon, Rich Foster, Takaharu Kamaguchi, Nat Gill and Katshui Shinjo won the eight coveted qualifying spots. With three waves and one jump being scored by the judges, action today included huge aerials, wave 360's and some rocket airs with Ho'okipa really turning on some epic conditions for competition.

Local Hawaiian sailor Josh Angulo showed his expertise in the powerful waves and hit three aerials on his first wave in his first heat. Angulo is considered by many to be one of the most radical sailors in the world but still had to qualify for the main due to his late entry into the competition. Angulo was awarded victory in the final of the trials with Pascal Hardy in second and Katshui Shinjo taking third place.

Other notable performances came from big wave specialists Pascal Hardy and Paul Bryan who both landed some breathtaking aerials right in front of the notorious rocks off the point at H'poko. Nat Gill from Oregon pulled off the biggest jump of the day, landing an insane 40 foot push loop after hitting a pitching mast high ramp at full speed, the move brought cheers of appreciation from the sailors and spectators on the beach. Several sailors ended victims of the rocks today after some gnarly wipeouts and the local Hawaiian water patrol were kept busy on their jet ski's helping stranded sailors get back to the beach.

The eight qualifiers will now join the likes of Bjorn Dunkerbeck, Nik Baker, Jason Polakow and Robby Naish as all the worlds elite wave sailors prepare for action tomorrow.

The stage is now set for an epic competition and the forecast could not be any better with strong trade winds and big waves being predicted for the next few days.

Rich Foster

" I am stoked, I have not done any PWA contests for about a year so it is tough getting through the trials in Hawaii. Finally I think I sailed ok, it was epic out there, I was just stoked to be out there on my own"

Katshui Shiunjo

" I am very happy, it was really windy I had a good time, I will do my best in the main event"

Pascal Hardy

" It is the first time that I have made it into the main event so I am really happy, It was awesome out there, the best!"

Josh Angulo

"It was really good conditions out there so it was a good warm up for tomorrow before we go up against all the big boys, it was going off!"

Nat Gill

" I am so happy, it was very windy out there but the waves were killer all day, you can't ask for anything else"