By MARK REY MONTEJO

Surfer Jay-R Esquivel turned heads in the US after landing on the podium of the Huntington Beach Longboard Classic of the Wallex US Open in Los Angeles, California on Monday, Aug. 7 (Manila time).

Esquivel, the first-ever Filipino to qualify in the tilt, succumbed to Hawaiian Kanela Stewart in the semifinals, 16.10-14.87, but his entry to the final four guaranteed him third-place finish and earned him precious points which he needed to stay in the race for the WSL Longboard Finals in Malibu this coming October.

Stewart, in the process, crowned himself the Huntington champion after beating Taylor Jensen in the finals.

The La Union native beat Americans Tony Silvani and Kevin Skvarna in the opening rounds, Ben Skinner in round of 16, and Richie Cravey in the quarterfinal before setting up a semis duel against Stewart.

It was a steady rise for Esquivel after he ruled the PADROL Longboard Classic in Bali, Indonesia last June.dal.