Spaniard Vicente Romero achieved his first victory in the QS world tour today in Zarautz after nine years of travelling around the world in international competitions.

He did it on one of the waves where he feels most comfortable, the quintessential Basque beachbreak, and with the 1500 points from the victory he reached 5015 and put one and a half feet into the top 30 of the world tour.

He beat Frenchman Maxime Huscenot by more than two points in the final, 15,7 (8,50+7,2) to 13,24 (6,77+6,47). Earlier, in the semi-finals, he had dispatched Franco-Mexican Nomme Mignot by 12,13 to 10.

Meanwhile, local superstar Ruben Vitoria was unable to complete his semi-final series against Huscenot. The Frenchman put him in combolandia after his sixth wave in which he added 7,83 and 8,40 for a total of 16,23. Vitoria finished with 11,76.

Among the ladies, Leticia Canales managed to get past the top step, winning her heat against the Portuguese Teresa Bonvalot in a heat with few good waves, she added 9,87 which was higher than her opponent's 9,16.

Once in the final against the French former champion in Zarautz, Pauline Ado, she could not find the rhythm that she carried for a good part of the stage. She started well with a 5,17 but the Frenchwoman pulled away after scoring a 5,20 which she then backed up with a 7,33.

This is the second final of the year that Canales has reached but has not managed to secure victory (in January in Tenerife she lost in the final against local Daniela Boldini).