Jialeshuei, Taiwan – October 1, 2026: With a less than desirable swell forecast of offer, the contest officials and the event team met last night to consider options for getting the Pingtung Jialeshuei APSS Asia Tour Taiwan and Tipi Jabrik’s Grom Patrol Taiwan underway.
Reports and a live look at Jioupeng Beach yesterday afternoon, which is approximately 45 minutes from Jialeshuei, was offering better conditions, so an early morning check was made and some sets were found to be coming through, so decision was made to move the Grom Patrol competition to Jioupeng Beach for the day, including the webcast operation.
It was an impressive logistical effort by the TORSA crew, who managed to relocate the entire operation and have competition underway at 9:30 a.m. By 1:30 p.m., 11 heats had been completed, leaving 12 heats remaining to determine the finalists in the Under 18 and Under 16 Boys and Girls divisions.
Despite the small conditions, the young surfers put on impressive performances.
In the Under 16 Boys, Chen Sheng Yang posted the highest single-wave score of the day, a 6.67, and finished with a two-wave heat total of 12.34.
In the Under 18 Girls, Thailand’s Aonnarin Engsrisawang posted the highest single-wave score among the girls, earning a 6.50 and finishing with a 10.60 two-wave total.
Competing in both the Under 16 and Under 18 Boys divisions, Chen Sheng Yang continued his strong performance with an excellent 8.17 single-wave score and a 13.50 heat total. Boyu Chen finished second in that quarterfinal heat, posting the next-highest single wave with a 7.00.
Once the Grom Patrol heats were completed, the entire operation moved back to Jialeshuei, where there was just enough movement in the water to run the APSS Men’s and Women’s Longboard semifinals.
In the Women’s Longboard Semifinal 1, Hawaii’s Nique Miller earned a 6.00 on her first wave and finished with a 10.17 heat total to advance to the final, joined by second-place finisher Azuma Minami.
In the second semifinal, local surfer Leanne MacDonald posted waves of 5.67 and 5.43 for an 11.10 total to advance, joined by Tiffany Lu, who moved into the final with a buzzer-beater finish, edging past Tseng Chia Ling.
In the Men’s Longboard Semifinal 1, Hao En Wang posted the highest single-wave score of 5.67 and finished with a 9.94 heat total to advance to the final. In Semifinal 2, Pan Hai Hsin (Rory MacDonald) earned his final berth with a pair of 4-point rides for an 8.50 total.
The forecast still isn’t looking favorable for tomorrow, but the event crew will remain on hold and continue monitoring conditions in hopes for an opportunity to run a few more heats. The outlook for Saturday and Sunday is showing an increase in swell, so is expected to provide an opportunity to complete the remaining Grom Patrol semifinals and finals, along with the remaining APSS Shortboard heats and the Longboard Finals.
Stay updated:
Follow @asiansurfco, @grom.patrol, @torsataiwan and @pingtungtrip for updates.
Competition schedules and results are available through Live Heats:
Grom Patrol Taiwan: https://liveheats.com/events/548474
APSS Taiwan: https://liveheats.com/events/548475
The Pingtung County Government has been a long-standing supporter of surfing in southern Taiwan and is the principal supporter of the Pingtung Jialeshuei event, the longest-running surfing competition in the region. The event forms part of the county’s ongoing efforts to increase the visibility of the area for surfers and tourists interested in watersports, as well as cycling, exploring and experiencing the region’s diverse culinary and cultural attractions.
About the Asian ProAm Surf Series (APSS):
The Asian ProAm Surf Series is an Asian-wide competition initiative designed to support and elevate surfing development by bridging the gap between grassroots events and global platforms. It assists talented surfers in developing toward professional competition while offering traveling surfers opportunities to experience new destinations, meet new people and participate in officially sanctioned events through the Asian Surf Cooperative.
About Grom Patrol:
Founded in 2019 by Tipi Jabrik, Grom Patrol has become a leading youth surf training camp and competition series in Asia. Originally launched in Bali, the series has continued to expand, providing young surfers with a positive, supportive and competitive environment where they can develop their skills, build friendships and embrace the surfing lifestyle.
About the Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC):
The Asian Surf Cooperative is an Asia-wide organization dedicated to the growth and development of surfing through high-quality events, coaching and media services. With more than two decades of experience, ASC continues to support the current and next generation of surfers.