<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ella McCaffray </strong>(USA) and <strong>Owen Moss</strong> (USA) have won the <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2025/qs/422/virginia-beach-pro/main" target="_blank">2025 Virginia Beach Pro Presented by Coastal Edge ECSC</a>, a World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series (QS) 2,000, at the famed 1st Street Jetty. Solid two-to-three-foot, inconsistent conditions provided a Finals Day showdown with McCaffray and Moss emerging victorious over<strong> Lanea Mons </strong>(USA) and <strong>Dimitri Poulos</strong> (USA), respectively. This marks the first of two back-to-back events as North America’s QS contenders now prepare for the Outer Banks August 27 through 31. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>McCaffray Earns Well-Deserved East Coast Breakthrough</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ella McCaffray’s</strong> (USA) victory in Virginia Beach today notes her third-career QS win and first on the East Coast. McCaffray’s wins have come across the globe in a wave of consequence at Nias and California’s Morro Bay, showing her ability to win in all conditions. After a runner-up at the Vans Jack’s Surfboards Pro to start the year, the 22-year-old now moves atop the North America rankings.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I'm just so, so happy. I'm over the moon right now. It was really nice to have a hurricane swell actually and have waves," said McCaffray. "It was nice to surf it out in the heats each day and have waves the whole week. I'm stoked to head back to the Outer Banks. That was my first QS a long time ago. I'm excited to be heading back there and hopefully keep the momentum going." </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The women’s Final featured McCaffray and the East Coast’s own, 2024 event finalist, <strong>Lanea Mons </strong>(USA). Both competitors found an opportunity right away, capitalizing on one critical section each with McCaffray earning the nod over Mons, posting a 6.50 (out of a possible 10). McCaffray was quick to back up her score to push Mons’ requirement as the Floridian got her response against McCaffray on a strong backhand to earn a 5.50. The two continued to exchange with McCaffray’s forehand continuing to best Mons’s’ backhand attack heading into the final ten minutes. But, no waves of consquence provided Mons with an opportunity and McCaffray held firm for a big win.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A blistering start in the Quarterfinals included the women’s best showing of the round with a 14.00 (out of a possible 20) heat total and 7.50 single-wave score over fellow California Challenger Series qualification threat <strong>Eden Walla</strong> (USA). Then, McCaffray overcame one of the region’s top up-and-coming contenders, <strong>Zoey Kaina</strong> (USA), to march toward her second East Coast Final against Mons.The men's Round of 16 sent competition into a new scale with commanding performances amid North America superheats unraveling following Round of 32 action. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Moss Claims Third QS Victory on Home Coast</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">North Carolina’s own <strong>Owen Moss (</strong>USA) has solidified himself in QS East Coast history with a third win in two years. Moss’s 2024/2025 marked a career-best, qualifying for the World Junior Championships in his last season as a Pro Junior and earning two QS wins between Florida and the Outer Banks. Now, the 21-year-old jumps up to No. 2 on the rankings heading into his WRV Outer Banks Pro title defense. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I’m stoked. I won Cocoa Beach and then the Outer Banks last year so I’m stoked to win all three on the East Coast. This means a lot more because it wasn’t just about me,” said Moss. “It was more for Jacob and this whole swell was ‘Jacob Swell’ and his foundation is ‘Live Fearlessly’ so that’ll keep living on and this is for him. It’ll be fun down in Outer Banks and hopefully there’s some waves and even if not I’m ready to grind it out.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Another clash of East Coast vs. West Coast provided more fireworks from Moss and an in-form <strong>Dimitri Poulos</strong> (USA). Poulos opened the Final right away to kick off the battle with Moss as Moss answered right behind him. Then, Poulos responded immediately to get a back up and when the dust settled it was Moss who posted an excellent 8.17 as Pouls accrued a narrow lead with a 10.17 heat total. But, Moss kept his rhythm and overtook the lead heading into the 10-minute mark with Poulos’s attempt to get the lead back fell short. Just before the five-minute warning, Moss unleashed more of his forehand power to post a 6.13 and take a substantial lead over Poulos, who required an excellent score to pass him. When the final horn sounded, Moss emerged victorious in dedication to his late friend Jacob Vindetti.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Moss kick-started his Finals Day breakthrough with a close clash against <strong>Hayden Rodgers </strong>(USA) in buzzer-beater form before taking on another in-form Californian, <strong>Cole McCaffray </strong>(USA). Another impressive showing took him to his fifth-career East Coast QS Final where he overcame 2025 standout Poulos. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Dimitri Poulos and Lanea Mons Surge to Finals in Virginia Beach</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Back-to-back Finals in Virginia Beach kicks off Lanea Mons’s return to defend her WRV Outer Banks Pro title. The now 16-year-old finished No. 14 on the 2024/2025 rankings and looks to join the 2026 Challenger Series. Mons fired on all cylinders from start to finish in Virginia Beach and surged on Finals Day. Mons’ Quarterfinal battle with Lilie Kulber (USA) kicked off a brilliant run into the Semifinals, where she laid down an impressive 14.50 heat total over 2025/2026 standout Bailey Turner (USA), who’s earned back-to-back Semifinals to start the season. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“It’s super exciting to make another Final here. I wish I could have won but I feel like I surfed a lot of really good heats before that,” said Mons. “It’s always nice to get started this year with a good result and take that momentum into more events. I’m really excited to go back to the Outer Banks, it’s one of my favorite places ever since I was a kid. I feel like that place is super special and I can’t wait.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Current Challenger Series standout contender <strong>Dimitri Poulos</strong> (USA) put on a showcase to catapult to No. 1 on the North America rankings as he currently sits at No. 6 on the Challenger Series in a Championship Tour (CT) qualification spot. Commanding performances from Poulos elevated the scale on Finals Day, starting with an all-Ventura clash against <strong>Jabe Swierkocki </strong>(USA) before taking on one of 2025’s standout surfers, <strong>Sebastian Williams</strong> (MEX), with a 14.84 heat total.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“That was fun and I’m stoked to come back here, make a couple heats and a few that I’m psyched on. It’s been a great year and the best year of my life so far,” said Poulos. “At the end of the day it’s surfing and anything can happen but it’s been great to just focus on myself and what I can do. It can be a little challenging to jump back and forth between the Challenger Series and the QS but it’s been nice to have a few results on either side.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, the 22-year-old prepares for the Outer Banks before stepping back into the Challenger Series arena in Portugal in September. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, the North America QS contenders head for the East Coast’s iconic Outer Banks coastline for the WRV Outer Banks Pro Presented by Pacifico QS 2,000.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Virginia Beach Pro Women’s Final Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 - Ella McCaffray (USA) 12.23 2,000 points</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 - Lanea Mons (USA) 9.77 1,560 points</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Virginia Beach Pro Men’s Final Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">1 - Owen Moss (USA) 14.30 2,000 points</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2 - Dimitri Poulos (USA) 12.33 1,560 points</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Virginia Beach Pro Women’s Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 1: Lanea Mons (USA) 14.50 DEF. Bailey Turner (USA) 6.90</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 2: Ella McCaffray (USA) 13.17 DEF. Zoey Kaina (USA) 12.90</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Virginia Beach Pro Men’s Semifinal Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 1: Dimitri Poulos (USA) 14.84 DEF. Sebastian Williams (MEX) 8.23</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 2: Owen Moss (USA) 12.67 DEF. Cole McCaffray (USA) 9.83</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Virginia Beach Pro Women’s Quarterfinal Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 1: Lanea Mons (USA) 12.66 DEF. Lilie Kulber (USA) 11.06</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 2: Bailey Turner (USA) 13.44 DEF. Daya McCart (USA) 11.14</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 3: Ella McCaffray (USA) 14.00 DEF. Eden Walla (USA) 12.77</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 4: Zoey Kaina (USA) 10.67 DEF. Alana Lopez (USA) 10.50</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Virginia Beach Pro Men’s Quarterfinal Results:</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 1: Dimitri Poulos (USA) 13.83 DEF. Jabe Swierkocki (USA) 5.43</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 2: Sebastian Williams (MEX) 12.73 DEF. Tyler Gunter (USA) 10.30</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 3: Cole McCaffray (USA) 9.76 DEF. Blayr Barton (USA) 9.46</div><div style="text-align: justify;">HEAT 4: Owen Moss (USA) 13.84 DEF. Hayden Rodgers (USA) 13.33</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information, please visit <a href="https://www.worldsurfleague.com/" target="_blank">www.WorldSurfLeague.com</a>. </div><div> </div>