FILIPINO surfing star Rogelio “Jay-R” Esquivel Jr. made waves on the global stage once again, clinching a podium with a third-place finish at the Lexus US Open of Surfing, the opening leg of the International Men’s Longboard Tour 2025, held at the iconic Huntington Beach, California.
The 2019 SEA Games gold medalist and seasoned World Surf League (WSL) campaigner displayed grit and world-class form throughout the competition, toppling some of the sport’s top names on his way to a semifinal berth.
Esquivel started strong in the opening round, outdueling Tony Silvagni of the United States and Antonio Dantas of Portugal. He then delivered one of the tournament’s biggest upsets, eliminating Australia’s Max Weston in the Round of 16 before outclassing Hawaii’s Kaniela Stewart in a thrilling quarterfinal showdown.
The pride of San Juan, La Union narrowly missed a finals appearance after falling to three-time world champion Taylor Jensen in the semis. The American posted 13.84 points, edging Esquivel’s 12.77 in a close battle that kept the crowd on their feet.
This marked the second consecutive year that Jensen halted Esquivel’s title hopes at Huntington Beach, following their gold-medal clash at the 2024 Huntington Beach Longboard Classic, where the Filipino settled for silver.
Despite falling short of the crown, Esquivel’s third-place finish cements his reputation as one of Asia’s premier longboarders and a serious contender in the global circuit as the 2025 season unfolds.
