If such a thing exists as a sneaky win, Conner Coffin snuck up on everyone and took out the 2017 Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach. The lineup at Sunset is a big canvas and Coffin paints in broad strokes with a vivid palette, placing turns in critical places and burying his rail with new-school power. And yet, he’s a surfer inspired as much by the traditional, stylish power lines of Taylor Knox and Brad Gerlach as he is by postmodern aerialists like Dane Reynolds (not that Reynolds is lacking in the power department). – WSL

“I’ve been coming over to Hawaii since I was 12, I just love surfing here,” said an emotional Coffin after taking the win. “It’s always been a dream to win in Hawaii, I struggled with contest results in the past, but always had so much fun surfing here I knew I’d put it together at some point.”

Conner Coffin- 6’4 x 18 1/2 x 2 5/16 Fever Step-up

Pat Gudauskas- 6’2 x 18 7/8 x 2 1/4 Taco Grinder

Seabass- 6’6 x 18 3/4 x 2 5/16 Proton

Kano Igarashi- 6’6 x 18 5/8 x 2 5/16 Taco Grinder

photos by Ryan Miller & Trevor Moran

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