Haleiwa’s John John Florence continues to thrive at home, posting an event-high wave score of 9.77 in Round Three of the Vans World Cup of Surfing.

Florence was one of six Hawaii surfers to advance to the round of 32 by placing top-two in his heat at Sunset Beach on Saturday.

The world champion said he was motivated by watching fellow local Billy Kemper notch a 9.07 in the opening ride of the same heat.

Florence made three aggressive turns and his last move on the ride was a carve off the face of the wave.

“Billy got that 9 and it was such a good wave,” Florence said in an ASP press release. “It definitely motivated me a little bit but I was just kind of worried about myself out there and just looking for the waves I knew I wanted to get. I ended up getting one and getting a good score so I was stoked.”

The other locals to advance in the second leg of the Vans Triple Crown were Kemper, Ezekiel Lau, Koa Smith, Torrey Meister and Eli Olson.

Eliminated local surfers were: Keanu Asing, Wyatt McHale, Nathan Florence, Finn McGill, Joshua Moniz and Sebastian Zietz.

The final day of competition could be today.

Wright tops Moore on Maui

Women’s world champ Tyler Wright bested Hawaii’s Carissa Moore in the final of the Maui Women’s Pro at Honolua Bay on Saturday.

Wright’s fifth event win of the season was her first in a final over Moore, the three-time world titlist.

Moore posted a 9.0 on her first wave to the Australian’s 6.83, but Wright came back with a 7.83 to Moore’s 4.33 on the second wave to win 14.66-13.33.

In the quarterfinal round, Moore sizzled with a 9.57 wave in a matchup with fellow local surfer Malia Manuel.