25 October 2025 – Jialeshuei Beach, Pingtung, Taiwan: Indonesia’s surfing siblings Dhany Widianto and Dhea Natasya continued their winning streak today by claiming victories in the Men’s and Women’s Longboard Divisions of the 2025 Pingtung Jialeshuei International Surfing Competition, Stop #3 of the Asian ProAm Surf Series (APSS).
The pair, who also won their respective divisions at last week’s APSS Dongsha Open of Surfing in Zhoushan, China, now firmly maintain their No. 1 rankings on the APSS tour leaderboard.
Dhea Natasya Claims Women’s Longboard Title – Breaking Surfboard and Bruising Rib on Final Wave
The Women’s Longboard Final provided one of the most dramatic moments of the event when Dhea Natasya broke her surfboard—and bruised her rib—on her final wave. She came into the beach holding her side in obvious pain, devastated at breaking a borrowed board—the same board her brother Dhany had planned to use for the Men’s Longboard Final up next.
After being checked by the event medical team and icing her injury, Dhea could still smile as she celebrated her win and reflected on the final.
“In the final today, I tried to just treat it like a free surf—relax, have fun, and take some waves,” said Dhea. “If I start being too serious and thinking too much, it works against me. It was just bad luck that I fell on that last wave, broke my friend’s board, and hurt my rib. But it was good luck that I won, so I’m really happy in the end.”
When asked about their sibling winning streak, she added:
“It’s pretty crazy to win back-to-back events like this with my brother, both of us winning our divisions. We were really confident coming here after winning in China. I’m so grateful to travel with him—we support and encourage each other a lot. It might look easy, but we work really hard all the time, and I think that’s why we’re winning now.”
Local favorite Leanne MacDonald (TWN) earned second place, Daisy Valdez (PHL) placed third, and Tseng Chia Ling (TWN) finished fourth.
Dhany Widianto Adds Another Longboard Title to His Impressive Run
Fresh off his Men’s Shortboard Division win yesterday, Dhany Widianto added another title by also claiming the Men’s Longboard Division crown.
With his sister having broken the board he had been using, Dhany had to compete on a longboard he had never ridden before, adding to the challenge. He also faced a stacked field of accomplished opponents, including Shohei Akimoto (JPN), a former WSL World Longboard Tour competitor, Jefferson Dela Torre (PHL), and Taiwan’s Hao En Wang.
Despite the obstacles, Widianto skillfully navigated the windy 2–3 foot lineup, combining smooth footwork and precise positioning to execute clean Hang Fives and Hang Tens, earning scores of 7.67 and 7.17 for a total heat score of 14.84 and the win.
“I was a little nervous at the start, but I knew in the final you have to go all out,” said Widianto. “I’ve surfed with Howie, Shohei, and Jeff before—they’re older and more experienced—but after winning the shortboard yesterday and both divisions in China last week, I felt confident. It was tricky with the wind and using a board I’d never tried before, so I’m really happy with the result. Next, I’m heading to Baler, Philippines for my next competition, a WSL event. My goal is to qualify for the World Championship Tour someday.”
Words from Wingnut
The event was honored to host longboard legend Robert “Wingnut” Weaver (co-star of Endless Summer 2) as guest commentator for the APSS Longboard divisions. Wingnut shared his insights both on the live broadcast and with competitors throughout the event.
“It was really impressive to see surfers from so many Asian countries showing up here—and how amazing were the Indonesians?” said Wingnut. “The team from India blew me away as well, and the local Taiwanese surfers showed great talent. The waves here are really good, and what a great venue! The wind swirls around, offshore half the time and onshore the other half. Both the men’s and women’s finals were incredible—super exciting to watch and really fun to commentate.”
Wingnut will compete in the local Masters Division tomorrow and joked,
“Yes, I have a heat tomorrow—and I hope it’s late in the afternoon so people are either asleep or drunk by the time my heat hits the water!”
Looking Ahead
There will be a Surfers’ Party in Hengchun this evening, and tomorrow the local divisions will finish up. The Awards Presentation will be held tomorrow afternoon in Jialeshuei at the main event area near the parking lot, tents, and food stalls.
Fans can catch all the action via the live broadcast:
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/live/vDmemeZb_HY?si=WpyzRl8BahWpnPWc
Full results and heat scores available on LiveHeats:
🔗 https://www.liveheats.com/events/415088
Today’s Results
Women’s Longboard Division
- Dhea Natasya Novitasari (IDN) – 12.77 pts
- Leanne MacDonald (TWN) – 9.50 pts
- Daisy Valdez (PHL) – 9.37 pts
- Tseng Chia Ling (TWN) – 5.47 pts
Men’s Longboard Division
- Dhany Widianto (IDN) – 14.84 pts
- Shohei Akimoto (JPN) – 10.67 pts
- Jefferson Dela Torre (PHL) – 10.13 pts
- Hao En Wang (TWN) – 8.90 pts
Event Information
Supported by the Pingtung County Government and organized by the Taiwan Ocean Recreation Sports Association (TORSA) and the Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC), the Pingtung Jialeshuei International Surfing Competition is the longest-running surf event in Southern Taiwan and one of the most anticipated surfing contests in the region.
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Follow @torsataiwan and @asiansurfco for updates.
About the Asian ProAm Surf Series (APSS)
The Asian ProAm Surf Series is a progressive Asia-wide competition platform designed to bridge the gap between grassroots and global surfing. It supports athlete development while giving surfers the chance to explore new destinations and compete in officially sanctioned ASC events.
About the Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC)
The Asian Surf Cooperative is Asia’s leading organization for the growth and development of surfing through high-quality events, coaching, and media services. With over two decades of experience, ASC continues to support and shape the next generation of professional surfers in Asia.
About LiveHeats
LiveHeats is a digital platform powering action sports competitions worldwide, from local surf clubs to professional tours. The platform connects athletes, organizers, and fans through real-time scoring and event management.
Learn more at www.liveheats.com or follow @live_heats on Instagram.
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