Some bad breaks for locals

Patrick Gudauskas referred to what occurred Friday morning as “a massacre.”

One by one his fellow San Clemente locals were eliminated from the Nike 6.0 Lowers Pro at their home break, including two of Gudauskas’ brothers: Dane and Tanner.

Nate Yeomans, Mike Loseness and Shane Beschen, a four-time event winner and former World Tour runner-up, also were reduced to spectators before Round 6 drew to a close.

It’s surprising because all were groomed since childhood on the high-performance waves at the legendary Lower Trestles point break.

Their early exits were doubly painful because a fresh swell that delivered set after set of nearly perfect four- to six-foot A-frame peaks is expected to last through today’s conclusion of the ASP World Qualifying Series contest.

But there remains Patrick Gudauskas, who is into the quarterfinals and will strive for a second WQS victory this season.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to fly the San Clemente flag through a few more heats,” he said after advancing with a second-place Round 6 finish. “It’d be nice to win again at home.”

Gudauskas, 22, who is ranked second on the WQS, was pitted in a 20-minute heat against World Tour veteran Fred Patacchia, Brett Simpson (No. 12 on the WQS) and Bud Freitas.

But it was mostly a two-man competition, which Gudauskas took control of early with a forehand assault on right-handed wave he rode to the beach.

Judges gave him an 8.17 and it was not until 5:23 remained that Patacchia surfed to his capability in the best-two-waves format.

The Hawaiian reclaimed the lead with a 9.00, then Gudauskas moved back on top with an 8.73 with 4:24 left. But Patacchia answered with an 8.47 and won by a score of 17.47-16.90.

For Gudauskas, who won the 2003 amateur national championship at Lower Trestles, the road to the World Tour is looking smoother by the day.

He fell short of qualifying for the 2007 “Dream Tour” by just a few spots. He suffered an ankle injury last season, which kept him from the running.

“I’m incredibly hungry,” he said, when asked if this will be the year he graduates. “I’ve watched a lot of my peers get on and I feel like my surfing’s on the level I want it to be, and hopefully it’ll push it even more by getting on the tour.”

Among other Southlanders advancing through Round 6: Taylor Knox of Carlsbad, Shaun Ward of Huntington Beach and Adriano de Souza, a Brazilian who has been home-hunting in San Clemente.

“After a day like today, I am definitely going to move down here,” he said.

--

pete.thomas@latimes.com