Surfing sibling keeps family crest in play

One of these years, perhaps this year, a Gudauskas will qualify for the ASP World Tour.

All three Gudauskas siblings possess remarkable surfing talent and Patrick, who’s widely regarded as the most seasoned and consistent of them, has twice come within a fancy cutback of attaining the elite level.

But on Friday, Tanner Gudauskas, 20, who is three years younger than his twin brothers, made the most significant ratings push on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Qualifying Series tour.

With his Round 5 victory over Australia’s Jay Thompson during the 6.0 Lowers Pro at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Tanner Gudauskas became one of two longtime locals to advance into today’s quarterfinals.

Regardless of his ultimate finish, Tanner will vastly improve on his No. 35 ranking on the WQS circuit. He’ll leapfrog far ahead of Dane, who is 33rd and was eliminated in the first round of the Lowers Pro; he could pass Patrick, who is 23rd and lost in the third round.

“Between the three of us we don’t really look at the points,” Tanner said, moments after his triumph over Thompson in a back-and-forth heat in two- to three-foot inconsistent surf. “There’s no real battle between us. They’re down here with a video camera supporting me, and I’d do the same for them.”

The long and fiercely competitive WQS season won’t end for months. But the 6.0 Lowers Pro, sponsored by Nike, is significant because it’s one of only nine ASP contests with a six-star prime rating. Prime-rated contests offer substantially more points than other WQS competitions, and since surfers count only their best seven finishes at season’s end, they eye the prime contests as gold.

The other San Clemente local advancing to the quarterfinals was Nathan Yeomans, who defeated World Tour sophomore Dane Reynolds.

“To be at home and get that many points is great and I think this is going to be a huge confidence booster for the rest of the year,” said Yeomans, 27, ranked No. 21 on the WQS.

The biggest upset Friday was staged by Hawaii’s Dusty Payne, 20, in a late victory over World Tour veteran and San Clemente local Chris Ward.

“He’s my favorite surfer, period,” an elated Payne said of his rival. “Growing up, he was always my idol. I just watched his surfing and tried to do what he does.”

The Lowers Pro, which last year held a four-star rating, will run to completion today and boasts four sizable roadblocks for the WQS athletes.

Four World Tour competitors, competing in the event for points they might need to re-qualify or merely for fun, remain in contention. They are Hawaii’s Fredrick Patacchia (ranked No. 3 in the world), C.J. Hobgood (No. 5), Brazil’s Adriano de Souza (a recent transplant to San Clemente, No. 6), and France’s Tim Boal (No. 24.)

Also in contention is Carlsbad’s Ben Bourgeois, the defending event champion, whose first opponent today is De Souza.

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pete.thomas@latimes.com