Super psyched to be in the final of the #usopenofsurfing pro junior Saturday! Yewww! @hurley… http://t.co/l4xUajCD8C

— Conner Coffin (@crcoffin) July 26, 2013

Santa Barbara’s Conner Coffin advanced to the finals of the Pro Junior at the U.S. Open of Surfing on Thursday, taking the 20 year old one step closer to back-to-back titles.

Coffin posted the highest two-wave score in his four-man semifinal heat that included Ezekiel Lau, Carlos Munoz and Hiroto Arai. Coffin’s 16.83 and Munoz’s 14.30 clinched finals berths.

Jake Halstead and Ramzi Boukhiam remained alive over Kanoa Igarashi and Kalani David, and will join Coffin and Munoz in the final at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

Coffin won this event in 2012.

Santa Barbara’s other surfer still in the hunt at the U.S. Open, Lakey Peterson, was knocked out of contention on Thursday in the third round of the Women’s Pro. The defending champion was edged by Sally Fitzgibbons and Pauline Ado, who both came through with strong scores late in the heat to advance.

THURSDAY RESULTS

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JUNIOR PRO MEN’S SEMIFINALS

Heat 1: Conner Coffin (USA) 16.83, Carlos Munoz (CRI) 14.30, Ezekiel Lau (HAW) 11.87, Hiroto Arai (JPN) 7.33
Heat 2: Jake Halstead (USA) 13.33, Ramzi Boukhiam (MAR) 10.30, Kanoa Igarashi (USA) 9.93, Kalani David (HAW) 8.83

WOMEN’S PRO ROUND 3

Heat 1: Courtney Conlogue (USA) 15.43, Stephanie Gilmore (AUS) 10.00, Silvana Lima (BRA) 9.03
Heat 2: Tyler Wright (AUS) 15.67, Bianca Buitendag (ZAF) 11.00, Laura Enever (AUS) 6.33
Heat 3: Coco Ho (HAW) 15.67, Carissa Moore (HAW) 13.24, Alana Blanchard (HAW) 10.10
Heat 4: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) 14.33, Pauline Ado (FRA) 14.20, Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.63