The first NSSA-Hawai‘i contest of 2006 turned out to be a great ride for some of Kaua‘i’s top amateur surfers, including Hanalei’s Alana Blanchard, who fought off a tough challenge from another Kaua‘i girl, Wailua’s Malia Manuel. The two surfers
The first NSSA-Hawai‘i contest of 2006 turned out to be a great ride for some of Kaua‘i’s top amateur surfers, including Hanalei’s Alana Blanchard, who fought off a tough challenge from another Kaua‘i girl, Wailua’s Malia Manuel.
The two surfers were just a half point apart when the finals scores came rolling in at Banyans on the Big Island.
Event #6 was also successful for Leila Hurst, who took the explorer girls’ title over Manuel and Erika Steiner. Hurst also nailed down the third spot in the open women’s competition.
However, Steiner was the top surfer in the explorer women’s division, taking down Hurst, Nage Melamed, and Blanchard.
Koa Smith topped the list in the explorer menehune competition, with Kaimana Jaquias holding down the sixth spot.
Smith and Jaquias finished 3-4 in the explorer boys contest, with Dylan Goodale sweeping up the sixth slot. Jaquias also landed the open boys’ second-place medal, with Smith finishing in fourth. Kaua‘i boys, Smith and Luke Hitchcock finished up with the second and fourth-place medals in the open mini groms contest.
Tyler Newton also had a good competition with a win in the open juniors division and a fourth-place medal in the explorer juniors division.
Aaron Swanson recorded a pair of fifth place finishes in both the explorer juniors and men’s contests.
Nathan Rex posted a win in the explorer juniors and Kyle Ramey managed a third-place ride in the open men’s competition. Rex also claimed the fourth spot in the explorer men’s division. The next NSSA contest heads to Pine Trees in Hanalei, from February 4-5.
NSSA championship dates set
The 2006 NSSA-Hawai‘i Championships will be held at Kewalos on O‘ahu from March 30-April 2.
The 2006 NSSA National Championships will be going on at two locations. Salt Creek, Dana Point will be the site for the explorer preliminary rounds, from June 22-24 and then from June 27-July 1, the explorer championships will take center stage at Lower Trestles in San Clemente.
The open championships is set for June 27-July 1 at Lower Trestles. For more information, check out the NSSA’s Web site at www.nssa.org.
