HONOLULU — The 2009 champions of the Hard Rock Cafe State Surfing Championships, presented by Surftech, were crowned Saturday, wrapping up three days of intense competition at Ala Moana Bowls according to a press release from the Hawai‘i Surfing Association.
HONOLULU — The 2009 champions of the Hard Rock Cafe State Surfing Championships, presented by Surftech, were crowned Saturday, wrapping up three days of intense competition at Ala Moana Bowls according to a press release from the Hawai‘i Surfing Association. Waves persisted in the two- to three-foot range for the final stage.
More than 200 competitors from around the state gathered at Ala Moana for the three-day event. Event director Wendell Aoki spoke particularly highly of the outer-island contingent.
“We were really impressed to have so many outer island qualifiers attend,” said Aoki, “and they put in some very strong performances.
“Economically, this isn’t an easy time for families to be traveling and competing, so we genuinely appreciate the lengths they went to to make it. The result is a truly competitive team from Hawai‘i that will now move on to the national championships in California in August. We are very proud of our kids.”
The technical nature of Ala Moana Bowls — a rapid-fire left that has a distinct lineup and point-scoring sections — also spoke volumes about the ability of the outer-island kids; the fact that they performed so highly at a venue that was foreign to so many of them.
Major division honors went to: Micah Moniz (O‘ahu, Junior Men’s champion); Ian Gentil (Maui, Boys champion); Nage Melamed (Kaua‘i, Girls champion); Christian Enns (Hawai‘i, Open Men’s champion); and Imaikalani Devault (O‘ahu, Menehune champion).
Finalists in each of the major divisions will qualify for the national Surfing America Championships to be held Aug. 25-30 at Huntington Beach, Calif.
The Hawai‘i Surfing Association is the world’s longest running surfing association. The goal of the HSA’s Hard Rock Cafe Series is to offer a competitive platform for up-and-coming surfers that will prepare them for a future career in professional surfing, should they choose it. The new 2009-10 HSA season will start up in August.
COMPLETE RESULTS:
(bold denotes Kaua‘i)
Junior Men: 1st-Micah Moniz (O‘ahu); 2nd-Ezekiel Lau (O‘ahu); 3rd-Kainoa Haas (O‘ahu); 4th-Ha’a Aikau (O‘ahu)
Boys: 1st-Ian Gentil (Maui); 2nd-Lahiki Minamishin (O‘ahu); 3rd-Kaikea Elias (Kaua‘i); 4th-Landon McNamara (O‘ahu)
Open Men: 1st-Christian Enns (Hawai‘i); 2nd-Kylen Yamakawa (O‘ahu); 3rd-Tanner Hendrickson (Maui); 4th-Thomas Spear (O‘ahu); 5th-Richard Tom (O‘ahu); 6th-Scott Shimoda (O‘ahu)
Menehune: 1st-Imaikalani Devault (O‘ahu); 2nd-Lucas Angulo (Kaua‘i); 3rd-Dax McGill (O‘ahu); 4th-Kalani David (O‘ahu)
Girls: 1st-Nage Melamed (Kaua‘i); 2nd-Hana Harrison (O‘ahu); 3rd-Erica Steiner (Kaua‘i); 4th-Mahina Maeda (O‘ahu)
Men: 1st-Kapu Ping; 2nd-Davin Jaime; 3rd-Mitchell Alapai
Masters: 1st-Scott Shimoda; 2nd-Darren Mahoe; 3rd-Christian Enns; 4th-Eddie Huihui; 5th-Thomas Spear; 6th-Bryce Yamashita
Senior Men: 1st-Matt Kenny; 2nd-Robert Howard; 3rd-Richard Tom; 4th-Adam Escobar; 5th-Sheldon Poirier; 6th-Shannon Silva
Grandmasters: 1st-Kal Faraut; 2nd-Ed Yanagihara; 3rd-Tomo Saito; 4th-Beau Hodge
Legends: 1st-Eddie Pieper; 2nd-Craig Sugihara; 3rd-Koapaka Brown; 4th-Gilbert Perea; 5th-Roger Kinnaman
Women: 1st-Alelei Lyman; 2nd-Izumi Baldwin; 3rd-Lacy Cameron; 4th-Dana Tortuga; 5th-Nina Dodge; 6th-TJ Moller
Bodyboard Boys: 1st-Kaimana Wong; 2nd-Boo Boo Cazimero; 3rd-Brandon Kelly; 4th-Kielen Keanu Malama; 5th-Daniel Carter; 6th-Storm Magsanay
Bodyboard Junior Men: 1st-Matthew Holzman; 2nd-Drake Humiston; 3rd-Cody Lucas; 4th-Oliver Seitz
Bodyboard Men: 1st-James Clancy; 2nd-Matt Solomon; 3rd-Mark Gervacio; 4th-Marshall Orr
Dropknee: 1st-Mark Gervacio; 2nd-Daniel Carter; 3rd-Dalven Lee; 4th-James Clancy
Bodyboard Women: 1st-Carolyn Orr
Launch: 1st-Matthew Holzman; 2nd-Brandon Kelley; 3rd-Storm Magsanay; 4th-Axel Menezes; 5th-Boo Boo Cazimero
Longboard Menehune: 1st-Kaoli Kahokuloa; 2nd-Crispin Nakoa; 3rd-Klyde Neer; 4th-Ulu Apeahi; 5th-Jordan Brueggemann; 6th-Vincent Starn
Longboard Junior Men: 1st-Nelson Ahina; 2nd-Gavin Klein; 3rd-Akila Weber; 4th-Bryce Baker; 5th-Kiko Napeahi; 6th-Ikaika Vivas
Longboard Men: 1st-La’akea Davis; 2nd-Daniel Teijeiro; 3rd-Daniel Johnasen; 4th-Justin Mitsui; 5th-Cedric Caires; 6th-Tai Graham
Longboard Master: 1st-Che Pilago; 2nd-Puna Moller; 3rd-Shane Hamamoto
Longboard Senior Men: 1st-Daniel Stein; 2nd-Gavin Hasegawa; 3rd-Alika Willis; 4th-Tomo Saito
Longboard Grandmaster: 1st-Eddie Pieper; 2nd-Warren Hoohuli; 3rd-Layton Sun; 4th-Les Tabuchi; 5th-Tommy Reyes; 6th-Stephen Katayama
Longboard Girls: 1st-Kaili Rodman; 2nd-Erika Steiner; 3rd-Jericho Paliracio; 4th-Kiana Fores
Longboard Women: 1st-Stacia Ahina; 2nd-Ashley Ahina; 3rd-TJ Moller; 4th-Mimi Horiuchi
Longboard Open: 1st-Daniel Stein; 2nd-Nelson Ahina; 3rd-Puna Moller; 4th-Justin Matsui; 5th-Gavin Hasegawa; 6th-Daniel Teijeiro
Standup Paddle: 1st-Alika Willis; 2nd-Slater Trout; 3rd-Titus Kinimaka; 4th-Chris Marten; 5th-Miguel Graham; 6th-Black Abraham
