Hawaii State Surfing Championships
Presented by Surftech

HASA
Ala Moana Bowls, Oahu
4 – 6 June 2009

2009 Hawaii State Surfing Champions Crowned

Honolulu — The 2009 champions of the Hard Rock Cafe State Surfing Championships, presented by Surftech, were crowned today, wrapping up three days of intense competition at Ala Moana Bowls. 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 over the past three days. 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 Hawaii 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 (Oahu, Junior Men’s champion); Ian Gentil (Maui, Boys champion); Nage Melamed (Kauai, Girls champion); Christian Enns (Hawaii, Open Men’s champion); and Imaikalani Devault (Oahu, Menehune champion).

Finalists in each of the major divisions will qualify for the national Surfing America Championships to be held at Huntington Beach, CA., August 25-30, 2009.

The Hawaii 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:

Junior Men:
1st-Micah Moniz (Oahu); 2nd-Ezekiel Lau (Oahu); 3rd-Kainoa Haas (Oahu); 4th-Ha’a Aikau (Oahu)

Boys:
1st-Ian Gentil (Maui); 2nd-Lahiki Minamishin (Oahu); 3rd-Kaikea Elias (Kauai); 4th-Landon McNamara (Oahu)

Open Men:
1st-Christian Enns (Hawaii); 2nd-Kylen Yamakawa (Oahu); 3rd-Tanner Hendrickson (Maui); 4th-Thomas Spear (Oahu);  5th-Richard Tom (Oahu); 6th-Scott Shimoda (Oahu)

Menehune:
1st-Imaikalani Devault (Oahu); 2nd-Lucas Angulo (Kauai); 3rd-Dax McGill (Oahu); 4th-Kalani David (Oahu)

Girls:
1st-Nage Melamed (Kauai); 2nd-Hana Harrison (Oahu); 3rd-Erica Steiner (Kauai); 4th-Mahina Maeda (Oahu)

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 Harriston; 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

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SriLankan Airlines Pro 2009 Maldives – SriLankan Airlines Pro underway at Pasta Point in the Maldives

The 2009 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) six star PRIME rated SriLankan Airlines Pro began at the famous Pasta Point in the Maldives today and the world’s finest surfers wasted no time acclimatising and ripping into the fun 1m (3ft) surf.

Hawaiian Casey Brown opened the event impressively scoring both the days highest heat win (15.66 out of a possible 20) along with the highest wave score of an 8.83 (out of a possible 10) on a ride which saw him complete a series of powered critical turns along with a perfectly executed air reverse.

“It’s always good to win through that round one heat, we’ve all travelled a long way to get here and you’d feel really down to lose out and be eliminated straight away so it’s a relief” said Brown.

“It’s such a fun event here, great free surfing waves in all directions and you just want to do well and enjoy the whole week.”

While today’s waves were not perfect there was plenty of scope for strong scores with the mechanical peeling point offering multiple sections for surfers to perform on.

Other heat winners to impress were former event champion Daniel Redman (South Africa), Portugal’s Ruben Gonzalez, Rudy Palboom (South Africa), Christophe Allary (Reunion) and Alejo Muniz (Brazil).

Australia’s Jack Perry summarized the feelings of most surfers here today after his strong heat win by saying, “ I always have a great time here, we’re competing in a really important event at the midpoint of the year but the atmosphere is just great, it’s like we’re all on holidays but a good result here means a lot to your ASP season so you have to remain focused.”

“The waves today were nothing like as good as it can get but still they were a lot of fun and you can really perform in these conditions – the outlook is solid and if it gets like last year then we’re surfing in amazingly perfect waves so fingers crossed!”

Strong afternoon winds saw event organizers finish the day early with just 8 heats completed and organizers will reconvene first thing tomorrow morning.

SriLankan Airlines Pro 2009 is made possible thanks to the following sponsors: SriLankan Airlines, John Keells Group, Chaaya Island – Dhonveli, Atoll Travel, Atoll Adventures, Ocean & Earth International, Dhiraagu, Maldives Tourism & Promotions Board, ASP Australasia.

ASP Australasia as the event managers will deliver a quality live Webcast along with Television News Feeds, complimentary Digital Images for newspapers and websites, Web highlight packages and a dedicated 30 minute international television program.

Follow this event live at http://www.srilankanairlinespro.com/

There’s been little going on in Europe of late, so check out this little chunk ‘o’ news from Chile, courtesy of the ASP…

ARICA, Chile (Saturday, June 6, 2009) – Smiles were everywhere and the happy atmosphere that we saw in the closing ceremony shows, without a doubt, the level of happiness and thankfulness of the surfers that participated in the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 3-Star Rusty Arica Pro.

All agreed that the quality of the wave and organization of the event was one of the best. So, it was without surprise that everyone listened to Roberto Perdigao (Brazil), regional director of the ASP promising that his organization would give full support to the re-edition of this contest in the following next years in the city of eternal spring. The news was received with ovations by the massive public who assisted the final day of the event.

After defeating Jay Davies (AUS) in the Quarterfinals, and Manuel Selman in Semifinals, Peruvian Gabriel Villaran crowned himself champion of the contest after beating his fellow surfer from Peru, Alvaro Malpartida.

The first time Villaran has won an ASP WQS event after contesting the circuit since 2003. It didn’t surprise anyone that he was so thankful towards Arica and its people.

“I feel at home in Arica,” Villaran said. “They always received me and supported me with open arms. I feel sorry to not have been able to share this experience with my friend Ramon Navarro from Pichilemu. I dedicate this triumph to my mom and all the Ariqueans. We showed today that Chileans and Peruvians can be friends.”

There were also prizes for 2nd by Alvaro Malpartida (PER), and 3rd place taken by Manuel Selman (CHI) and Jason Torres (CRI).

Although Camilo Hernandez was eliminated by another Chilean, Selman, when he couldn’t overcome Manuel’s experience in world contests, his surfing was qualified as over the top by surfers and press alike, becoming the revelation of this contest.

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