Tyler Newton of Wainiha has won the Menehune Explorer division of the prestigious National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) national championship, according to a report called in to The Garden Island from Oceanside, Calif. Newton is one of about 20 Kauai
Tyler Newton of Wainiha has won the Menehune Explorer division of the prestigious National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) national championship, according to a report called in to The Garden Island from Oceanside, Calif.
Newton is one of about 20 Kauai surfers who competed in the event that wrapped up Sunday at Trestles, a surf break in southern Orange County in Southern California.
Newton also took second in the boy’s open. The Menehune division is made up of elementary school and younger middle school students.
Bethany Hamilton of Hanalei placed second in the open women’s final, and fifth in the women’s explorer division.
The open division includes some surfers who are of college age or older. Hamilton is an eighth grader.
Alana Blanchard of Hanalei took fourth in the women’s open.
Travis Smith of Kilauea placed fifth in the explorer body boarding division.
Gavin Gillette of Kilauea placed sixth in the explorer juniors.
More than 500 NSSA surfers from across the United States competed in the championships, which were held in 2-4 foot waves under sunny skies.
The scoring method for this year’s contest brought it in line with that used by the Association of Surfing Professionals. Instead of having to ride three waves in a 15-minute heat, a surfer now needs to ride only two waves. The change is aimed at making contest heats more competitive, with student surfers focusing not on catching three waves, but in putting everything into the two waves they ride.
A long list of former NSSA champions are today ranked among the best surfers in the world.
On Monday the first heats of the U.S. amateur surfing championships were underway in Oceanside, Calif. with about 15 young Kauai surfers competing.
