Just one 15-minute competitive surfing heat with six riders vying for position to capture the two best waves is physically and mentally draining. Anticipation tension, pressure, and performance all come into play. When you consider what Nathan Rex did this
Just one 15-minute competitive surfing heat with six riders vying for position to capture the two best waves is physically and mentally draining. Anticipation tension, pressure, and performance all come into play.
When you consider what Nathan Rex did this past three-day weekend, you have to give the kid an ocean full of credit.
He qualified and surfed in the two most competitive divisions for Hawai‘i’s State Championships. He also managed to progress thru each division surfing countless 15-minute heats while taking down Hawai‘i’s best riders from Hilo to Hanalei.
And then, in the finals he came up triumphant in the most grueling highly aggressive 15-17 year old division, as well as the more experienced, more strategic Open Mens Division.
Two state championship crowns belong to one of Kilauea’s own, Nathan Rex.
Aside from Nathan’s stellar performance, our HSF Kauai respresentation at states this year was most credible. Thanks to the HSF Kaua‘i, our island’s youth from Polihale to Ha‘ena are motivated to outdo each other, and push the limits.
At the HASA State Championships, the results were most gratifying. Here’s how our kids fared during 270 fifteen-minute heats over the long, hot weekend.
The Menehune division featured an all-Kaua‘i final with veteran Koa Smith coming through in the clutch with a 9.1 score on one of the best-ridden waves of the entire contest.
The kid from Kilauea is a clutch performer. But Koa has to continue to push and drive, because right behind him are Luke Hitchcock, Kaikea Elias, Kaoli Kaholokuloa, Christian Graham and Keola Carreira.
All these are Kaua‘i boys, and all were finalists. In the 12-14-year-old boys division, Kilauea’s Dylan Goodale captured a third-place finish for himself, and he also flew home with a first-place trophy for the airshow.
In the Junior Men division, Nathan Rex dominated while Alex Smith, whose performance at the World Championships in Brazil turned many heads in his direction, made us proud as he brought home a sixth-place finalist trophy.
One of the most competitive and progressive divisions is the girls 17 and under grouping. Veterans like Alana Blanchard, who has the most successful string of victories and placings this year, along with Bethany Hamilton, who keeps getting better and better in the most difficult condtions, have set the stage for Kaua‘i’s younger riders.
In the womens final, the 17- year-old O‘ahu veteran champion Lani Hunter barely nudged out Hanalei’s Nage Melamed in the final by less than half a point.
It should be noted that on any given day in any given heat,Kilauea’s Leila Hurst and Princeville’s Alana Blanchard, who captured 4th and 5th place respectively in that final, are qualified enough to take down just about any competitor in the state. So you can see our Kaua‘i girls division is talent-laden with 12-16 year olds who are making headlines and will do so for years to come.
This division, the Menehune division, 11 and under and the boys and juniors have all become very deep divisions that are learning to hold their own off-island where the going gets tough.
Though Kristen and Erika Steiner did not make the shortboard final this year, they managed to coast into a 1st and 3rd place finish in the Girls Longboard division.
It should also be noted that Russel Lewis (a most respected surf coach from Kaua‘i’s north shore), along with Les “always grinning”Tabuchi from our south shore, captured second and third place respectively in the Grand masters Division. And Travis Smith of the Kilauea family boogie-boarded home with some first-place hardware in the boys division.
HSF Kauai is approaching 30 years in existence on Kaua‘i, providing contests for our kids island wide and of all ages. Kaua‘i’s finest pros of today all cut their teeth by starting in the HSF Kaua‘i.
This organization has been run by Nelson Togioka throughout the years. His dedication to our youth, the sport, and the community, should be recognized and appreciated. Just some of the sponsors that do so, and that support our youth include M. Miura/Dej Vu, Hanalei Surf/Backdoor,Westside Surf and Sport, Garden Island Brotherhood, Surfco Hawaii, Dukes Restaurant, Country Brokers, Beach House Restaurant, the YMCA of Kauai, and Nukumoi Surf Shop in Po‘ipu.
This year, Nukumoi sponsored contest number five in Po‘ipu and provided lunches for all the competitiors and families as they do every year, and it should be noted the shop takes an exceptional interest in supporting Kaua‘i’s kids through a variety of contests, promotions and programs. The HSF Kaua‘i has always attempted to stress sportsmanship, while promoting respect for others, as well as respecting our surrounding oceans and beaches. This year’s Kukui‘ ula sportsmanship presentation award at the Nukumoi contest went to Michael Sylva and Courtney Cabral.
They will be receiving free membership for the 2006-2007 season, and all entry fees for all regular season as well as state championship entries will be waived because of the examples each of them set both in the water and on land over this past year. A special commendation should go out to the parents of these kids.
The HSF Kaua‘i 2005-2006 surf season ended with state championships, and it begins all over again with more contests for the 2006-2007 season in just a few short months. For more information go to hsfkauai.com for the new 2006-2007 schedule posted in late August.
• Andy Melamed is a Hanalei resident and an avid surfer.
