SEASIDE REEF, California — Evan Geiselman, 17, and Lakey Peterson, 16, earned impressive victories in each of their respective divisions Saturday at the men’s and women’s ASP 4-Star Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior in peaky two-to-four foot conditions at Seaside
SEASIDE REEF, California — Evan Geiselman, 17, and Lakey Peterson, 16, earned impressive victories in each of their respective divisions Saturday at the men’s and women’s ASP 4-Star Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior in peaky two-to-four foot conditions at Seaside Reef, states a release from the Association of Surfing Professionals.
Two Kaua‘i competitors — Nage Melamed, 17, and Leila Hurst, 17 — took second and third place, respectively, in the women’s final. Kaua‘i’s Brianna Cope made the semifinals and Tatiana Weston-Webb made the quarterfinals.
Geiselman, who belted the highest single-wave score of the competition, a near-perfect 9.50 out of 10 in his semifinals heat, maintained his form in the final with calculated wave selection to take his first ASP Pro Junior event win of 2011. The Floridian got the best of a low-scoring bout over current ASP North America Pro Junior Series leader Kolohe Andino, 17, Chase Wilson, 20, and Dane Zaun, 20, to move Geiselman to No. 2 on the ASP North America Pro Junior Series.
“It was kind of a sluggish final for me and I think for the rest of the competitors and I was pretty tired out there, but I’m so happy to get a win and get some momentum going,” Geiselman said. “I’m not having the best year like last year so I’m so excited. I just want to thank my mom for helping me out lately. She flew out here before the event and has been doing everything for me.”
Geiselman, who had struggled to find the podium after clinching his 2010 ASP North America Pro Junior Series Title, looks at the victory as a confidence booster before entering the upcoming ASP 5-Star Oakley Pro Junior and is hungry to hunt down current series leader and close friend, Andino, in an attempt to repeat his regional title.
“I want to do really well at Lowers and try and catch Brother (Kolohe Andino) and try to make it a bit of a race,” Geiselman said. “This win helps my confidence after a slow start this year and I’m so excited for the next event.”
Peterson, defending Women’s ASP North America Pro Junior Series Champion, quietly advanced through the early rounds of the event before unleashing a dominant performance in the final. The talented regular-footer combined committed snaps and rail work on both her forehand and backhand in the final to top fellow competitors Melemed, Hurst and Taylor Pitz, 18, to take the lead on the women’s 2011 ASP North America Pro Junior Series Rankings.
“The final was super fun and the waves were super good the whole time,” Peterson said. “The waves never really stopped which was nice. I didn’t really have that good of heats in the beginning and I had been sick in bed the past few days. All of the girls were surfing so well and I’m excited to win.”
The young Californian’s win marks a perfect start to her 2011 ASP Pro Junior campaign as she looks to retain her regional title while hunting for a position on the ASP World Junior Tour.
“I want to go to Worlds and this result puts me in a good position,” Peterson said. “Hopefully I can get a couple more results this year.”
Peterson, who has been competing in the major ASP Women’s Star events across the globe, carried the confidence from her international experience into the ASP Pro Junior contest.
“Competing in the Star rated events definitely helps my confidence going into these contests,” Peterson said. “I was watching my friends in the Bells contest when I was sick in bed and that kind of got me amped up for today.”
The next stop on the 2011 ASP North America Pro Junior Series will be the ASP 5-Star Oakley Pro Junior, which will run in conjunction with the ASP PRIME Nike Lowers Pro from May 3 through 7.
For Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior presented by Hurley, Reef and Whole Foods highlights log on to www.robmachadoprojr.com.
For additional information log on to www.aspworldtour.com or www.aspnorthamerica.org.
Men’s Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior Final Results:
1 – Evan Geiselman (USA) 11.17
2 – Kolohe Andino (USA) 10.67
3 – Chase Wilson (USA) 8.47
4 – Dane Zaun (USA) 7.26
Women’s Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior Final Results:
1- Lakey Peterson (USA) 14.76
2 – Nage Melamed (HAW) 11.10
3 – Leila Hurst (HAW) 6.60
4 – Taylor Pitz (USA) 6.40
Men’s Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Chase Wilson (USA) 12.83, Kolohe Andino (USA) 11.17, Andrew Doheny (USA) 9.90, Derek Peters (USA) 7.50
Heat 2: Evan Geiselman (USA) 16.33, Dane Zaun (USA) 13.33, Keanu Asing (HAW) 11.14, Fisher Heverly (USA) 5.10
Women’s Rob Machado Seaside Pro Junior Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Nage Melamed (HAW) 12.07, Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.90, Meah Collins (USA) 7.17, Chelsea Roett (USA) 6.90
Heat 2: Taylor Pitz (USA) 8.73, Leila Hurst (HAW) 8.66, Brianna Cope (HAW) 8.30, Alessa Quizon (HAW) 6.60
Men’s Quarterfinals Results:
Heat 1: Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.10, Chase Wilson (USA) 12.50, Luke Davis (USA) 10.47, Victor Done (USA) 9.10
Heat 2: Derek Peters (USA) 10.43, Andrew Doheny (USA) 7.04, Ian Gentil (HAW) 6.33, Jake Marshall (USA) 5.60
Heat 3: Keanu Asing (HAW) 16.67, Evan Geiselman (USA) 14.33, Tanner Hendrickson (HAW) 10.90, Evan Thompson (USA) 9.33
Heat 4: Dane Zaun (USA) 14.66, Fisher Heverly (USA) 12.43, Taylor Brothers (USA) 8.20, Makai McNamara (HAW) 7.63
Women’s Quarterfinals Results:
Heat 1: Lakey Peterson (USA) 10.73, Chelsea Roett (BRB) 8.83, Tatiana Weston-Webb (HAW) 8.00, Shelby Detmers (USA) 6.83
Heat 2: Nage Melamed (HAW) 10.33, Meah Collins (USA) 6.43, Chandler Parr (USA) 5.90, Jasset Umbel (USA) 3.10
Heat 3: Alessa Quizon (HAW) 15.60, Leila Hurst (HAW) 12.50, Kylie Loveland (USA) 5.56, Haley Watson (USA) 5.40
Heat 4: Taylor Pitz (USA) 12.70, Brianna Cope (HAW) 7.67, Jordan Hundley (USA) 6.20
Men’s Round of 32 Results:
Heat 1: Kolohe Andino (USA) 12.16, Jake Marshall (USA) 6.04, Trevor Thornton (USA) 5.50, Jake Halstead (USA) 4.17
Heat 2: Chase Wilson (USA) 12.73, Ian Gentil (HAW) 9.07, Balaram Stack (USA) 8.37, Albee Layer (HAW) 5.57
Heat 3: Derek Peters (USA) 11.03, Luke Davis (USA) 10.80, J.D. Lewis (USA) 9.70, Nathan Carvalho (HAW) 7.33
Heat 4: Andrew Doheney (USA) 10.80, Victor Done (USA) 10.60, Ian Crane (USA) 10.16, Ian Simmons (USA)
Heat 5: Evan Geiselman (USA) 16.60, Tayler Brothers (USA) 9.50, Koa Smith (HAW) 8.17, Taylor Thorne (USA) 7.17
Heat 6: Tanner Hendrickson (HAW) 11.50, Makai McNamara (HAW) 10.00, Conner Coffin (USA) 9.73, Dylan Goodale (HAW) 8.57
Heat 7: Fisher Heverly (USA) 13.60, Evan Thompson (USA) 10.17, P.J. Raia (USA) 8.73, Hiroto Arai (JPN) 7.40
Heat 8: Dane Zaun (USA) 13.33, Keanu Asing (HAW) 12.47, Kiron Jabour (HAW) 12.00, Taylor Clark (USA) 7.83
