Kaua‘i’s Coral Gonzales was one of two Hawai‘i surfers to capture a Surfing America USA Championship yesterday in Oceanside, Calif. Gonzales tore up the competition for the 18-and-under girls longboard title. Candice Appleby, the other Hawaiian athlete, took the women’s
Kaua‘i’s Coral Gonzales was one of two Hawai‘i surfers to capture a Surfing America USA Championship yesterday in Oceanside, Calif.
Gonzales tore up the competition for the 18-and-under girls longboard title.
Candice Appleby, the other Hawaiian athlete, took the women’s longboard event.
“Conditions were solid with chest to occasional head-high sets, setting the scene for a contestable day of surfing,” a Surfing America spokesman said in a press release.
The remaining rounds begin today and conclude on Tuesday, with the awarding of the championship titles in the remaining junior divisions, including the highly contentious boys and girls under 18 contests.
“I am pleased with the positive response we have received from the format of this contest,” contest director Darren Brilhart said in a press release. “We are running it Association of Professional Surfers style, four-man, 20-minute heats with professional ASP, World Championship Tour, World Qualifying Series and international judges, as well as computerized scoring. We are running this contest the way a United States Championship should be run.”
So far the conditions have been favorable with good, consistent waves. Surfline.com, the official surf forecaster for the event, has predicted modest Southern Hemisphere swells and low northwest wind swells combining for contestable peaky lines throughout the remainder of the contest period, with a small contribution over the weekend from Hurricane Bud. The contest, which began on Tuesday at the North Jetty in Oceanside, convenes top surfers from across the nation to campaign for the coveted championship titles and a chance to win a spot onto the USA Surf Team, which will be announced at a special fundraiser dinner and silent auction on July 27 in Huntington Beach.
Waimea’s Aguilar keeps ringing up awards
Waimea’s Virginia Aguilar earned American Southwest Conference Member Award honors recently. The Hardin-Simmons (Abilene, Texas) junior middle blocker is a Waimea High School graduate from Kalaheo, who was the ASC West Player of the Year.
She posted a 4.0 grade point average in computer science, and is the first ASC volleyball player to earn ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA College Division Academic All-America first-team honors, earning the recognition last year.
Nawiliwili Yacht Club continues to sail
The Nawiliwili Yacht Club will continue its summer sailing program with the Five-Race Sunburn Series which begins on Thursday. The public is invited to view the races from the harbor jetty, as well as to attend the gatherings at the Nawiliwili Yacht Club clubhouse.
