Posted on: Tuesday, July 2, 2002
Cuizon captures two titles at national scholastic meet
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
After surfing in style during the National Scholastic Surfing Association National Championships last weekend in San Clemente, Calif., 'Ewa Beach's Dustin Cuizon drove away in style.
Cuizon, a senior-to-be at Campbell High, won the top two divisions of the contest — open men and explorer juniors — and was awarded the Governor's Cup as the top male performer. He also received use of a new Toyota Tacoma truck for two years as the open men's champion.
"The waves were real small early in the week, so that's when I was kind of worried," said Cuizon, 17. "Once I made it to the weekend, the waves got bigger and I felt more confident."
Approximately 500 amateur surfers from around the nation competed in the week-long event. The open divisions are for surfers with qualifying academic grades; the explorer divisions are for any surfers.
Most of the competitors in the open men and explorer juniors divisions are on the verge of becoming professionals.
"Dustin was on the whole week, but especially on the final day," said his coach, David Riddle. "The level of surfing in the two divisions that he won is so high that it really is a credit to Dustin to take both."
Cuizon's top rides ranged from 8.0 to 8.5 in both of his finals.
"I was just trying to do some power turns and some hard snaps," he said. "Mostly, I was just trying not to fall."
Kekoa Bacalso of Mililani surfed in both final heats with Cuizon, placing fourth in the explorer juniors and fifth in the open men. Raymond Reichle from O'ahu's North Shore placed third in the explorer juniors final.
With the two championships, Cuizon has won five NSSA titles since 1998. The record is seven held by California's Bobby Martinez. Next year will be Cuizon's last as an amateur, and Surfing Magazine has already labeled him "the most dominant NSSA surfer of his generation."
Three other surfers from Hawai'i won national championships: Leilani Gryde from the Big Island (explorer women), Kai Barger from Maui (open boys), and Tonino Benson from the Big Island (explorer menehune).
