honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, June 16, 2003

Moore sweeps Pee Wee category at girls-only surfing event

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

It didn't matter to Carissa Moore that surf conditions yesterday were nothing near perfect, with inconsistent 2-footers at Queen's Beach. Or that the event she was competing in — China Uemura's 7th Annual Wahine Surfing Classic — was for girls only.

Keenya Masmoreo is all smiles after China Uemura, left, announces that the 12-year-old was the winner of a new surfboard for improving her grades at school.

Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

The 10-year-old from Punahou School just wanted to surf. And she did — well enough to win all three Pee Wee categories of bodyboard, shortboard and longboard.

"I think (all competitions) are fun," she said, smiling after winning her trophies. "I did OK."

Carissa started surfing six years ago, when her father took her tandem-surfing in Waikiki. Since then, she's been hooked on the sport. She surfs the south shore — in particular, Ala Moana Bowls — at least four times a week.

"I think it's a good challenge for me," she said. "And it's a good time to spend with my dad."

For the past seven years, former professional surfer and longtime contest organizer China Uemura has hosted this female-only competition in Waikiki, with proceeds going to the Sex Abuse Treatment Center of Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children.

So far, Uemura has helped raise more than $10,000 for the center.

Every year Uemura tries to make the contest, which drew more than 250 surfers this weekend, different by adding a new event. This year he introduced the costume event, where surfers charged the waves dressed in everything from hula skirts to a full-body Spiderman outfit.

Dressed in butterfly wings and sparkly antenna, Bethany Hamilton entered just for the fun of it, though she took home first place in the new category and third in the junior girls shortboard finals.

"I thought it would be fun," said the 13-year-old from Hanalei, Kaua'i, who scored perfect 10s in Saturday's preliminary heat. "It was difficult. My wings kept drooping down ... But it was fun."

The surge in popularity in surfing among young girls was evident in this weekend's longboard participation.

The junior girls category boasted the largest field of competitors with more than 30 entries, despite small-surf conditions.

"It's just growing," Uemura said. "It's gotten bigger and bigger."

'Aina Haina's Joy Magelssen won the junior longboard division, punctuated by her last wave — a clean right on which she demonstrated a textbook noseride.

The 17-year-old seasoned competitor, who recently graduated from Kaiser High School, enjoys this contest because of its casual atmosphere.

"Just the camaraderie," Magelssen said. "It's cool to surf with other girls."

Even the veterans agreed, as they stood on the beach and watched dozens of girls rip up the small surf.

"There is a sisterhood of surfers," said Suzanne Walker, 51, who has been surfing for 35 years, mostly at Queen's. "Not only can we go out there to surf, enjoy the waves and not compete with the guys, but we laugh and encourage each other on. I love everything about surfing. It's life."

• • •

China Uemura's 7th Annual Wahine Surfing Classic
At Queen's Beach

Bodyboard

Pee Wee (10 and under): 1. Carissa Moore. 2. Maile Enos Branigan. 3. Jenna Frowein. Juniors: 1. Visha Bungo. 2. Liane Chang Remular. 3. Rosie Jaffurs. Girls (17-29): 1. Miya Yamaoka. 2. Katherine Van Dyke. 3. Patricia Ramalho. Women (30 and up): 1. Brooke Holt-Froiseth. 2. Holly Ontai. 3. Yuko Horii.

Shortboard

Pee Wee: 1. Carissa Moore. 2. Erika Steiner. 3. Leila Hurst. Juniors (11-16): 1. Lani Hunter. 2. Kristen Steiner. 3. Bethany Hamilton. Girls (17-29): 1. Marie Pierre. 2. Julia Christian. 3. Katherine Van Dyke. Women (30 and up): 1. Sandy Chang. 2. Gail Chang. 3. Jeannie Chesser.

Longboard

Pee Wee: 1. Carissa Moore. 2. Leila Hurst 3. Alessa Quizon. Menehune: 1. Alana Mock. 2. Sayuri Hashimoto. 3. Keana Fernandez. Juniors (14-17): 1. Joy Magelssen. 2. Geodee Clark. 3. Katherine Van Dyke. Girls (18-29): 1. Lauren Taylor. 2. Stacia Amna. 3. Lana Clark. Women: 1. Livia Nahinu. 2. Dorren Teramae. 3. Char Iida. Senior women: 1. Pinoi Makalena. 2. Lee Barraclough. 3. Judy Kosaka.

Special events

Kapuna (50 and up): 1. Jeannie Chesser. 2. Claudia Kravitz. 3. Suzanne Walker. Costume: 1. Bethany Hamilton. 2. Jamie Sato. 3. Annabelle Marvin.