Surf into Summer champs boost their pro aspirations
By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer
| • | Surf Into Summer champions
Menehune Boys Junior Men Men Masters Senior Men Girls/Women Bodyboard Longboard Men Longboard Women |
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Only 10 walked away with championship trophies yesterday, solidifying their own reputations as quality surfers.
Final heats for the three-day competition were completed yesterday in 1- to 3-foot waves at the Ala Moana Bowl.
"If you can notch a win at this contest, you're doing something right," said Local Motion team manager Rainos Hayes. "You get participants from Maui and Kaua'i and the Big Island, as well as all the top surfers from (O'ahu), so you're going against guys you don't normally go against. It's definitely a prestigious event to win."
The contest featured only 10 divisions, so top competitors had to advance through three or four heats just to reach yesterday's finals.
Among the standouts:
Kolea Fukumitsu, 17, from Hakipu'u in Windward O'ahu. He won the junior men's division, which is considered the toughest division of the contest.
"I like to surf with a little more power," he said. "Bowls is super good because it has a good inside (section). When you hit it, you can put all your power in it."
The junior men's division is for surfers ages 17 and younger, and many of them — including Fukumitsu — plan to turn professional in the next few years.
"This is my last year (in the junior men's division), so it's a good accomplishment," Fukumitsu said of his first Surf Into Summer victory. "The nationals are bigger, but this is a good (contest) for here."
With the surfers' futures in mind, the contest followed the same rules used by the Association of Surfing Professionals.
"Junior men's (division) is the stepping stone for professionalism here in Hawai'i," Hayes said. "A lot of guys have used a win in this contest as a launching pad to greater things."
Billy Choi, 20, who practices on a daily basis at Ala Moana and proved that he may also be ready for the professional ranks. He won the men's division (ages 18 to 24) for the third consecutive year.
"I've been surfing this contest since I was 10 years old, and it's still a big thing to win," he said. "I never won it when I was a kid, so I'm finally starting to get there."
Choi has already started entering professional contests, and said yesterday may have been his last Surf Into Summer.
"I'm looking for a contract," he said. "I need somebody to ante up and throw me into the pro leagues. This is the world's largest amateur surfing event, so having three straight wins is definitely something big in my resume."
Bethany Hamilton, 13 and a home-school student from Hanalei, Kaua'i. She beat older competitors to win the girls/women's division, which was open to all ages.
"My dad kind of told me about it at the last minute," Hamilton said. "This was my first time doing this contest, but I wasn't that nervous."
Hamilton also confirmed another aspect of the Surf Into Summer reputation.
"Definitely good prizes," she said.
All of the finalists received a bagful of prizes, including clothes, watches and various surf equipment.
Micah Oh, 24, who was entering an amateur contest for the first time in four years. He beat his younger brother and about 25 other competitors to win the open bodyboard division.
"I used to do amateur contests a long time ago, but nothing lately," he said. "I needed the practice, so I came out for this one."
His younger brother, Jason, countered: "He wanted to beat me, that's why he finally came out."
Micah Oh showed no rust in the final. He successfully pulled off an "air-roll-spin," which is a difficult aerial maneuver. The judges rewarded him with a near-perfect 9.5 (out of 10), which was the highest single-wave score among all the finalists.
Jason Oh, who is two years younger than Micah, placed third.
In the longboard divisions, Jordan Hart repeated as the men's champion, while Joy Magelssen captured first place among girls/women.
Unlike past years, there were no concerts or "partner" events to help promote the contest.
"I think this contest has earned its place," Hayes said. "The fact that all these surfers come out year after year shows that it's a contest that carries a lot of weight, but also has a good vibe to it."
Final results
Menehune: 1, Ezekiel Lau. 2, Hizon Lin Kee. 3, Bullet Obra. 4, Kiron Jabour. 5, Jedidiah Pacheco. 6, Peyton Chidester. Boys: 1, Alex King. 2, Kekoa Cazimero. 3, Zachary Fonoimoana. 4, Dustin Payne. 5, Mason Ho. 6, Chas Chidester. Junior Men: 1, Kolea Fukumitsu. 2, Casey Brown. 3, Luke Walsh. 4, Noah Erickson. 5, Kaimi Huihui. 6, Kekoa Bacalso. Men: 1, Billy Choi. 2, Ira Masaki. 3, C.J. Kanuha. 4, Seth Bumanglag. 5, Nathan Carroll. 6, Eddie Huihui. Masters: 1, Hoptong Smith. 2, Chad Depontes. 3, Kevin Kennedy. 4, Dennis Garcia. 5, Baron Martin. 6, Marcos Lozada. Senior Men: 1, Kal Faurot. 2, Bobby Judd. 3, Chris Owens. 4, Mitch McEwen. 5, Reid Kawamae. 6, Kent Brown. Girls/Women: 1, Bethany Hamilton. 2, Kelli Frye. 3, Cristal Mortensen. 4, Jenn Newhouse. 5, Jeannie Chesser. 6, Alana Brennan. Bodyboard Open: 1, Micah Oh. 2, Paul Benco. 3, Jason Oh. 4, Kalani Kamaka. 5, Alika Gaspar. 6, Jed Kutaka. Longboard Men: 1, Jordan Hart. 2, Ned Snow. 3, Ben Kealoha Jr. 4, Waiakea Winchester. 5, Keone Young. 6, Virgil Sisiam. Longboard Women: 1, Joy Magelssen. 2, Amy Lawson. 3, Kristen Magelssen. 4, Shenna Marie Shimose. 5, Shannon Riley. 6, Monica Burkhart.
