Posted on: Friday, March 25, 2005

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ATHLETES
Lewis challenging for elite sailing position

Advertiser Staff

Honolulu's Andrew Lewis is one of three American finalists competing for one of two spots in the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, considered one of the fastest and most intense races in sailing.

Lewis, 21, an ASSETS graduate and the youngest sailor in the competition, is in Portugal for the final selection process that should end April 1.

Originally, Lewis and four other Americans were selected from thousands as part of a search for a crew for Team ABN AMRO for the races that will start from Spain in November and finish in the summer of 2006.

Two recently were eliminated and the remaining three are vying for two positions on the first-of-its-kind boat that will feature a total of eight sailors —two each from Brazil, the Netherlands and the United States and another two from the "rest of the world."

The sailors are being observed and tested on a variety of skills — from their expertise on handling all aspects of sailing responsibilities to life-saving techniques to fishing.

For information, www.abnamro.com.

Trampolines

Vercruyssen takes third in Netherlands

Nani Vercruyssen, a 13-year-old student at Kaimuki Middle School, earned the highest finish among five Hawai'i athletes who competed in the 16th Aalsmeer Flower Cup in The Netherlands last week.

The event, considered Europe's largest and most prestigious international trampoline invitational, drew 360 athletes from 17 countries, competing in novice, junior and open divisions for males and females.

Here's how Hawai'i's athletes fared:

• Nani Vercruyssen, who is a national champion and member of the U.S. International Elite Team, placed third in the 17-and-under junior elite girls division on trampoline.

• Kira Vercruyssen, 17, a Kaiser High senior and national champion, placed 34th in the senior elite open women's division.

• Matt Moniz, 17, an 'Aiea High junior and national champion, placed 43rd in the senior elite open men's division that includes about six Olympians.

• Kelsen Onigama, 10, an Our Redeemer student and a national champion, placed 33rd in the 17-and-under junior elite boys division in his first international competition.

• Care'n Chato, 19, a University of Hawai'i freshman, placed 68th in the novice women's division in her first international event.

BENCH PRESS

Nemoto gets high marks in weightlifting

Kailua High School's Cory Nemoto benched pressed 125 pounds 33 times to win the lightweight class in the third annual High School Bench Press Your Bodyweight competition at Aloha Tower last Friday.

Allison Castellano of Sacred Hearts won the female division, bench-pressing half her weight (55 pounds) 38 times.

Kalaheo's Jonathan Chong (170 pounds, 32 repetitions) won the middleweight, 'Aiea's Synjin Purdy (210, 18 reps) won the light heavyweight, and Kailua's Jared Spencer (270, 14 reps) won the heavyweight.

Third annual High School

Bench Press Your Body Weight

Female—1, Allison Castellano (Sacred Hearts) 55 pounds, 38 repetitions; 2, Janelle Ogasawara (Roosevelt), 65, 33 reps; 3, Vanna Wong (Kaimuki) 55, 27 reps; 4, Jasmine Chapman (Roosevelt) 90, 26 reps.

Lightweight—1, Cory Nemoto (Kailua) 125 pounds, 33 repetitions; 2, Aaron Arakawa ('Aiea) 140, 31 reps; 3, Travis Orozco (Roosevelt) 155, 30 reps.

Middleweight—1, Jonathan Chong (Kalaheo) 170 pounds, 32 repetitions; 2, Tui Richter (Roosevelt) 185, 30 reps; 3, Naeole McFadden (Castle) 160, 29 reps.

Light Heavyweight—1, Synjin Purdy ('Aiea) 210 pounds, 18 repetitions; 2, Jerome Samante (Campbell) 200, 17 reps; 3, Tyson DeCambra (Olomana) 200, 16 reps.

Heavyweight—1, Jared Spencer (Kailua) 270 pounds, 14 repetitions; 2, Hansen Apo (Olomana) 250, 11 reps.