Hawaii's Rochelle Ballard outpointed defending women's champion Naridah Falconer of Australia today in smooth, waist-high waves, advancing to the semifinals of the Association of Surfing Professionals' Tokushima Pro meet at Ikumi Beach, Japan. Ballard in Japan
surf semifinalsAmong those moving on to the third round of the men's competition were Hawaii's Shane Dorian, Sunny Garcia, Ross Williams, Kalani Robb, Andy Irons, Shawn Sutton and Derek Ho. Kaipo Jaquias and John Shimooka of Hawaii were eliminated in the second round.
UH LANDS FOUR ON ALL-REGION TEAM: Pitcher Kelly Gentle, first baseman Joyce Lum, third baseman Melissa McGie and outfielder Tia Morenz of the University of Hawaii have earned Louisville Slugger All-West Region first-team softball honors.
Shortstop Kehua Cofran and catcher Dana Degen of the Wahine were named to the second team.
TOURNAMENT HONORS TRASK: The annual AT&T-REHAB Golf Shamble Tournament May 27 at Hawaii Prince Golf Club in Ewa Beach will be dedicated to the memory of union leader Tommy Trask.
He was instrumental in garnering state legislative support for an appropriation bill that helped Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific renovate its facility and become an independent health care organization more than 20 years ago.
Proceeds from the tournament will go to the REHAB Foundation and the Tommy Trask Endowment.
WAHINE CANDIDATES: Female soccer players who will be full-time students at the University of Hawaii this fall and would like to try out for the Wahine team should call the coaches office at 956-4525 before July 1.
PUBLINX QUALIFYING: The entry deadline for local qualifying for the 73rd U.S. Amateur Men's Public Links Championship is June 3. This year's national championship is at Torrey Pines in San Diego, July 13-18.
The local qualifying sites: Kauai, Wailua, June 13; Big Island, Hilo Municipal, June 14; Oahu, Ala Wai, June 20; Maui, Waiehu, June 20.
Entry fee is $30. For more information, call Art Fujita at 822-4158 (Kauai).
OCEANFEST: The ninth annual Outrigger Hotels Hawaiian Oceanfest, a five-day competition among the world's best lifeguards and watermen and waterwomen from around the globe, will begin June 9 with 5:30 p.m. opening ceremonies at Kuhio Beach.
On June 10, men and women will compete for $1,500 in their choice of five events -- 500-meter swim, 1-mile paddleboard, 2-mile surfski, run-swim-run, ocean medley -- in the Waikiki Open Ocean Challenge.
Lifeguard teams from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Britain, Canada, California, Florida and Hawaii will compete in the Hawaiian International Ocean Challenge June 11-12 at Makapuu and Waikiki beaches.
There will be keiki surfing, the six-mile Waikiki King's Race, an ocean-beach triathlon and an air surfing event on June 13, followed by an Oceanfest awards party at the Ocean Club, Restaurant Row.
The T&C Surf Keiki Surfing Championship at Kuhio Beach on June 14 caps the five-day fling.