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Monday, July 17, 2000
Hawaii surfers
dominate U.S. amateur
championships
Junior Men's champion Joel
By Steve Murray
Centeio leads the way as island
wave riders win 16 of 19 divisions
at Ala Moana Bowls
Star-BulletinThe youngsters stole the show this week at the United States Surfing Federation's 40th Amateur Surfing Championships that concluded yesterday at Ala Moana Bowls.
Competing among the nation's best, Hawaii's surfers held their own winning 16 of the 19 divisions yesterday.
The contestants ranged from 79-year-old Hawaii surfing legend Rabbit Kekai to those still a few years shy of high school.
High on the list of pint-sized champions, however, was 12-year-old Adam Wickmire of the Eastern Surfing Association. Wickmire, who is the youngest person to ever win back-to-back National Scholastic Surfing Association titles, hoped to add the USSF Menehune division title to the list.
"I just did my best," Wickmire said. "I'd be so stoked to if I won." Wickmire won and stoked he was with a victory in the final against another 12-year-old, Kyle Ramey of Kauai.
The championships began July 10 with nearly 600 contestants, said USSF executive director Paul West.
West, who has been involved with amateur surfing for 23 years, called this year's field "the best ever."
The highlight of the weeklong event may have been the two heats that pitted two potential future stars of Hawaii surfing: Joel Centeio and Wiki Villa. Kekai calls Centeio "Mr. Consistency" for his high level of performance, and says Villa has the talent to go far.
Villa and Centeio were thankful and surprised by Kekai's words of encouragement. "To have such a legend say that feels great," Centeio said.
Villa was more surprised saying he didn't even know that Kekai knew who he was. "I have never met him personally until today," Villa said.
The future met in the finals of the Junior Men's division.
On the way to the finals Centeio won every heat while Villa won all but one with one second-place finish. This meant that Villa had to beat Centeio twice in the final two heats to claim the championship.
Villa said being the first to catch a wave was necessary to having a chance to beat Centeio.
After finding his first good wave and building up points, Villa struggled from there. "I don't think I got the best waves that I should have," he said. Meanwhile, Centeio finished strong in the last two heats.
"I just got some great waves and surfed as hard as I could," he said.
Final results
Menehune: Adam Wickmire
Menehune Longboard: Mike Payton
Kneeboard: David Shinbara
Girls: Kristen Quizon
Junior Women: Jessica Oswald
Women: Sandy Chang
Womens Longboard: Joy Magelssen
Open Shortboard: Travis Hashimoto
Boys: T.J. Barron
Junior Men: Joel Centeio
Mens: Travis Hashimoto
Masters: Kekoa Inkster
Senior Men: Eddie Ogata
Grand Masters: Kirk Hodges
Junior Longboard: Kekoa Uenura
Mens Longboard: Kapona Nahina
Masters Longboard: Virgil Sisiam
Senior Longboard: Carlton Handley
Legends: Ben Aipa
U.S. Surfing Federation
