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Hawaii Beat

By Star-Bulletin Staff

Thursday, July 20, 2000

Garcia leads advance
for isle surfers

Current pro surfing ratings leader Sunny Garcia of Hawaii easily won his first round heat yesterday to advance straight to round three of the Bluetorch Pro at Huntington Beach, Calif.

The event is the sixth stop on the 2000 World Championship Tour (WCT), and the first of the season in North American waters.

Also winning their respective heats yesterday were Hawaii's Shane Dorian, Shawn Sutton and Conan Hayes. Andy Irons was eliminated after finishing third in his heat, while Kalani Robb was second in his heat.

In the women's division, Hawaii's Megan Abubo, Rochelle Ballard and Keala Kennelly all won their heats.

Kotaka takes World University Karate gold

George Kotaka, a spring graduate of the University of Hawaii, won the under-66 kilogram men's kumite (sparring) title at the recent World University Karate Championships at Kyoto, Japan.

He was the lone gold medalist on the seven-member U.S. team.

Elisa Au, a UH undergraduate competing for the first time at the world level, finished eighth in the women's kata (forms) division.

Movers stifled at home

The Hawaii Island Movers fell to the Peninsula Oilers, 6-1, at Rainbow Stadium last night.

The Movers managed just four hits, including a double by first baseman Kainoa Obrey, and scored their only run on a third-inning Oiler error.

Bryan Lee started and took the loss, tossing five innings and giving up three runs on five hits.

Festive golf tournament

The entry deadline is tomorrow for the International Festival of the Pacific's annual golf tournament, to be played Aug. 5, at the Hilo Municipal Course, with a 7 a.m. shotgun start.

Cost of the tournament, including greens fees, cart, lunch and one beer or two soft drinks, is $75. Funds raised benefit the Hawaii Florists and Shippers Association Scholarship Fund for agricultural students.

To register, or for more information, call 808-934-0177.

Bragado team earns spot

Hawaii's Danalee Bragado and partner Ali Wood scored a pair of qualification tournament victories yesterday over volleyball teams from Norway and Japan to advance to the women's main draw of the $300,000 France Open in Marseille.

Seeded 12th in the 33-team qualifier, Bragado and Wood finished the preliminary rounds of the France Open with a 4-1 record to earn their first-ever berth together in a FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour event.

Bragado and Wood join three other USA teams in the 32-team main draw that starts today on the Plage du Prado.

The team of Rob Heidger and Hawaii's Kevin Wong will be trying to improve their Olympic Qualification Ranking point totals in the men's division.

Heidger and Wong are the No. 1-ranked USA team on the Olympic Qualification Ranking list (1,864 points) and need a fifth-place finish to improve their Sydney rating. Heidger and Wong posted a fifth in last week's Italy Open.

Guerreiro, Rojas cited

Outrigger Canoe Club volleyball players Kaimi Guerreiro and Rhonee Rojas were named junior All-Americans at the July 13-18 Junior Olympic boys volleyball championships at Reno, Nev.

Guerreiro, an incoming senior at Kalaheo High School, helped his 17-under team to a ninth-place finish overall out of 40 teams. Outrigger won the silver division, defeating the Arcel Eagles of Puerto Rico, 19-25, 25-20, 15-11.

Rojas, a recent University Lab School graduate who will play for Penn State this season, helped OCC to third place in the silver division. The team was 11th overall out of 48.

The OCC 12-under team finished second out of nine teams, losing to Borinquen Coqui of Puerto Rico, 10-25, 25-20, 14-16.

Kayaker Newton honored

Former Hawaii resident Peter Newton and partner Angel Perez, who made up the U.S. sprint men's double kayak team, were named the U.S. Olympic Committee's Team of the Month for June.

Newton and Perez placed second in the 500-meter race and first in the 1000 at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

The two then competed at the Duisburg (Germany) International World Cup Regatta, winning the K-2 200 race and being part of the K-4 200 winning crew.

Newton and Perez now rank No. 1 in the World Cup standings.

Akau junior golf winner

Christian Akau shot a 3-under-par 69 to take overall honors in the third of eight events on this summer's Hawaii State Junior Golf Association Junior Tour Series Monday at the Kalalaua Golf Course.

Boys' age-group medalists were Ariel-Abraham Bollinger (10-and-under), Chad Nonaka (11-12), Bronson Kalilikane (13-14) and Akau (15-18).

Girls' winners were Makana Sakihama (10-and-under), Britney Choy (11-12), Kelly Nakashima (13-14) and Rie Ganir (15-18).

Asahi race to set sail

The fourth annual Asahi Super Cup Sail Race starts tomorrow off Waikiki's Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor.

The five-race regatta runs through Sunday and features 18 yachts from Hawaii, Japan and the mainland.

Youth tennis lessons

The USA Tennis 1-2-3 Lessons for Youth summer program is in progress at Diamond Head Tennis Center.

The cost is $18 for six one-hour lessons.

For more information, call the USTA office at 955-6696.