Ewa Beach's Keanu Asing, 16, won the Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure at Huntington Beach, Calif., yesterday. He won $3,500 and gained valuable points toward qualification to the Billabong World Junior Championships next January. Asing is riding a wave of competitive momentum in 2009, winning this event and the International Surfing Association Under-16 World Junior Championship in April.

“;I'm really happy with my results this year,”; Asing said. “;I'm getting on a roll this year and I just want to keep it going.”;

Earlier in June, Asing was also runner-up at the Arnette Pro Junior in Newport Beach, Calif. This latest victory puts the Elite Academy student in first place in the Hawaii Pro Junior ratings and in good position to qualify for the Billabong World Junior Championships in Australia next January. The Nike 6.0 Pier Pressure is the highest-rated Pro Junior event in America this year.

Asing surfed wisely and strongly at Huntington Beach with big turns out the back and finished off each wave with a high performance maneuver on the inside reforms. Yet, he narrowly made the final of yesterday's event.

Lackluster conditions and small surf played a huge factor for Asing, but the regular-footer persisted and qualified for the final in the last moments of the semifinals.

“;I never thought I'd make the final, but I just kept chipping away and did what I had to to make the final,”; Asing said. “; I was a little bit frustrated, there were no waves, and I knew there had to be one wave. Everyone had low scores and I knew I could get what I needed to advance. I just did what I had to do to make that heat.”;

In true winner's form, Asing persisted and crushed his fellow finalists despite deteriorating surf at South Huntington Beach. Patience played a key role in Asing's victory, who won the event with a two-wave total of 13 out of a possible 20 points.

“;There weren't too many waves, but I just tried to wait my turn and get the best waves I could,”; Asing said. “;Luckily it worked out.”;

Asing was the only Hawaii resident to make it past the quarterfinals. Kiron Jabour and 2009 World Junior Champion Kai Barger went down in the quarters.