HAWAII WORLD TEAM EDITORIAL CORRESONDENT ANDY MELAMED
It was another full day of action at Piha, site of the QUIKSILVER ISA JUNIOR WORLD SURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS. On Monday New Zealand showed the world just how beautiful it can be as the weather and waves cleaned up overnight. A dominant lefthander appeared at podium one for the boys under 16 and under 18, while a winding righthander provided some scores for the ladies at podium two.
Hawaii now has four surfers remaining in the qualifiers arena. These four surfers advanced unscathed on Monday. The boys under 16 division has Koa Smith, and Ian Gentil, while the ladies division has Malia Manuel and Alessa Cuizon looking quite comfortable
After five full days of competition none of the Verizon Wireless Hawaii Junior Surf Team have been eliminated. Kain Daly however just missed advancing in the boys under 16 qualifier round. He has thus joined Isaiah Moniz in the repercharge field. The same held true for Nage Melamed who joined teammate Leila Hurst in the repercharge for the remainder of the event.. Both girls have their work cut out for them.
In the boys under 18 repercharge one mistake will send you to the showers. On Monday all four Hawaiians put on a clinic. Keanu Asing combo¹ed the field getting the highest two wave point total of the event and leaving no doubt that Keanu means business. Kaimana Jaquias and Ezekiel Lau found themselves in the same heat, and they combined strategic positioning and paddling maneuvers as well as some tight turns at just the right time to advance. They worked quite well as a team. Then it was Tanner Hendrickson¹s turn to move along to the next round in the ultra smooth conditions, and he did so with grace and ease.
According to ISA officials Hawaii, Australia, and the USA are currently tied for first place with France Tahiti and South Africa in striking distance. Brazil has some excellent individual performers like Gabriel Medina and Jesse Mendes, However they did not bring a womens team and that will affect their overall placement. . Each of their surfers is ever dangerous and will have a bearing on the final standings.
On Tuesday a new four foot swell is predicted along with summertime temperatures and offshore winds. General Rainos Hayes remains optimistic that this years rebuilding Hawaiian team can make a strong showing. Eight days of double elimination in a foreign country does however throw a fatigue factor into the mix. The next three days will feature a continous barrage of heats with some riders possibly surfing up to three times in the day while having to put it all on the line. This is where Bert Ishimaru, Kahea Hart and Megan Abubo¹s assistance is most valuable.
DAY 5 January 25, 2010
