Surf Contests
23rd Annual Quiksilver/Kamaaina Nissan Big Island Pro-Am Surfing Trials
Photo Credit: Steve Skipper
Soleil Farnsworth and Tara Lani were awarded men and woman’s open championships at the Twenty-third Annual Quiksilver-Kamaaina Nissan Big Island Pro-AM Surfing Trials. Under rainy skies, glassy conditions and with text book double overhead surf, seventy-three Big Island contestants surfed in four categories at Hilo’s Honolii Beach Park.
Also placing in the men’s open finals were Mikey O’Shaughnessy-2nd, Topo Kalimai-3rd, Neekowee Clearwater-4th, Theo Landt-5th and Brad Young-6th. Woman finalists include Jennifer O’Hearn-2nd, Shruti Greenwood-3rd, Kim Bennett-4th, Nina Dodge-5th and Kalindi Jacobal-6th. The bodyboard division crowned Micah Salazar-1st, Baba Dudoit-2nd, Sean Gravela-3rd, Ryan Gallina-4th, Ethan Lum-5th. Longboard winners were Koa Enriguez-1st, Jeff Silva-2nd, Rick Sowers-3rd, Chris Dennis-4th, Jun Balanga-5th and Puna Moller-6th. Wave of the day went to longboard champion Koa Enriques.
Prizes included airfare and entry to a prestigious North Shore, Oahu professional surfing contest which were given to the top four men’s open and the top two finishers in woman’s, bodyboard and longboard divisions.
The Quiksilver-Kamaaina Nissan Big Island Pro AM Surfing Trials is the Big Island’s oldest surf contest and is seen as a training platform for young surf athletes wanting to advance to a professional surfing career.
Contest director Stan Lawrence said of the contest: "This year's event was special in many ways. The caliber of surfing was at the highest level ever for a Pro-Am here on the Big Island and the surf was epic all day. This one will be remembered for a long time. Awesome waves, awesome surfing, awesome ohana, awesome Big Island! A "Big Mahalo" out to all the volunteers and sponsors that made The Quiksilver-Kamaaina Nissan Big Island Pro AM Surfing Trials happen."
Check out the contest photos!
