OPEN MENS FINAL FOUR

l-r: Thelen Worrell, Griffin Colapinto, Jake Kelley, Andrew Jacobson

OPEN WOMENS FINAL FOUR

l-r: Chelsea Tuach, Tia Blanco, Malia Osterkamp, Moana Jones

 **The 17th annual NSSA West Coast Championships (The Westerns) presented by Hurley saw over 400 hundred west coast surfers compete for Regional titles building momentum and motivation for the upcoming National Championships in June.

OPEN JUNIORS FINAL FOUR

l-r: Colin Deveze, Micky Clarke, Thelen Worrell, Colt Ward

**The NSSA West Coast Championships were once again blessed with fun wave conditions at Huntington Beach Pier. A consistent combination of southwest and minor west swells produced contestable waist to head high waves for the entire championship event.

**It was game on for San Clemente’s young standout Griffin Colapinto on finals day. Starting with the Men’s semis, he set the tone of the day pushing the envelope with his exciting and dynamic innovative skills. With an increased swell running, Griffin maximized the improving surf conditions and blew doors with his diverse repertoire of moves. He walked away with two big division victories in the premier Open Men’s and the Explorer Juniors. He also took Performer of the Day honors on finals day along with being named the “Outstanding Surfer of the Event.” Griffin has now earned three career Regional titles which include his Open Juniors win in 2011.

**Southwest Conference Open Women’s champion Tia Blanco crushed the Open Womens final over a talented field of opponents including Moana Jones, Chelsea Tuach and Malia Osterkamp. Tia locked in an excellent 8.17 and then backed it up with another solid 7.83 score leaving her opponents in search of 9-point rides. This was her first Regional title.

**Thelen Worrell took the Open Juniors victory in a close decision over Colt Ward. The 16-year-old Malibu standout utilized a powerful and vertical backhand attack on southside’s well-formed steep rights. Thelen has been on a competitive roll clinching the prestigious Southwest Conference Open Men’s title and Gold Coast Conference Juniors title last month. He made three finals at the Regional Championships including third place finishes in both the Open Mens and Explorer Juniors. Thelen now owns two Regional titles (he took won the Explorer Juniors in 2012). His 3-finals performance at this event along with his Open Men’s finals appearance at the 2012 Nationals drive home the point that he will be on a National title mission in June.

**Both Moana Jones and Malia Osterkamp took command of the 14 & under Girls categories. Moana took the Open Girls Regional title with two big scores of a near perfect 9.83 and a 7.60. Malia put on a super impressive performance in the Explorer Girls final locking in a solid 7.17 ride on her third wave and then cementing the win with an excellent 9.17 score on her final wave of the heat. 

**11-year-old Nick Marshall put on a progressive surfing display beyond his years en route to his victory in the Open Boys. In the final, he put himself in the driver’s seat dropping a solid 8-point score on his first wave. His sewed up his second Regional title on another big 8.4 score solidifying his position as one of the top Nationals contender in the division. His first Regional title came in 2012 when he won the Explorer Super Groms and then soon after backed it up with a National Open Mini Grom title.

**In the 10 & under categories, Kade Matson claimed his first Regional title in the Open Mini Groms and Sebastian Mendes took his first Regional title in the Explorer Super Groms. In addition, a huge thumbs up goes to Kade, who took his level up a notch taking an outstanding victory in the upper age bracket Explorer Menehuene 12 & under division.  

**In other Explorer competition, Malibu female phenom Frankie Harrer claimed her seventh Regional title in the Womens tying the female Regional victory record with Sage Erickson. Jacob Szekely launched an exciting crowd-pleasing aerial display sealing his first Regional title in the Mens. San Clemente’s Kei Kobayashi snapped his beachbreak curse, crushing the Boys final with crisp in-the-pocket surfing clinching his first Regional title. Rising San Clemente female talent Malia Osterkamp took home her first Regional title in the Explorer Girls. Malia has clearly stepped up her game this season winning conference titles in the Open and Explorer Girls and Explorer Womens.   

**Non student category winners at the West Coast Champs went to Eric Sorensen in Masters, Rick Takahashi in Seniors, Mike Glevy in Super Seniors, Rick Fignetti in Duke and Eric Peterson in Kneeboard.

**Longboard division winners were Nick Anderberg in the Open and Jake Marcy in the Explorer.

**In the Regional Airshow Championships, Kevin Schulz soared to victory claiming his first Regional title.

OPEN BOYS FINAL FOUR l-r: Tyler Gunter, Nick Marshall, Noah Hill, Cole Houshamd

The 2013 NSSA West Coast Regional Championships is proud to have support from Hurley, Huntington Surf and Sport, Java Point, Surfing Magazine, Sex Wax, Scosche, Clif Bar, Grom Social, Hi-Chew and the City of Huntington Beach. 

Be sure to keep up with all the NSSA action via the website at nssa.org and social media platforms Facebook and Instagram.

OPEN GIRLS FINAL FOUR

l-r: Kailani Jones, Moana Jones, Malia Osterkamp, Tiare Thompson