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NSSA SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE

EXPLORER EVENT #1 & #2

CRYSTAL PIER, PACIFIC BEACH

AUGUST 24-25, 2013

CONDITIONS: Waist high peaks on the northside of Crystal Pier.

JAY CHRISTENSON TAKES COMMAND AT HIS HOME BREAK! (all photos: Kurt Steimetz)

CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS

--The Southwest Conference kicked off the 2013-14 NSSA west coast season with the Explorer Season doubleheader events #1 and #2 on the north side of Pacific Beach’s Crystal Pier. Waist high peaks with a few chest high sets and sunny weather were on offer both days of the event.

--San Clemente’s Kei Kobayashi took first place in the event #1 Juniors final in a close tiebreak decision over Lucas Taub.

--Pacific Beach local Jay Christenson took command in his homebreak in the event #2 Juniors final winning it on the strength of a near perfect 9.6 score-the highest wave score of the weekend. Jay was the overall high point scorer of the event earning Surfer of the Week honors for his outstanding surfing display. His first place in event #2 and third place in event #1 will put him at the top of the Juniors ratings.

--Newport Beach’s John Mel swept both Boys finals and will secure a sizable lead in the ratings

--10 year old Connor Marshall was also a double winner taking both victories in the Super Grom division

--In the Menehuene division, Carlsbad’s Dagan Stagg took the win in event #1 with Kade Matson runner-up. The following day they pulled an about-face with Kade scoring the victory and Dagan taking second.

--Lots of new girls turned out for Explorer competition on opening weekend! In the Womens division, 2013 Southwest Womens and Girls Conference Champion Malia Osterkamp made a triumphant return winning the Womens final in event #1. Tiare Thompson topped the Women’s field in event #2. Tiare also took the Girls victory in event #1 with NSSA newcomer Alyssa Spencer putting on an impressive surfing display in her first NSSA appearance taking the Girls win in event #2 and runner-up in event #1. Alyssa will secure the number one position in the ratings on the strength of her first and second place results!

--In the Super Seniors, Rick Fignetti took the win in event #1. Local surfer Mike Glevy settled the score in event #2 with a solid winning performance in the final.

--In the Duke division, Rick Fignetti made it 25 straight wins when he took the victory in event #1. However in event #2, Fig saw his winning streak snapped when a very determined Jim Ferguson surfed a great final taking his first victory in the NSSA Duke division!

JOHN MEL OFF TO A GREAT START! 

PERFORMERS OF THE EVENT

Jay Christenson – High scoring waves of the weekend and the Juniors victory in event #2

John Mel – took double wins in the Boys division

Connor Marshall – claimed double wins in the Super Grom division

Tiare Thompson – won the Girls division in event #1 and the Womens in event #2

TWO WINS FOR TIARE THOMPSON!

The NSSA Southwest Conference is proud to have support from Huntington Surf and Sport, Java Point, Surfing Magazine, Sex Wax, Scosche and Channel Islands. Many thanks to the City of San Diego and the NSSA staff for assisting us in staging a professional quality event for the Southwest Explorer Season series.

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

CONNOR MARSHALL RULING THE SUPER GROMS!

THE SCOREBOARD

RESULTS

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE EXPLORER EVENT #1

CRYSTAL PIER, PACIFIC BEACH

EXPLORER JUNIORS

1. Kei Kobayashi-San Clemente

2. Lucas Taub-Dana Point

3. Jay Christenson-Pacific Beach

4. John Mel-Newport Beach

5. Jordan Collins-Carlsbad

6. Nicholas Holdman-Poway

EXPLORER BOYS

1. John Mel-Newport Beach

2. Zach McCormick-Del Mar

3. Kade Matson-San Clemente

4. Ben Barone-La Jolla

5. Ben Seaberry-Huntington Beach

6. Micah Crozier-Encinitas

EXPLORER MENEHUENE

1. Dagan Stagg-Carlsbad

2. Kade Matson-San Clemente

3. Caleb Crozier-Encinitas

4. Zach McCormick-Del Mar

5. Ethan Mudge-Capistrano Beach

6. Keanu Igarashi-Huntington Beach

EXPLORER SUPER GROMS

1. Connor Marshall-Encinitas

2. Noah Steinmetz-Huntington Beach

3. Matthew Hahn-Torrance

EXPLORER WOMENS

1. Malia Osterkamp-San Clemente

2. Tiare Thompson-La Jolla

3. Rachel Tominaga-Manhattan Beach

4. Avalon Johnson-Carlsbad

5. Samantha Cendro-Huntington Beach

6. Samantha Sibley-San Clemente

EXPLORER GIRLS

1. Tiare Thompson-La Jolla

2. Alyssa Spencer-Carlsbad

3. Sidney Johnson-Carlsbad

4. Kirra Pinkerton-San Clemente

5. Tera Richardson-Capistrano Beach

6. Alexxa Elseewi-San Clemente

EXPLORER SUPER SENIORS

1. Jon Faure-Encinitas

2. Daren Collins-Carlsbad

3. Rick Fignetti-Huntington Beach

4. Mike Glevy-San Diego

5. Lee Toresdahl-Huntington Beach

EXPLORER DUKE

1. Rick Fignetti-Huntington Beach

2. Jim Ferguson-Santa Rosa

3. Peter Townend-San Clemente

THE SCOREBOARD

RESULTS

SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE EXPLORER EVENT #2

CRYSTAL PIER, PACIFIC BEACH

EXPLORER JUNIORS

1. Jay Christenson-Pacific Beach

2. Noah Collins-Manhattan Beach

3. Lucas Taub-Dana Point

4. John Mel-Newport Beach

5. Will Reid-Palos Verdes Estates

6. Ethan Grant-Carlsbad

EXPLORER BOYS

1. John Mel-Newport Beach

2. Dylan Hord-Huntington Beach

3. Micah Crozier-Encinitas

4. Ethan Mudge-Capistrano Beach

5. Ben Seaberry-Huntington Beach

6. Zach McCormick-Del Mar

EXPLORER MENEHUENE

1. Kade Matson-San Clemente

2. Dagan Stagg-Carlsbad

3. Zach McCormick-Del Mar

4. Ryan Martin-San Clemente

5. Crosby Colapinto-San Clemente

6. Keanu Igarashi-Huntington Beach

EXPLORER SUPER GROMS

1. Connor Marshall-Encinitas

2. Matthew Hahn-Torrance

3. Cole McCaffray-Cardiff

4. Noah Steinmetz-Huntington Beach

5. Ella McCaffray-Cardiff

EXPLORER WOMENS

1. Tiare Thompson-La Jolla

2. Samantha Cendro-Huntington Beach

3. Avalon Johnson-Carlsbad

4. Ella McCaffray-Cardiff

5. Samantha Sibley-San Clemente

6. Malia Osterkamp-San Clemente

EXPLORER GIRLS

1. Alyssa Spencer-Carlsbad

2. Alexxa Elseewi-San Clemente

3. Tiare Thompson-La Jolla

4. Kirra Pinkerton-San Clemente

5. Tera Richardson-Capistrano Beach

6. Olivia Pessanha-San Diego

EXPLORER SUPER SENIORS

1. Mike Glevy-San Diego

2. Daren Collins-Carlsbad

3. Rick Fignetti-Huntington Beach

4. Jon Faure-Encinitas

5. Lee Toresdahl-Huntington Beach

EXPLORER DUKE

1. Jim Ferguson-Santa Rosa

2. Rick Fignetti-Huntington Beach

3. Peter Townend-San Clemente

About NSSA

The National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage and assist its members in their interest to learn and develop the fundamentals and skills of surfing competition while competing in structured and quality events. The NSSA promotes the qualities of discipline and competitive excellence while supporting the merits of academic achievement to young surfers. The NSSA strives to provide a fun surfing experience for all of its members.

The NSSA is one of the few national youth sports organizations that require its participants to maintain academic standards in order to compete. Since 1978, the NSSA program philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand. More than 80 NSSA events are run nationwide that culminate with the annual National Championships which is regarded as the highest profile youth surfing event in America.

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