It was another double duty weekend for the National Scholastic Surfing Association.
Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz was the site for the Northwest Open weeks 3 and 4 while down south, the Soutwest Explorers hit the water at Huntington Beach for two events.
The awards presentations saw a few surfers continue their dominance while some tasted victory for the first time this year.
Up and down the coast. here we go;
OPEN MENS - James Daniel, who had won both events run this season, won his third consecutive title on Saturday, He used a huge 8.17 wave to take the lead and was able to hold on for the win with a 12.84 heat total, with Ethan Hollander in second. On Sunday, Daniel was not involved in the finals, opening the door for a first-time winner and it was Jackson Taylor who walked through for the win. He did it on wave scores of 6.00 and 5.40 for an 11.40 total. Elias Smith was second (9.50) and Hollander was third.
OPEN EXPLORER MENS - Andrew Blackmore won his first title on Saturday, breaking open a low scoring affair with a 7.33 on his final wave. 30 waves were surfed in the final that saw Liam Knight finish second. On Sunday, Griffin Foy put on a show with some trick moves and it paid off as he scored waves of 8.10 and 8.83 for a huge 16.93. Cameron Youngsma used a 7.07 wave to claim second place.
OPEN WOMENS - Maddie Storrer won both titles in the weekend. She now has three on the season. Zoe Chait was second in all three of Maddies wins. Zoe turned the tables and beat Maddie in week two.On Saturday, Maddie had a 7.83/11.66 total and came back Sunday with am 8.50/15.27 total. Zoe had a nice 13.16 total sunday.
OPEN EXPLORER WOMENS - With no contest on Saturday, they ran a heat on Sunday and Maddie Stanton surfed unopposed for the win. She did however drop a huge 8.33 in her heat. It was her second Open women's title of the season.
OPEN JUNIORS U16 - Hans Odriozola made his first appearance of the season and swept both titles. He took down day one with a 7.40/10.87 on his only two waves
scored in the heat. On Sunday, he exploded for scores of 9.67 and 8.43 for an 18.10 heat total. Ethan Hollander was second, despite scores of 8.93/15.76.
EXPLORER JUNIORS 17 & U - It was a clean sweep for Kolby Aipa, as he won both titles and has now won three straight, after finishing third in the season opener.
Aipa had a 7.03/13.53 on Saturday to slip past Trevor Jeffrey 6.87/13.00 and on Sunday he used a 6.17/12.20 to holdoff runner up Ryder Smith 5.87/10.10.
OPEN GIRLS U16 - Olivia Storrer won her second title of the season Saturday in a low scoring affair with a 5.67/10.17. Second place went to Kaikira Nauenberg. On Sunday, Kirra Huntress won her first title of the season surfing just three waves in the final but scoring a heat high 6.00/10.17 to earn the win.
EXPLORER GIRLS 14 & U - Peeta Kenworthy won her first 14u title of the season on Saturday in a high scoring heat. She put up a 8.17 wave in a 15.50 heat total to slip past Brynley Beckman by (.10). Beckman had an 8.33/15.40 but was only good enough for second place. On Sunday, Beckman again ran into a buzzsaw, when her 7.33/13.06 total again took second because of the great heat by winner Maddie Stanton. Stanton won her second title of the day with scores of 9.17 and 8.67 for a 17.84 heat.
OPEN BOYS U14 - Brody Price swept the weekend, winning both days and his third straight title in the division. Price won Saturday with a 7.50/13.17. On Sunday,he broke open a low scoring heat with a late mark of 7.90 for an 11.57 total. Kai Wolsbeck just missed with 6.83/10.73 for second and Ronin Castorino, who was second Staurday, was third Sunday with a 7.33/10.50 mark.
EXPLORER BOYS 14 & U - Two words sum up this division. Makai Castle. The older of the Castle brothers put together a weekend to remember. On Saturday he had wave scores of 9.67 and 9.83 for an incredible heat total of 19.50 (of a possible 20). Loyal Kenworthy was second despite a nice 7.83/13.56 total. On Sunday, Castle was at it again, this time with an 8.17 and 6.93 for a winning total of 15.10. Again, Kenworthy was second best, scoring 7.73/15.03. Kenworthy now has two wins and two seconds in four events.
OPEN SUPER GIRLS U14 - Olivia Storrer and Edan Walla battled each other all weekend and got split results. On Saturday, Storrer had a 7.50/14.60 to take the title, her second of the season. On Sunday, Walla reversed that decision when she got a 6.67/10.77 score. Not high, but enough to take the title with Storrer finishing second.
EXPLORER SUPER GIRLS 12 & U - Peeta Kenworthy swept the division for the weekend after finishing second in both contests earlier in the season. On Saturday, she scored a 6.50/12.50 to slip past Zoe Panettiere who scored a 5.50/10.50 mark. On Sunday, it was a scorefest,and she once again came out on top of Panettiere in another close one. Peeta scored a 7.50/14.10 while Zoe had a 7.67/13.64.
OPEN MINI GROMS U12 - Zion Walla made the trip up north for the weekend and had a first and second for his efforts. Walla won Saturday with a 5.00/9.27 total. On Sunday, he had a huge 8.17 wave, but Couldn't get a good back up score and lost to Zander Brown.
Brown won his second title of the season with a 6.83/11.50 mark.
EXPLORER MENEHUENE 12 & U - Trying to match the success of his older brother, Finn Castle pulled off a sweep of his own this weekend. On Saturday, he put up scores of 8.33 and 7.60 for a 15.93 heat total. He needed all of it, because right behind was Nehemiah Wilmer with his 7.77 and 7.33 for a 15.10 score. On Sunday the scores kept coming for Castle as he had a 7.83 followed by a 7.53 mark to win with a total of 15.36. Sawyer Abing was close behind in second with a 14.84 score highlighted by an 8.17.
OPEN MINI GROMS U10 GIRLS AND U10 BOYS - Quinn Brizgys and Riviera Hunter took title wins in the girl's division and Jack Keet and Cruz Vavuris-Verduzco took wins in the boy's division. Jack's best wave was a 6.93 and Riviera had a 5.50 in her win.
EXPLORER SUPER GROMS 10 & U - Teagan Meza and Dane Gregorius took titles this weekend, both winning their second of the season. Saturday, Meza won a high scoring affair with a 9.03 on her final wave for a 15.60 total. Right behind was Moses Hennings' 8.00/15.50 and Gregorius with a 9.00/15.03. Gregorius stayed hot Sunday with an 8.83 and 7.17 to win with a 16.00 total.