Zion Walla was not expected to be a top player in the Under 12 division of the USA Championships at Lower Trestles this year, but nobody told him that.
The 10-year-old not only caught the eye of beach goers with his flashy style but ended up winning his first national championship.
Despite being one of the youngest and smallest surfers in the division, Zion got better as the competition rolled along.
After barely getting though the first round, he won his quarterfinal match up with a heat score of 14, then qualified for the finals with a12.17 heat score in the semis.
Once in the final, he scored back-to-back waves of 7.27 and 7.13 in the final minutes of the championship.
His heat total of 14.4 was not only his best of the event but was enough to hold off Merrick Mochkatel's 13.77.
