NSSA SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE
OPEN SEASON EVENT #1
FIVE STAR RATED
BROOKHURST STREET, HUNTINGTON BEACH
SEPTEMBER 15-16, 2007
CONDITIONS: Excellent 3-6 foot hollow peaks
IF ONLY EVERY CONTEST HAD WAVES LIKE THIS. BROOKHURST AT ITS FINEST.
All photos courtesy of Chris Keet/Surfhappens.com
The Southwest Conference 2007-08 Open Season got some Mother Nature love compliments of a Southwest swell and hints of a Northwest that filled in throughout the weekend. Flawless, hollow barrels are not an everyday occurrence in HB, especially at the more quirky Brookhurst sandbar. But the combination swell was perfectly suited for the HB as amazing head high plus hollow peaks poured through allowing our surfers to show their stuff in the opening event of the NSSA’s spotlight series. Sunday morning’s heats were as epic as it gets for a contest. There were so many spitting tubes, we lost count. As Men’s winner Dane Zaun put it, “The waves were so good, best waves ever for Huntington. It was like perfect France.”
DANE ZAUN MAKING A STATEMENT.
OPEN #1 HIGHLIGHTS
After a solid second place performance at the Explorer Opener the previous weekend, Dane Zaun came ready to challenge in his rookie year in the Open Men’s. He brought on all of the multidimensional mechanics needed to excel against the field of 76. He left no stone unturned with his big turns, power and trademark air assault. The epic peaks were a key element to “Air” Zaun’s freakish talent. In the Men’s semis he nearly pulled a massive alley oop. “That was the biggest air of my life,” Zaun said. “I stomped it, and I was so happy I landed it, that I just fell over. I hit the lip and just flew and covered so much distance. I couldn’t believe how far I traveled.” Zaun kept to his strategy going into the highly competitive final facing Andrew Bennett, Andrew Doheny and Luke Davis. Doheny appeared out of gas in the Men’s final and for good reason as it was his twelfth heat of the weekend. 14-year-old Davis deserves big props for stepping up his level all weekend matching up with the big boys. With the two youngsters struggling, it was Zaun and Bennett battling head to head. In a tiebreak decision Zaun got the nod clinching his first win of the season. “I did a turn and an air reverse on a left and I think that was wave that did it,” Zaun said. Gratified about his result and performance at this contest he stated, “I feel like I need to step it up so I can better my result at the Nationals. I’m just going to try and listen to Janice’s strategy and go for broke and hopefully by Nationals, I’ll just be pulling everything I try!”
ANDREW DOHENY TAKING IT TO ANOTHER LEVEL.
In the Juniors division, Andrew Doheny was in devastating form. He returned to the new season with a level high than when he won the Nationals in June. He put together an incredible run throughout the weekend winning four rounds of the Men’s division and five rounds of the Juniors including the final. JD Lewis finished second with his best and most impressive performance in NSSA comp. Kolohe Andino took third showing his beautiful technique throughout the weekend and Conner Coffin finished fourth but had a great run up to the finals with sizzling power turns. “I’m super stoked,” Doheny said. “It was really good to have waves like this at a contest.” Volcom amateur team manager Dave Post was impressed by Doheny’s display. “It was an eye-opener yesterday and today, just watching his surfing”, Post said. “The kid is on another level and it’s great to watch. At such a young age, he’s surfing really well and he’s definitely on the Men’s level.” The hot stretch continued for Doheny as this was his third consecutive Juniors victory on Open Season opening day.
COURTNEY IS ON A NATIONALS MISSION. WATCH OUT HAWAII!
In Women’s competition, three time conference champion Courtney Conlogue breezed to victory in the final. But it was the earlier rounds when Courtney made it clear that she’s upped her game in the power and vertical department. Head Judge Gayline Clifford commented, “Courtney’s moves are more rail to rail and she’s added a lot of power to her turns.” In one of her preliminary rounds the 15-year-old from Santa Ana unleashed on one of the five foot sets scoring a perfect 10. The judges were calling her maneuvers on the wave “man turns.” “It was a pretty fun left,” Conlogue said. “I went straight to the bottom and cracked it as hard as I could off the top and did the same thing again.” “I worked a lot on power a lot over the summer. I’ve been working on airs also. My goal is to win Nationals!”
PARKER POWER!
The bigger, the better for 11-year-old Parker Coffin. Parker took charge of the stellar surf conditions and the Boys final winning it by a two point margin over major rival Taylor Clark who has been on fire lately. Parker was crushing the lip and gouging turns on the face. He was on his game which made him unbeatable throughout the event. “I’m psyched I had a good start,” Coffin said after his final. “Colin (Moran) was getting 10’s and Taylor Clark was getting barreled the entire contest. I’m just glad in the final, I was finding the corners. The waves had more power and these are the kind of waves I want to surf and that I look to have a good result in.”
IT'S IN THE BLOOD. LUKE'S LITTLE BROTHER JACOB GETS HIS FIRST WIN.
Jacob Davis ripped to his first ever win in an NSSA event beating ’06 conference and Regional champ Kanoa Igarashi. “I’m so happy,” Davis said smiling ear to ear. “This is my first win. I went out there and surfed my best because I know Kanoa is tough to beat.”
"THIS MORNING WAS THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN HUNTINGTON!" COLE ROBBINS
In Longboard, Cole Robbins stepped up to the winners podium after mounting a successful comeback to take the final. “In the beginning of the heat I lost my board a few times and that was discouraging,” Robbins said. “But I got a good right after that with a quick 10 and did some hits all the way to the shore which scored a 7.17. I got another back-up right which scored a 4.67 and that was enough to push me into first.”
PUSHING THE ENVELOPE-PERFECT 10!
Courtney Conlogue in the Women’s and Colin Moran in the Boys division achieved the scoring pinnacle nailing perfect 10 rides.
COMING UP IN CALI: The Southwest Explorer continues with event #2 in Encinitas on September 22-23. The NSSA Northwest Conference Open Season kicks off on September 29-30 in Pacifica.
THE SCOREBOARD
RESULTS SOUTHWEST OPEN SEASON EVENT #1
BROOKHURST STREET, HUNTINGTON BEACH
OPEN MENS
- Dane Zaun-Hollyglen 12.17 tiebreak
- Andrew Bennett-Goleta 12.17 tiebreak
- Luke Davis-Capistrano Beach 10.00
- Andrew Doheny-Newport Beach 7.33
OPEN JUNIORS
1. Andrew Doheny-Newport Beach 13.17
2. JD Lewis-Cardiff by the Sea 10.33
3. Kolohe Andino-San Clemente 8.33
4. Conner Coffin-Santa Barbara 7.67
OPEN BOYS
- Parker Coffin-Santa Barbara 11.67
- Taylor Clark-Encinitas 9.50
- Colin Moran-Costa Mesa 8.00
- Andrew Jacobson-Malibu 7.83
- Johnny Elles-Huntington Beach 7.67
- Nic Hdez-Santa Cruz 6.66
OPEN MINI GROMS
1. Jacob Davis-Capistrano Beach 12.00
2. Kanoa Igarashi-Huntington Beach 10.00
3. Hunter Johnson-San Diego 5.17
4. Tyler Gunter-Newport Beach 4.33
5. Decker McAllister-Santa Barbara 4.00
6. Kody Clemens-Encinitas 2.33
OPEN WOMENS
1. Courtney Conlogue-Santa Ana 10.00
2. Sara Taylor-Huntington Beach 7.17
3. Chandler Parr-Santa Monica 6.16
4. Natalie Anzivino-Torrance 5.00
OPEN LONGBOARD
1. Cole Robbins-Santa Barbara 11.84
2. Michael Maddox-Newport Beach 10.83
3. Steve Simpson-Malibu 8.67
4. Scott Brandenburg-San Clemente 8.33
5. Kurtis Woodin-Carlsbad 6.33
6. JR Costello-Dana Point 6.17
|
