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ISLAND PRIDE
Granger Larsen and Carissa Moore win Billabong Junior Pro Hawaii
After a very mediocre August, Kewalos, on Oahu's South Shore, finally lit up just in time for the Hawaiian qualifier of the Billabong Junior Pro. Like most Junior competitions, it was a family affair. Moms and dads lined the breakwall and jetty and hooted on their sons and daughters in the perfectly rippable, offshore, four-foot surf.
Pride wasn't just family, either: crews from Oahu, Maui and Kauai gathered together in groups to cheer on other surfers from their Island, pushing each other like they do at their respective homebreaks. The heckling, as you can imagine, was fierce at times as well.
But if the talent in the water is any indication, this sense of familial and island pride is working. The up-and-coming crew of young Hawaiians blasted onto the radar at the NSSA Nationals last June and they show no signs of slowing down.
The format of the contest -- always held in memory of Pipe charger Ronnie Burns -- changed a bit this year to reflect changes in the WQS tour, with four-person heats until the quarterfinals, where it went man on man.
"The kids really took to the format," event organizer Chris Hefner explained. "There was obviously less hassling -- it was more of a chess match than a paddlefest."
"The whole goal of the Billabong Junior Series is to offer a collegiate level of surf competition, getting young surfers ready for the WQS," continues Hefner. "'Cause going from the NSSA to the WQS is like going straight from high school to the NFL."
Indeed. The Billabong World Junior Champs will be held in Australia in January 2006, with countries from all over the world sending their best young pros. After Kewalos, Hawaii will be sending Granger Larson, Hank Gaskell, TJ Barron, Kai Barger, Carissa Moore and Coco Ho. Be afraid, rest of the world. Be very afraid. These kids may eat you for breakfast.
RESULTS:
Junior Mens Final Heat Result
Champion Granger Larsen, 2nd Hank Gaskell
Junior Girls Final Heat Result
Champion Carissa Moore, 2nd Coco Ho, 3rd Leilani Gryde, 4th Missy Valdez.
Junior Mens Semi Final Heats
Ht 1: 1st Hank Gaskell, 2nd TJ Barron.
Ht 2: 1st Granger Larsen, 2nd Kai Barger.
Junior Girls Semi Final Heats
Ht 1: 1st Carissa Moore, 2nd Leilani Gryde, 3rd Lani Hunter, 4th Alana Blanchard.
Ht 2: 1st Coco Ho, 2nd Missy Valdez, 3rd Leila Hurst, 4th Katharine Van Dyke.
Junior Mens Quarter Final Heats
Ht 1: TJ Barron beat Dustin Cuizon.
Ht 2: Hank Gaskell beat Kekoa Bacalso.
Ht 3: Kai Barger beat Dusty Payne.
Ht 4: Granger Larsen beat Chaz Chidester.
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Surfline
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