Local surfers fare well at NSSA Western Regional

Although local surfers fared well at the National Scholastic

Surfing Association’s fourth annual Western Regional Championships this

week, not one of the numerous Huntington Beach athletes were able to come

away with a division championship.

The Western Regional showcased more than 400 top surfers and bodyboarders

from the NSSA’s Southwest and Gold Coast Conferences in a three-day event

that was held at the south side of the Huntington Beach Pier.

The Open Mens Division, the most prestigious of the 16 contested

divisions the NSSA has to offer, was won by Kyle Knox of Imperial Beach,

giving the 17-year-old his first NSSA championship.

Knox bested a stacked Open Mens Division that also featured local

heavyweights Tim Reyes and Micah Byrne. Reyes, an Edison High senior,

finished third overall and Byrne, a senior at Huntington Beach, placed

fifth.

The runner-up spot went to Santa Ana’s Max Hoshino, and the No. 4

position was filled by Che Stang of Carlsbad.

Finishing in sixth place was John Robertson of San Clemente.

Huntington Beach surfers who managed a top six finish included Alison

Arvizu (third) in Open Womens, Jon Moyer (fifth) in Explorer Mens, Chris

Falk (fifth) and Chris Fowler (sixth) in Explorer Boys, Darren Brilhart

(third) in Explorer Masters, Steve Weaver (second) and Peter Townend

(fifth) in Explorer Super Seniors, Dean Quinn (fourth) in Explorer

Seniors, and Tadaomi Okamura (fourth) of and Sean Kabiri (sixth) in

Explorer Bodyboard.

Okamura is from Fountain Valley.

A pair of Seal Beach surfers, Chris Waring and Chas Chidester, won the

Open Boys and Open Mini Groms divisions, respectively.

Other division winners, with city affiliation, included Diana Mattison

(Berkeley), Open Womens; Dane Reynolds (Ventura), Open Juniors; Sean

Walker (Goleta), Explorer Mens; Jimmy Herrick (Santa Cruz), Explorer

Boys; Scott Daley (Manhattan Beach), Explorer Masters; Holly Beck (San

Diego), Explorer Womens; Scott Lewis (Los Angeles), Explorer Super

Seniors; Jeremiah Klein (Anaheim), Open Bodyboard; Anthony Petruso

(Malibu), Explorer Juniors; Kilian Garland (Orcutt), Explorer Menehuene;

Ted Robinson (Redondo Beach), Explorer Seniors; Jeremiah Klein (Anaheim),

Explorer Bodyboard; and Linden Broccoli (Carlsbad), Explorer Longboard.