Surfbash 2017 Recap
Competitors in the Hawaii Surfing Association-sanctioned event experienced near perfect contest conditions with eight to 10-foot wave faces and light winds.
Eli Hanneman won the open men division and Savanna Stone captured the open women at the 28th annual Vissla / Hi-Tech / Lopez, Saturday at Hookipa Beach Park.
Hanneman, a 15-year-old from Lahaina, had the highest scoring wave of the final, performing an air reverse above the lip for a 7.6.
“There were a lot of good people in the final, “Hanneman said. “I was just trying to catch a lot of waves because everyone is bigger than me.” Hanneman is 5-2 and weighs 100 pounds.
Hanneman, who recently qualified to represent Hawaii in the World Surfing League Junior Championships at Kiama, Australia, launched the air reverse on his first wave. “It was kind of a last minute decision, right before I hit the lip. It helped with the light onshore wind.”
Stone, who won the U14 division last year, also had the highest scoring of her final, a 7.13. “It was clean, good size, very consistent.”
The 14-year-old from Makawao has a busy travel schedule planned for 2018 with pro contests in Australia, Tahiti, and Spain. Stone won her first pro contest last March, the Papara Pro Vahine, in Tahiti. “It’s going to be fun. I’m going to be in Hawaii most of May, but that’s about it.”
Cole Alves missed his preliminary heat of the open men, but came back to win the boys 16-17 division.
“I got here late, my heat had already started,” Alves said. “I was mad, I let off some steam, surfing the Point.”
Alves also launched a big air reverse on his first wave to score a 7.73. “I wanted to redeem myself. There wasn’t anything to risk in trying (air reverse), I hadn’t done any big turns until then. I just wanted to go big.”
Steve Roberson repeated as the U10 winner. Jackson Bunch who won the boys 12-13 last year, claimed the 14-15 age group. The other winners included Chase Burns (U12), Chase Anderson (boys 12-13), Tony Nunez (boys 14-15), and Zach Newton (longboard)
U10
1. Steve Roberson
2. Zolton Poulsen
3. Ethan Mangat
4. Desmond Connelly
5. Kai Nelson
6. Nahuel Messera
U12
1. Chase Burns
2. Cash Berzolla
3. Roran Mullen
4. Rafi Neri
5. Steve Roberson
6. Justin Roberson
Boys 12-13
1. Chase Anderson
2. Levi Young
3. Kanoa Kaiwi
4. Ty Simpson-Kane
Boys 14-15
1. Tony Nunez
2. Jackson Bunch
3. Eli Hanneman
4. Axel Rosenblad
Boys 16-17
1. Cole Alves
2. Zachary Newton
3. Jeffrey Spencer
Open Men
1. Eli Hanneman
2. TyTy Kirby
3. Ocean Macedo
4. Jackson Bunch
5. Tony Nunez
6. Axel Rosenblad
Girls U14
1. Nora Liotta
2. Abigail Balmus
3. Ellie May Brown
4. Chrislyn Simpson-Kane
5. Stella Valdez
6. Haylee Boverman
Open Women
1. Savanna Stone
2. Stella Valdez
3. Nora Liotta
4. Anja Liotta
Longboard
1. Zach Newton
2. Ty Simpson-Kane
3. Zolten Poulsen
4. Chrislyn Simpson-Kane
5. Kira Caterina