September 25, 2017 – The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA)’s 2017 Easterns® Surfing Championships presented by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau concluded on Saturday in ideal surf conditions that some say they’ve never witnessed along the east coast. Hurricanes Jose and Maria provided consistent, overhead, clean, peeling waves for the remaining four straight days of the week-long championship contest held at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina. The perfect waves combined with the ESA’s 50th anniversary made this year’s Easterns® one for the record books.
“I’ve never seen so many perfect days of waves and weather for an ESA event,” said Michelle Sommers, ESA’s executive director. “It truly looked like a perfect day in Hawaii.” Easterns® head judge, Chip Hall, added, “That was the best finals I’ve ever judged.”
All eyes were on the Jr. Men’s final on Saturday. After a tribute to ESA-photographer Mickey McCarthy in which all four finalists paddled out with flowers, Florida’s Kai Delorenzo scored a perfect 10 for his first wave of the heat, followed by another perfect 10 by ESA All-Star, Boys U16, and the GoPro Open division winner Logan Kamen.
Hall said, “I’ve been judging a long time and that last final was probably the best heat I’ve ever watched in my 30 years.” After several more high scores among all four finalists, Kamen claimed victory and also took home the Jr. Iron Man Award.
“I arrived focused and excited to compete in 6 to 10 ft surf, ” said Kamen. “It was an honor to be here and win three titles as that 10 in my Jr. Men final was definitely one to remember.”
Kamen, Delorenzo and first-year Easterns® competitor Noah Ferrell each won a Hot Wave Award for scoring perfect 10s in the event. Ferrell, out of the ESA SNC district, put on an amazing show surfing his longboard heats on Friday and won the Jr. Men’s Longboard division on Saturday. Callie Summerlin, another SNC competitor, claimed first in the Jr Women Longboard, while Scott Pieno took the title in the Menehune Longboard division.
Maddie Ryan won first place in the close-scoring Jr. Women’s division. Ryan and ESA All-Star Leah Thompson battled it out for the win in another exciting heat. “The level at which all the girls are surfing is so high that I am very proud to have won the Jr Women U18,” said Ryan.
Even the younger competitors courageously paddled out in the powerful waves to battle for an Easterns® champion title. Florida’s Evan Tyson and Blake Turner won first place in the Menehune U12 and Sharkbanz Boys U14 divisions, respectively. Sarah Abbott won the Sharkbanz Girls U14, while Georgia’s Anna Bloess took first in the Girls U16.
ESA All-Star Kainalu Nichols left with the Sportsmanship Award for his bravery and heroism in saving a fellow competitor from what could have been a tragic event. Bree Labiak took home the Jr. Iron Woman Award for all of her heats and scores throughout the event.
A full list of finalists may be found on the Easterns® webpage, and the youth divisions finalists are listed below. Special thanks to the event sponsors who provided prizes to the winners.
- Kala Brand Music
- Sharkbanz
- OluKai
- Phunky Apparel
- dryrobe
- Chums
- Surfco Hawaii
- Zane’s of Carolina
- Kingii
- GoPro
- Beach Gladiator
- Sticky Bumps Surf Wax
Many thanks to everyone who supported the 2017 Easterns®.
- Jennette’s Pier
- The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
- Town of Nags Head
- Sun Realty
- Cafe Lachine
- Whalebone Surf Shop
- Kitty Hawk Surf Company
- The Spot
- Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship
- Eastern Surf Magazine
- Dick “Mez” Meseroll
- Tom Dugan
- Mickey McCarthy
- Joe McGovern
- Shoots Media
- Pepsi
- Nags Head Pizza Company
- Ocean Atlantic Rentals
- Tropical Smoothie at the Tanger Outlets in Nags Head
- Dunkin Donuts
- Yellow Submarine
- TW Bait & Tackle
- Anchor Scaffolding
- Outer Banks Brewing Station
- Carve Designs
- Millenium Marketing Solutions
- Surfin’ Spoon
- plak that Printing Company
- Harrington Graphics
- Tara Mosely Graphic Design
- www.Swellinfo.com
- Surfer Magazine
- Sharkinetics
- Tom Leonik Engineering
- John Ross Productions
Jr. Mens Longboard champion Noah Ferrell glided along perfect peelers during his first-ever Easterns event. Photo: MEZ/ESM
RESULTS FOR THE YOUTH DIVISIONS:
Junior Men U18(17 & under)
|
“Sharkbanz” Boys U14(13 & under)
|
Menehune U12(11 & under, M/F)
|
Boys U16(15 & under)
|
“Sharkbanz” Girls U14(13 & under)
|
Girls U16(15 & under)
|
Junior Women U18(17 & under)
|
Menehune Longboard U14(13 & under, M/F)
|
Junior Longboard U18(17 & under)
|
Junior Womens Longboard U18(17 & under)
|
Menehune Bodyboard U14(13 & under, M/F)
|
Georgia’s Anna Bloess being chaired up the beach after her Girls U16 win. Photo: MEZ/ESM
Junior Iron Man
Logan Kamen CNJ
Iron Man
Jason Motes NFL
Iron Woman
Bree Labiak NSC
Hot Wave
Kai Delorenzo SAFL
Noah Ferrell SNC
Logan Kamen CNJ