VA Beach’s Laird Myers won first place in both Boys U14 and Boys U16. Photo by Mickey McCarthy
Waves from Tropical Storm Karl propelled several young surfers to multiple victories at Jennette’s Pier in Nag’s Head, North Carolina, Friday, proving once again the Eastern Surfing Association is the premier amateur surf organization on the East Coast.
Rain and wind created less than ideal conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday but nearly perfect waves for the younger competitors on Thursday and Friday, just in time for the final days of The Easterns® Surfing Championship presented by The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.
“It would not be Easterns® without at least one day of big, blown-out surf,” ESA Executive Director Michelle Sommers said. “Thankfully, it lasted only two days and left us with great surf for our competitors to finish the event.”
The youth competitors who placed in multiple finals throughout the Easterns® include ESA All-Stars Nohea Futrell, Leah Thompson, Kyle Tester and Logan Kamen, along with Laird Myers, Coral Schuster, Bree Labiak and Owen Moss. Full results may be viewed at www.surfesa.org/competition/easterns.
Owen Moss claimed the Menehune U12 Easterns champion title, along with fourth in Boys U14. Photo by Mickey McCarthy.
“ESA’s Easterns® was a great event,” Myers, who won first in both the Boys U14 and Boys U16 said. “I’m super stoked and thankful to take both of these wins.”
Owen Moss won the highly competitive Menehune U12 and surfed up in the Boys U14 division to claim fourth place.
Kyle Tester set a record as the youngest competitor to win the GoPro Open Shortboard and Katelyn Sewell set a record as the first female youth to win the Menehune Longboard U14. All-Stars Maria Barend and Leah Thompson battled it out for the Girls U16 title where Barend came out on top, and Thompson went on to take second while also placing fourth in the Junior Womens Longboard U18.
Bree Labiak took home the Iron Woman Award for her second and fourth place finishes in three divisions – Girls U14, Girls U16 and Junior Women U18. Coral Schuster had one of the highest heat totals in the event claiming the win in Girls U14 and took second to teammate Madeline Zeuli’s first place in the Junior Women U18. “I am so stoked to be the ESA’s Girls U14 Easterns® champion,” Schuster said.
Central Florida’s Coral Schuster won the Girls U14 and second in Junior Womens U18 divisions. Photo by Mickey McCarthy.
All first place finalists received extraordinary prizes provided by event sponsors including East Coast Customs skateboards, Sharkbanz, Lost Coast Surfpacks, OluKai, Reflekt Unsinkable, Chums, Surfco Hawaii, Carve Designs, Dryrobe, Pura Vida and Board Buddy.
OBX Live provided a live webcast and daily recap videos of the youth divisions by Shoots-Media are posted on the Easterns® webpage and ESA’s social media pages: Facebook – Easterns Surfing Association and Instagram – @surfesa.
The ESA wants to thank all of its sponsors for the 2016 Easterns® Surfing Championships.
- Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
- Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship
- Shoots-Media Inc.
- Boardgrab
- Sharkbanz
- East Coast Customs
- Sun Realty
- Jennette’s Pier
- Town of Nags Head
- Lost-Coast Surfpacks
- Reflekt Polarized
- dryrobe
- GoPro
- com
- Rip Curl
- Liquid Shredder
- OluKai
- Surfer
- Chums
- Sticky Bumps
- Surfco Hawaii
- Board Buddy
- Clark Little Photography
- Café Lachine
- Waveriders Coffee & Deli
- Ocean Atlantic Rentals
- Carolina Brewery
- Pamlico Jack’s
- Banxblock
- Media in Motion
- Tara Mosley Graphic Design
- Plak That
- Harrington Graphic & Screenprinting
- Lasting Image
- Clark Little Photography
- Damien Share Art
- Mickey McCarthy Photography
- Anchor Scaffolding & Ladder Company
- Schoppy’s
- OBX Live