All photos by Mickey McCarthy

The Eastern Surfing Association 2013 Easterns® Surfing Championships at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina is currently underway, showcasing the best amateur surfers from the entire East Coast, including the Great Lakes and Alabama.

“The weather and waves have definitely proved challenging for the start of the 46th Easterns®,” said ESA Executive Director, Michelle Sommers.  “The waves on Sunday and Monday were small and clean, but for the adult finals on Tuesday, we had northeast winds in excess of 25mph!  Despite the difficult conditions, the adult finalists put on a fantastic show.”

Competitors qualified for this event through local ESA Regional events held in the spring.  The Easterns® event continues through Saturday with the Open and SUP Divisions on Wednesday and youth events beginning on Thursday.

A live webcast of the event featuring all of the action along with interviews provided by Space Coast Productions, is available on the ESA website at www.surfesa.org during each day of competition.  “It’s wonderful to be able to allow those who can’t attend the event in person to view it live online while it is happening,” says Sommers.  Photos of the competitors and other event happenings by official event photographer, Mickey McCarthy, are also available online.

In Tuesday’s Mens Final, Kieran Grant took first, besting Travis Knight, who finished second, Chris Igou in third and Erik Kirby in fourth.  Haley Watson grabbed first in the Women’s, with ESA All-Star Team members Jessica Kwiecinski and Kayla Durden taking second and third, respectively, and Laurel Harrington finishing fourth.

An all-Florida Masters Final saw Eric Worley claim first, followed by Michael Morril, Steven Tyson and Edward Smith. Blue Spivey took the Senior Mens event, with Sunny Stevens, ESA All-Star Team Coach Pat Emery and ESA All-Star Team member Daniel Sacchi taking second, third and fourth place, respectively.

The conditions on Tuesday were not the best for longboarders, but the competition remained fierce anyway, with Stephanie Tomasco, Jo Pickett, Tom O’Brien, Sunny Stevens and Kevin Dewald claiming first place in Womens, Ladies, Legends, Masters and Mens Longboard, respectively.

ESA All-Star Team member Ana Barend took first place in Ladies, with David Hartman, Glenn Tanner and Jay Smith each claiming victory in the Grand Legends, Legends and Grandmasters events, respectively.

A complete list of all the results can be found at www.surfesa.org. Photos of the event will continue to be posted on the ESA website and Facebook page.

Special thanks go out to the Town of Nags Head, Sun Realty, The Outer Banks Tourism Bureau, Kitty Hawk Surf Company, Café Lachine, Waveriders Coffee, Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship, along with all the local sponsors who are helping to make the event a success.  ESA National Sponsors include Under Armour, Sun Bum, Hyperflex Wetsuits, Starboard Surfboards, Boardstix, Inc., Coca-Cola, Jimmy Lewis SUP, Catch Surf, Surfer Magazine and Swellinfo.