By Jake Howard
While Eddie Vedder and everyone at Ohana Fest was at Doheny rocking in the free world, over the bluff at Salt Creek, the second event of the NSSA Southwest Open conference was being contested.
With a slew of local talent giving it their all, it was a great weekend of competition.
Topping the podium in the Girls Open Mini Grom division was Ladera Ranch’s Ruby Stringfellow. In her first win of the NSSA season, Stringfellow earned some big scores from the judges—a 9.00 and 7.33.
“We are blown away by the skill level of these girl groms. Truly amazing. Style, approach and turns well beyond their 11 years of age and younger! They push each other to be better and it shows at every event,” said the NSSA’s Janice Aragon.

“Their confidence has shined at all of the changing ocean conditions Mother Nature has thrown at them at both Ventura and the (Salt) Creek,” Aragon continued. “This time, it was Ruby shredding her way to her first win of the season.”
Originally from the garden isle of Maui, Stringfellow moved to the area with her family a couple of years ago and has been making her presence felt in the lineup ever since. She’s a big fan of John John Florence and Carissa Moore.
No doubt, bigger NSSA wins likely won’t be too far off for Stringfellow.
If you have a candidate for Grom of the Week, we want to know. Send an email to jakehoward1@gmail.com.
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