All the Way in WSA: 6 Locals Take Western Surfing Association West Coast Champion Titles

By Andrea Swayne

The culmination of a season rife with cancelations and make-up events—thanks to El Niño—came to an exciting close on May 14 and 15, with six local surfers crowned season champions in seven divisions.

The season’s weather-related contest rescheduling along with the tour’s mix of talented competitors—from Micro Groms under the age of 9 to the Legends division for surfers over 50—made for exceptionally tight races at this year’s season finale, and exciting action in the lineup.

The weather, although a bit chilly, worked in the surfers’ favor all weekend at San Onofre State Park, Church Beach. Overcast skies kept glare at bay on both days. Waves on Saturday began in the 3- to 4-foot range and by Sunday afternoon a new swell filled in, the wind died down and surfers enjoyed glassy, clean and rampy 4- to 5-foot waves on which to strut their stuff in the day’s semifinal and final rounds.

In the end, six local surfers were crowned West Coast champions.

Dana Point’s Bella Kenworthy finished a brilliant season with a win in Micro Grom Girls U10, clinching season top honors with 13,870 points. San Clemente’s Ezra McPhillips was the season runner-up with 13,390 points.

Kevin Skvarna, of San Juan Capistrano, was the biggest winner of the day, and the season, taking double wins in the event and double season titles in Junior Longboard U18 and Open Men Longboard divisions. Skvarna took the Open Men Longboard win over Encinitas’ Trevor Anderberg by a slim 140-point margin.

Local champions also included San Clemente-based surfers Makai Bray in Boys/Girls U10, Kai McPhillips in Boys U16, Jimmy Wynne in Boys Longboard U14 and Ryan Aguilar in the Masters 30-39 division.

RESULTS

MICRO GROM BOYS U9:

1. Chase Niemann, Carlsbad
2. Petey Romaniuk, Huntington Beach
3. Taylor Francis, Carlsbad
4. Loyal Cash Kenworthy, Dana Point

WEST COAST SEASON CHAMPION: Chase Niemann, Carlsbad
=

MICRO GROM GIRLS U10:

1. Bella Kenworthy, Dana Point
2. Julianna Romaniuk, Huntington Beach
3. Ezra McPhillips, San Clemente
4. Addie McPhillips, San Clemente

SEASON CHAMPION: Bella Kenworthy, Dana Point
=

BOYS/GIRLS U10:

1. Makai Bray, San Clemente
2. Luke Wyler, San Clemente
3. Bryse Celaya, Huntington Beach
4. Eli Park, Carlsbad

SEASON CHAMPION: Makai Bray, San Clemente
=

BOYS U12:

1. Raphael Castro, La Jolla
2. Hayden Rodgers, Laguna Beach
3. Lucas Owston, Oceanside
4. Cole McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea

SEASON CHAMPION: Hayden Rodgers, Laguna Beach
=

BOYS U14:

1. Taro Watanabe, Malibu
2. Hagan Johnson, San Clemente
3. Kai McPhillips, San Clemente
4. Sebastian Ojeda, La Jolla

SEASON CHAMPION: Taro Watanabe, Malibu
=

BOYS U16:

1. Kai McPhillips, San Clemente
2. Taro Watanabe, Malibu
3. Noah Hohenester, San Clemente
4. Max Beach, San Clemente

SEASON CHAMPION: Kai McPhillips, San Clemente
=

BOYS U18:

1. Jake Hennessy, Cardiff by the Sea
2. Gavin Doan, Carlsbad
3. David Economos, San Clemente
4. Hagan Johnson, San Clemente

SEASON CHAMPION: Gavin Doan, Carlsbad
=

GIRLS U12:

1. Bryce Ava Wettstein, Encinitas
2. Ryann Daly, Dana Point
3. Sawyer Lindblad, San Clemente
4. Mara Morales, Huntington Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Bryce Ava Wettstein, Encinitas
=

GIRLS U14:

1. Kalohelani Danbara, Huntington Beach
2. Caitlin Simmers, Oceanside
3. Bryce Ava Wettstein, Encinitas
4. Izzy Hopkins, Dana Point

SEASON CHAMPION: Olivia Pessanha, San Diego
=

GIRLS U16:

1. Olivia Pessanha, San Diego
2. Brooke Young, San Diego
3. Kalohelani Danbara, Huntington Beach
4. Chiasa Maruyama, Huntington Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Kiersten Noonan, Encinitas
=

GIRLS U18:

1. Chiasa Maruyama, Huntington Beach
2. Kiersten Noonan, Encinitas
3. Jordyn Barratt, Encinitas
4. Kristina Hehl, Huntington Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Kiersten Noonan, Encinitas
=

BOYS LONGBOARD U14:

1. Jimmy Wynne, San Clemente
2. Cash Cherry, Manhattan Beach
3. Aidan Sautner, San Clemente
4. Rhyn Chambers, San Clemente

SEASON CHAMPION: Jimmy Wynne, San Clemente
=

JR. LONGBOARD U18:

1. Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano
2. Trevor Anderberg, Encinitas
3. Ethan Mudge, Capistrano Beach
4. Jameson Roller, Laguna Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano
=

GIRLS LONGBOARD U14:

1. Brooke Carlson, Calabasas

=

GIRLS LONGBOARD U18:

1. Soleil Errico, Malibu
2. Ocean Tsutsui, San Clemente
3. Liv Stokes, Aliso Viejo
4. Aine Dwyer, Coronado

SEASON CHAMPION: Liv Stokes, Aliso Viejo
=

MEN 18-29:

1. Evan Sandison, Laguna Niguel
2. Gentry Gard, Laguna Niguel
3. Drew Stanfield, Westminster
4. Kai Matteo, Oceanside

SEASON CHAMPION: Drew Stanfield, Westminster
=

MASTERS 30-39:

1. Jonathan Warren, Long Beach
2. Ryan Aguilar, San Clemente
3. David Morgan, Los Angeles
4. Philip Salick, Los Angeles

SEASON CHAMPION: Ryan Aguilar, San Clemente
=

SENIOR MEN 40-49:

1. Rick Takahashi, San Diego
2. Gavin Haughey, Laguna Niguel
3. Pedro Diaz Rangel, Oceanside
4. Tom Dillon, Ventura

SEASON CHAMPION: Rick Takahashi, San Diego
=

LEGENDS 50+:

1. Jeff Jessee, San Clemente
2. Rusty Phillipy, Cardiff-by-the-Sea
3. Masaki Kobayashi, San Clemente
4. Chas Wickwire, Seal Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Chas Wickwire, Seal Beach
=

OPEN MEN:

1. Jared Fearon, San Diego
2. Jonathan Warren, Long Beach
3. Cameron Griggs, Mission Viejo
4. Drew Stanfield, Westminster

SEASON CHAMPION: Cameron Griggs, Mission Viejo
=

OPEN WOMEN:

1. Jordyn Barratt, Encinitas
2. Maile Davis, Carlsbad
3. Maya Saulino, San Marcos
4. Jayme Linnes, San Clemente

SEASON CHAMPION: Maile Davis, Carlsbad
=

OPEN MEN LONGBOARD:

1. Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano
2. Trevor Anderberg, Encinitas
3. Jameson Roller, Laguna Beach
4. Kurt Greenbaum, Newport Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Kevin Skvarna, San Juan Capistrano
=

OPEN WOMEN LONGBOARD:

1. Soleil Errico, Malibu
2. Betsey Lee, Topanga
3. Cate Stokes, Aliso Viejo
4. Bianca Dootson, Aptos

SEASON CHAMPION: Keili McEvilly, Carlsbad
=

MEN LONGBOARD 40+:

1. Lance Albright, Huntington Beach
2. Kurt Greenbaum, Newport Beach
3. Jorge Barba, Oceanside
4. Larry Casas, Huntington Beach

SEASON CHAMPION: Lance Albright, Huntington Beach
=

ADAPTIVE SURFERS PRONE:

1. Whitney Tyler, San Diego

SEASON CHAMPION: Whitney Tyler, San Diego
=

ADAPTIVE SURFERS STANDING:

1. Rodney Roller, Oceano,Ca.
2. Danielle Burt, San Diego
3. Ryan Gambrell, San Diego
4. Matt Foushee, Orange

SEASON CHAMPION: Matt Foushee, Orange
=

ADAPTIVE SURFERS WAVESKI:

1. Jeff Munson, Corona Del Mar
2. Charles Webb, Oceanside
3. Chris Oberle, Los Angeles
4. Mark Thornton, Carlsbad

SEASON CHAMPION: Mark Thornton, Carlsbad