It was an action-packed day at the state surfing championships with lots of great rides in the shortboard, longboard, bodyboard and stand-up paddle divisions.
Some competitors in the pumping 2- to 4-foot surf at Ala Moana Bowls opted to enter multiple divisions.
One young competitor, 12-year-old Zoe McDougall, came away with a win in the shortboard girls 11-and-under division and also won the longboard menehune girls 14-and-under title. She was the only competitor to win two divisions.
"I am feeling great," McDougall said. "It feels great to qualify for nationals. I always like to ride shortboards and longboards. It’s so fun. I want to thank my mom, dad and my coach because I don’t have a sponsor."
The brother and sister combo of Finn and Dax McGill came away with wins in the shortboard boys 11-and-under and the shortboard girls 12-13.
"I am so stoked that I won and I am super stoked that my sister won, too," Finn said.
"It feels great to win again after coming home with a gold medal at the ISA world juniors last week," Dax said. "It’s really cool to see him (Finn) win, too, because we surf together all the time."
Many of the surfers flew in from the neighbor islands to compete.
Imaikalani Devault, 14, from Kahului, Maui, won the shortboard boys 14-15 division.
"It feels good to come here because everyone is here and it’s one of the biggest contests," Devault said. "It feels especially good to win. I didn’t think the waves were going to be this good, but the waves were really fun."
Another neighbor island surfer, 17-year-old Crispin Nakoa of Hilo, won the longboard junior men’s final. Crispin also won the same division at states in 2010.
"I am feeling pretty excited," said Nakoa. "I had a really good set wave with two solid roundhouses and a little bit of a nose ride at the end. I am a goofy foot, so I really like this wave."
Bodyboarding is also part of the state championships, and 19-year-old Cody Lucas of Kona won the bodyboard men’s final. Lucas also entered the drop-knee division and placed fourth.
"I am feeling good and happy the conditions were really fun," Lucas said. "I just go out and have fun and think of it as empty waves. I like Ala Moana. It reminds me of my home wave on the Big Island, just more dirty and longer."