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| Surfing’s Olympics |
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The ISA World Games allows young surfers to compete on an international level and feel united for a single cause. “This is a contest like no other,” says Team Hawai‘i Coach, Rainos Hayes. “It’s a field of nations against each other in friendly combat […] a unique situation where everybody is real supportive of each other, and the cohesiveness of your team can make a big difference in how you do.” 
Teams like the United States of America and Australia put a lot of money into supporting their team’s quest for gold at the ISA World Games. The US team wore matching jumpsuits, while the Aussies showed up with a loaded coaching staff, team doctors and chiropractors. The Down Under groms, led by Boys 16 and Under Champ Garret Parkes and Girls 18 and Under Champ Sally Fitzgibbon, won the overall gold medal. Parkes surfed powerful and consistent throughout the event, while Fitzgibbon’s smooth cutties and floaters impressed the eight-man international panel of judges. In contrast to the well-funded Australian contingent, the Brazilian Team barely had enough boards and bucks to make it to ISA World’s, but was awarded the silver medal for their impressive surfing. Their top performer was Jason Andre who won the Boys 18 and Under division with eye-catching top to bottom combos in the small surf. Unlike the Brazilians who thrived in the weak beach break waves, the Hawaiian contingent struggled. “When the waves were good and big, the other teams were fearing Hawai‘i,” Kekoa Cazimero said. “But when it got to one-foot to half-a-foot, other teams started showing, like France and Brazil, the guys who, you know, live on small waves.” 
Big Island’s Tonino Benson, who led Team Hawai‘i to ISA gold in 2005, and O‘ahu’s Alessa Quizon were Hawai‘i’s highest placers. “I call Tonino ‘The Road Warrior’ because for the last two years he’s been doing international WQS events, and it shows in his surfing,” boasts Coach Hayes. “He knew what the judges were looking for and dealt with the small conditions. He knew what it took to get the job done.” Unlike Benson, who was a seasoned traveler, this was Alessa Quizon’s first time out of the country, but it was hard to tell when she got in the water. Quizon blew the doors off until the repercharge final where she fell victim to a lengthy lull. “Alessa didn’t have a lot of expectations on herself,” said Hayes. “But it allowed her to just try her best and she went to work!”There’s No ‘I’ In Team In the Tag Team division at ISA World’s, the top eight ranked countries compete against one another with teams that are comprised of five members (four male, one female) and compete in an hour-long, four-team heat, with only a semifinal and final. Each member may only have three rides and must physically claim their choice of two of their waves as counting scores. Once a member gets their two claimed waves, they must come in, run up the beach to the bullpen and tag the next teammate. One teammate is designated the power surfer in which all three of his waves are counted. Hawai‘i barely made it past the semifinal heat to advance to the finals on the last day of competition. With the bigger surf, it meant more time paddling out and into position so time was critical. Hawai‘i started quickly. Maui’s Granger Larsen posted two solid scores off the bat. Next was fellow Valley Isle bruddah, Kai Barger, who was the designated power surfer and posted some of the highest scores of the heat. Next was Kona’s Tonino Benson, fresh from surfing earlier in the day and maintained a steady lead over the other teams. But the clock was ticking fast. When Kaua‘i’s Dylan Goodale hit the water he was rushed to get the best two waves so O‘ahu’s Alessa Cuizon could get her waves. She charged out with less then 10 minutes to go and found her first wave quickly, but struggled to find her backup score. With less then a minute to go, Quizon caught her last counting wave and returned to the beach among screams from the rest of the team. She ended up not making it in time so Hawai‘i would incur a five-point penalty deduction. After a suspenseful five-minute wait, staring at the judge’s podium, Tommy Asing started yelling, “We got it, I know we did!” Uncle Tommy was right. [PAU] 
ResultsOverall: 1) Australia, 2) Brazil, 3) Hawai‘i Under 18 Boys: 1) Jadson Andre BRA, 2) Chris Friend AUS, 3) Charlie Brown AUS, 4) Cory Arambide USA, 5) Tonino Benson HAW, 6) Marc Lacomare FRA Under 16 Boys: 1) Garret Parkes AUS, 2) Tamara McComb TAH, 3) Matt Hewitt NZL, 4) Davey Cathels AUS, 5) Todd Rosewall AUS, 6) Maxime Huscenot FRA Under 18 Girls: 1) Sally Fitzgibons AUS, 2) Laura Enever AUS, 3) Sage Erickson USA, 4) Paige Hareb NZL, 5) Alessa Quizon HAW, 6) Ashley Smith AUS.
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