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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, January 25, 2010

ISLE FILE
All 12 Hawaii surfers still in it


Advertiser Staff

All 12 Hawai'i surfers remained in contention after the fifth day of competition in the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championship.

The fifth day of the contest was completed in 2- to 4-foot waves at Piha Beach, Auckland, New Zealand.

Hawai'i is the only team that has not yet had a surfer eliminated. More than 200 surfers representing 21 nations/regions are participating.

Hawai'i is recognized as its own region for the contest because of its historic roots in the sport.

In the Boys 18 division, Keanu Asing of 'Ewa had the best heat of the day. He had a near-perfect ride of 9.25 out of 10, and finished with a two-wave total of 17.5.

Hawai'i surfers Asing, Tanner Hendrickson, Kaimana Jaquias and Ezekiel Lau all advanced to the fourth round of the repechage bracket in the Boys 18 division.

In the Girls 18 division, Malia Manuel of Kaua'i had one of the top heats of the day with a two-wave total of 15.0.

Manuel and Alessa Quizon of Wai'anae remained undefeated, advancing to the fourth round of the winner's bracket. Fellow Hawai'i surfers Leila Hurst and Nage Melamed are in the repechage bracket.

In the Boys 16 division, Ian Gentil of Maui and Koa Smith of Kaua'i advanced to the fourth round of the winner's bracket. Fellow Hawai'i surfers Kain Daly and Isaiah Moniz are in the repechage bracket.

The contest follows a double-elimination format. Surfers with one loss drop to the repechage bracket, but can still come back to win the division.

TENNIS

TOP SEEDS ADVANCE IN HONOLULU EVENT

Top-seeded Daniel King-Turner of New Zealand eliminated Hawai'i Pacific University's Daniel Luedi, 6-3, 7-6 (3), yesterday to advance in the qualifying draw of the inaugural Honolulu Challenger, a $50,000 USTA Pro Circuit Challenger event being played at the Pasty T. Mink Central O'ahu Regional Park complex.

Luedi was down 4-2, 15-40 in the second set before forcing a tiebreaker.

"I'm happy I got back in the game against the No. 1 seed," Luedi said. "I feel like I played well."

Earlier in the day, Luedi ousted former HPU standout Mikael Maatta, 7-5, 5-7, 6-1, to become the only local player to reach the second round.

Second-seeded Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria also advanced, beating Joel Lindner of Australia, 7-5, 4-6, 7-5. Lindner had beaten Honolulu pro Ikaika Jobe, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Also, University of Hawai'i junior Dennis Lajola was ousted by Pierre-Ludovic Duclos of Canada, 2-6, 2-6.

The remaining eight players will resume play today at 10 a.m. and are in contention for four spots in the main draw, which is scheduled to begin tomorrow and run through Sunday. There is no admission charge.

Houston's Michael Russell, who is ranked No. 90 in the world, Headline 1s the competitors for the Honolulu Challenger.

Russell is one of eleven Americans in the main draw, which also includes Jesse Levine, the former University of Florida star who defeated then-world No. 24 Marat Safin and advanced to the third round of Wimbledon last year.