The Maui News

Maui’s Sarah Hauser and Camille Juban of Guadeloupe won the pro women’s and men’s titles, respectively, of the International Windsurfing Tour’s Aloha Classic on Thursday at Hookipa Beach Park.

Hauser, originally from New Caledonia, successfully defended her Aloha Classic title in fairly dominating fashion, winning each of her two heats leading up to the final, where she took on Japan’s Motoko Sato and fellow Maui residents Angela Cochran and Shawna Cropas.

Hauser started off with a couple of smaller-scoring waves before posting a 6.40 and a huge 8.40 — the highest single-wave score of the women’s competion — to take a commanding lead.

“I didn’t know for sure because all the women in the heat were just great sailors,” Hauser said when asked if she knew she had sealed the win with her 8-point ride. “I never let go, never thought I was safe or anything out there. But definitely felt very good to get that top turn pretty late under the section at the point. That was my highlight, personally. That’s when I had the biggest adreneline rush.”

Sato (11.36) took second, Cochran (9.03) third and Cropas (8.43) fourth.

Juban also took on a pair of Maui competitors in his final — Graham Ezzy and Morgan Noireaux — along with countryman Antoine Martin.

It appeared that Juban, who won the 2011 Aloha Classic title, saved his best for last. He put up the second-highest and tied for the third-highest singles-wave scores of the competition with a 9.50 and 8.87 to take the crown.

“Well, I guess it’s experience right there,” Juban said. “I won, like, six years ago, seven years ago. I really like winning in Maui. Hawaii’s, like, the mecca of windsurfing, it’s where you want to be. So winning here, it’s always special, especially after all those years.”

Martin just edged Ezzy for second place in the competitive final, 13.14-13.10, while Noireaux took fourth at 11.93.