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Lipstein, Yamada shine at 30th Pohai Na Keiki Nalu

4 min read

The Maui News

Ocean Lipstein and Kona Yamada captured the girls and boys 11-12 shortboard divisions championships at the 30th Pohai Na Keiki Nalu last week at Launiupoko Park.

The contest, for surfers 5 to 12, had 155 competitors and 233 entries in 14 divisions. Surfers could enter two divisions. Conditions started off in the 2-foot range in the morning and gradually built up to occasional 8-foot wave faces.

The Pohai was the first surf contest held in the Lahaina area since the wildfire enveloped most of the town. It was only fitting that the stand-outs were from Lahaina.

Lipstein not only won the 11-12 shortboard, but she also captured the largest girl's division, the longboard 10-12, with 24 competitors.

In order to qualify for the longboard final, she had to advance out of her semi-final, which was right before her shortboard final. Lipstein had to switch from her longboard to a shortboard in the channel before paddling over to her shortboard final.

The Hawaii Technology Academy student said, "I had my friend's brother bring out my board for the shortboard (final)."

Even though she was tired from surfing back-to-back heats, Lipstein dominated the 11-12 final, with the three highest scoring waves of the heat. Officials count the top two waves.

"Contest heats are like almost an hour of normal surfing," Lipstein said describing the 15-minute heats. "You have to work like harder, using up more energy so you're like focusing on catching waves."

Lipstein had a 45-minute rest before her longboard final. "I don't even have a good longboard. I have my dad's like 15-year-old longboard. It's 9-foot and really water-logged. It's like hard to turn, but OK."

The water-logged board was more than OK as Lipstein redirected the board and walked to the nose enough to edge Xani Poulsen and Indy Forbes by less than a point.

Yamada's victory in the 11-12 division was the largest boys division, with 24 surfers.

"I felt so happy, it was really fun," Yamada said. "It was pretty big for Launiupoko though. There were some fat sets."

Later the Maui Prep sixth-grader admitted that he never surfed Launiupoko that size prior to the contest.

"I usually go like (Lahaina) Harbor but I can't go Harbor any more (since the fire)," Yamada said. "So I go to Olowalu or stuff like that."

Yamada also placed third in the boys longboard 10-12 behind Kaniela Miranda and Archer Oliver, respectively.

Other girl's champions included: Maya Andrade (shortboard 5-6), Harbor Haas (shortboard 7-8), Avery Stelow (shortboard 9-10), Alicia Grier (longboard 7-9). Other boy's champions included: Silas Mason (shortboard 5-6), Jack Grier (shortboard 7-8), Julian Libitsky (shortboard 9-10), Greyson Deproza (longboard 7-9). Mixed division winners were Carver Masserman (bodyboard 7-9) and Harris Gruber (bodyboard 10-12).

Girls

Shortboard

5-6 years

1. Maya Andrade 12.16

2. Eve Jordan 8.16

3. Kaia Day Coon 7.17

4. Coco Friday 7.16

5. Rilynn Iwalani Williams 6.86

6. Kaui Hill 3.34

7-8 years

1. Harbor Haas 7.93

2. Coco Bitoun 7.83

3. Millie Colpas 6.33

4. Florence Mason 5.50

5. Emalia Guth 5.33

6. Alice Grier 4.83

9-10 years

1. Avery Stelow 10.33

2. Lucia de Castro 9.30

3. Anala Van Pelt 8.87

4. Kalli Sprenger 8.60

5. Brynn Payne 8.33

6. Madison Cambier 7.47

11-12 years

1. Ocean Lipstein 15.07

2. Emi Norah 12.16

3. Briana Strubhar 10.33

4. Ainsley Britt 7.67

5. Anna Murray 7.16

6. Persephonie Edelhertz 6.33

Longboard

7-9 years

1. Alice Grier 10.50

2. Sayler Udell 8.74

3. Anala Van Pelt 7.87

4. Avery Stelow 7.83

5. Millie Colpas 7.33

6. Caroline Young 6.00

10-12 years

1. Ocean Lipstein 11.87

2. Xani Poulsen 11.47

3. Indy Forbes 11.06

4. Briana Strubhar 10.40

5. Dakota Buzianis 9.73

6. Peata Lee-Hubin 8.83

Boys

Shortboard

5-6 years

1. Silas Mason 13.66

2. Bear Barwick 10.66

3. Guide Udell 10.50

4. Bandit Udell 8.13

5. Keahi Guth 7.77

6. Gordon Grier 7.50

7-8 years

1. Jack Grier 10.93

2. Bija Ryan 8.60

3. Carver Masserman 8.30

4. Xavier Young 8.03

5. Greyson Deproza 5.43

6. Knox Payne 4.27

9-10 years

1. Julian Libitsky 10.53

2. Brixton Craig 9.03

3. Kameron Kimmel 7.83

4. Cameron Bernardino 5.90

5. Bryce Martins 5.33

6. Knox Britt 5.13

11-12 years

1. Kona Yamada 14.47

2. Bryce Cunningham 12.33

3. Kai Martins 11.23

4. Christian Kim 9.50

5. Kai McCluskey 9.17

6. Owen Everett 9.10

Boys & Girls

Bodyboard

7-9 years

1. Carver Masserman 12.26

2. Knox Payne 10.34

3. Kaikane Bingham 6.23

4. Shiloh Friday 6.00

5. Dylan Williams 4.60

6. Ivan Thompson 3.90

10-12 years

1. Harris Gruber 14.50

2. Blake Murray 10.33

3. Anna Murray 9.17

4. Daz Burns 9.00

5. Ford Borneman 8.50

6. Kalli Sprenger 2.67

Starting at /week.