Aloha HASL Members,

It’s time for the HASL Yokohama Skim-O-rama Saturday April 21st at Keawa’ula Bay, Kaena point state park.  This is one of the favorite spots on the tour so make sure you get ready because this is the one you don’t want to miss.  Check in starts at 9:00am and contest begins at 10:00 so don’t be late even though it’s a long drive.  Make sure to bring plenty of sunscreen and extra water because we’ll be far from anything.

The sign up links are below and there is the $25 HASL member price if you paid for the membership at the last contest.  If you didn’t pay for the yearly membership there is the $35 one time entry fee both of which include a contest shirt.   For the Men’s Pro Advanced division the price is $50 with half of that getting pooled together for the cash prizes for the 1st – 3rd places.

We expect to see the best skimboarding talent return like recent contest winner Anthony “Ace” Conlon, & reigning 2011 HASL champ Jesse Solomon.   For the wahine’s division we hope to see Lanakila Keliher continue her return with an appearance at Yokes going against previous contest winner Keiao Gucwa-Bucasas “KGB”.

We want to say thanks to our sponsors Dirty Dog eyewear for their awesome shades, Freak Traction for always being involved, Wonderland Entertainment for providing the tunes, and as always Victoria skimboards, Maui Skimmers & Exile for continued support.  And thanks again to Serg’s Mexican Kitchen for the food at the last contest.

Help us out by signing up early and we’ll see you out on the West side!!  Mahalo

$35 One time contest entry fee – http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2025810

$25 HASL 2012 member entry fee – http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2025809

$50 Men’s pro advanced entry fee – http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2025808

Erik  Covarrubias

Hawaii Amateur Skimboarding League HASL
Email:  info@hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Website: hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Phone: (808) 265-2112

Congratulations go out to our Men’s Pro winner Anthony “Ace” Conlon who has been a HASL member since the beginning and has placed 2nd or 3rd many times.   He beat out HASL member Kyle “Little Man” Olson who has the most contest winnings.  Good job Ace!!

We were honored to see top female skimmers Keiao “KGB” vs Lanakila Kelliher from Maui who’s back on top of her game.

The results are below and keep an eye out for more pictures by visiting our facebook page at Hawaii Amateur Skimboarding League.  We’ll have league point standings coming soon.

Next contest is scheduled for Saturday April 21st and legendary Keawa’ula Bay (aka Yokes) and you don’t want to miss it.  We’re planning for Maui Big Beach possibly in June & unfortunately as fun as Kauai is in August there is more demand taking us to Kaanapali in late August.   Finals last year were at Yokes in early October and the waves were the best we had all year so why change a good thing.

Thanks again to Victoria Skimboards for helping us with awesome donations, Freak Traction, Dirty Dog Eyewear, Maui Skimmers, Exile Skimboards, & the awesome food provided this year by Serg’s Mexican Kitchen.

Mahalo again, we’ll see you soon, Westside April 21st!!

Men’s Pro –
1st   Anthony “Ace” Conlon
2nd  Kyle “Little Man” Olson
3rd  Chris “Alreckayoface” Alreck
4th Clark “Sharkboy” Camp
5th David Sterman
6th Jesse Solomon “Reigning HASL 2011 champ”
7th Sean McClenahan
8th Keegan Conway
9th   Lance Dettle
10th Travis Tsuda

22 & Under –
1st  – Ryan Tenney

23 & Up -
1st Kaeo Milles
2nd Matt Dillon
3rd John Tingey
4th  Irving Taba

Wahine’s –
1st  Keiao Gucwa-Bucasas “KGB”
2nd  – Jon China
2nd Lanakila Kelliher
3rd – Brenton Ogasawara
3rd Jaz Luke
4th – Kris Mackovsky
4th Natalie Nakasone

It’s going to be another exciting year with our current HASL champ Jesse Solomon returning to go against prior champs Kyle “Little Man” Olson & Clark “Sharkboy” Camp.  Other top pro division talent includes Anthony “Ace” Conlon, David Sterman, & Sean McClenahan.  In the women’s division we’re hoping to see Heather Graf & Lanakila Kelliher from Maui and many other of their talented female skimmer friends.

The Dangerous Shorebreak contest is proudly sponsored by Victoria Skimboards with an awesome grand prize raffle for the contestants after the men’s pro finals.  We’d like to thank last year’s sponsors Dirty Dog eyewear, Freak Traction, Maui Skimmers, Exile, & Downing Hawaii Surf Shop.

The sign up links are below and registration is officially open so don’t sign up late and be “that guy or girl” ..  Check the HASL facebook page at Hawaii Amateur Skimboarding league.

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2019249 – $50.00 Membership & contest entry fee

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2019250 – $35.00 One time contest entry fee

http://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=2019251 – $75.00 Men’s Pro Division with cash prize

Mahalo again and we’ll see you at Sandyz!!!

Erik  Covarrubias

Hawaii Amateur Skimboarding League HASL
Email:  info@hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Website: hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Phone: (808) 265-2112

Quickity quack, quat?! Get your ducks in a row, folks—it’s time to mash ‘em into the pavement.

Orangatang is wallowing in amniotic excitement to present the Balut, our new freestyle slide wheel.  At 72.5 mm tall, 35 mm wide (contact) and sporting a skeletal centerset core, the Balut is quick, light, and slippery: an optimal choice for long slides, rapid-fire spins, and freestyle trickery.

The Balut features our new Euphorethane formula.  For this wheel shape and size it’s a magic thane (if we do say so, ourselves).  Smooth, predictable slides, exceptional durability and flatspot resistance, and reliable speed control—what more could you ask for from such a flavorfully fertilized feast?

If you saw a Hollywood movie about a surf contest, the winner of the event would find a perfect barrel with thirty seconds left in the Final, travel for several meters behind the curtain and emerge with the highest score of the entire event. Today, in the real-life setting of Puerto Rico, that is exactly what happened to young Hawaiian Kekoa Bacalso.  With time running out, and only having a slim lead over his Floridian opponent Gabe Kling, Bacalso pulled into a beautiful six-foot wave and secured a score of 9.67, just short of a perfect 10.0. In addition to the drama, Bacalso’s heroic effort earned him a paycheck of $10,000, the largest ever awarded in the ten-year history of the APSPR (Asociacion de Profesional Surfing de Puerto Rico).

With the welcome addition of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company as a co-sponsor of pro surfing, the total prize purse eclipsed all previous events on the island. “This was, by far, the best event we have ever had”, said APSPR President Werner Vega. “We had the most competitors, the most prize money, as well as fantastic waves”. Ironically, this was the first event that did not see a local Puerto Rican surfer in the Men’s Final. While some local fans may have been disappointed, most insiders saw it as a breakthrough. “It shows the prestige that our Puerto Rican circuit has attained”, continued Vega. “While our top pros like Brian Toth and Dylan Graves have been traveling the international tour for years, now the best surfers from the Mainland, Hawaii and elsewhere are coming to compete on their shores”. Indeed, Toth, Graves, Bacalso and Kling are all currently ranked in the Top 100 of the ASP men’s World ratings.

The Puerto Rican surfers were still well represented, as Jobos veteran Wilfredo “Control” Deliz  advanced to the man-on-man semi-finals, only to fall to the eventual winner, Bacalso. For his part, Bacalso said that his victory meant more than a welcome paycheck. “This is my first trip to Puerto Rico”, said Kekoa. “I’m impressed by the surf as well as the friendliness of the people. This really is the Hawaii of the Atlantic”!

On the “Mujeres” side of the program, Amy Nicholl, from Florida won her second consecutive Corona Extra final, following her previous victory at Domes in March. Her heat was a close one over Liza Caban, of Aguadilla, who had been the in-form competitor of that division. Caban won the $1000 Coppertone “Best Performance” award for her score of 7.57 in the semi-finals, but could not find the right waves in the Final. Nicholl’s victory had some bittersweet emotion attached, as she is from New Smyrna Beach, Florida where a tragic surfing accident this past August claimed the life of a revered surfer who was well known to many Puerto Ricans. “Fico” Fernandez was the High School mathematics instructor of a generation of students, including Nicholl. His favorite surfing destination was Puerto Rico, where his ashes will be spread at Jobo’s Beach, according to his stated wishes. In equal third place in the Women’s division were Jasset Umbel, from the Mainland and Alexis Engstrom, from Hawaii.

The top placings at this year’s concluding event were:

Men:

1st: Kekoa Bacalso, Hawaii – $10,000

2nd: Gabe Kling, Florida – $4,500

=3rd: Wilfredo Deliz – Puerto Rico – $2,000

=3rd: Asher Nol;an – Florida – $2,000

Women:

1st; Amy Nicholl, Florida – $5,000

2nd: Liza Caban, Puerto Rico – $2,000

=3rd:Jasset Umbel, Florida – $1,000

=3rd: Alexis Engstrom, Hawaii – $1,000

The winners of the $1000 Coppertone “Best Performance” Awards were:

Kekoa Bacalso and Liza Caban

The 2011 Champions of the APSPR Corona Extra Cicuit are:

Brian Toth and Liselie Gonzales

The Minishaka Shakedown sponsored by Exile Skimboards was a success with awesome waves conditions.  This was also the last contest of the year which would determine league champions in each division including who takes home the HASL championship cup for the year for the Men’s Advanced.  The grand prize winner of the Exile coffin bag went to Cliff Wenger from Maui, awesome picture will get posted on the HASL facebook so check for updates.

Here are the results for the Minishaka Shakedown.

22 & Under – 1st Place Brenton Ogasawara /  2nd Place Jon China both from Oahu & Sandys locals.
23 & Up       -  1st Place Erik Covarrubias  / 2nd Kaeo Milles  /  3rd Place Irving Taba

Men’s Advanced – 1st Place Kyle “Little Man” Olson, Maui /  2nd Place Anthony “Ace” Conlon, Kauai  /  3rd Place David Sterman, Oahu  / 4th Jesse Solomon, Maui

The results from this contest were used to update the league points sheet and here are the results for the year.

Womens – Heather Graf, League Champion / 2nd Natalie Nakasone / 3rd Joleane Rico
22 & Under – Brenton Ogasawara, League Champion  /  2nd Colin Camp  /  3rd Jon China
23 & Up      -  Erik Covarrubias  /  2nd Irving Taba  /  3rd Kaeo Milles

Men’s Advanced – HASL League Champion for 2011 Jesse Solomon, Maui  /  2nd David Sterman, Oahu  / 3rd Anthony “Ace” Conlon, Kauai

Good job for all those involved and thanks for the support to those who showed up to all or most of the contests.  We’ll look forward to getting started next year at Sandys with the Dangerous Shorebreak contest scheduled around late February when it’s available on the park calendar.

Couldn’t have done it without Exile Skimboards, Dirty Dog Eyewear, Freak Traction, Maui Skimmers, Lulu’s Waikiki Bar & Restaurant, & Victoria Skimboards.

See you next year,  Mahalo!!

Erik  Covarrubias

Hawaii Amateur Skimboarding League HASL
Email:  info@hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Website: hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Phone: (808) 265-2112

Also returning from Florida will be Amy Nicholl, 21, of New Smyrna Beach, who won this year’s event at Domes in March in a close Final over Liselie Gonzales. Gonzales, 23, of Canovanas is the current ratings leader for the title of 2011 APSPR Women’s Champion. She took the lead by winning the 2010 Middles event last September. Marie Del Mar Gonzalez, 26, of Aguadilla is also in contention for the Women’s 2011 crown, as she currently sits in third place on the rankings. Alltogether, a field of twenty-two women surfers will be competing at the famous Middles reef for an unprecedented $12,000 in prize money from Corona Extra and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. “This is the most interesting field we have ever had”, said Werner Vega, APSPR President. “The spectators will witness how far the performance level of Women’s surfing has advanced in the 20 events we have held since 2002”.

In addition, Coppertone Skincare has also doubled their popular “Best Performance” awards to $1000 each, to one of the Women and one of the Men.  In March at Domes, Quincy Davis and Brian Toth each won the Coppertone “Best Performance” for their top heat scores.

Surfing fans who are unable to attend in person at Middles will once again have the opportunity to follow the action online with the popular “Heats on Demand” feature. At the completion of each day of competition they will have access to every scoring ride of the event.

http://www.vimeo.com/29462323

With help from Exile Skimboards HASL is ready to present the 3rd annual Minishaka Shakedown at Kaena Point State Park, Keawaula Bay on Saturday October 8th starting with check in at 9am.  Cash prize as always for the Men’s Advanced division, league champion awards to be awarded after & a grand prize raffle for a sweet Exile coffin bag.

This is the final HASL skim contest of the year which will feature the league points awards and the crowning of a new HASL Men’s Pro Advanced champion for 2011.   The previous champions from the past 2 years include Clark Camp (2009) & Kyle “Little Man” Olson (2010) who are planned to be entered.  Points leader Jesse Solomon from Maui will also go against David Sterman who is 165 points behind in 2nd and Ace Conlon from Kauai in 3rd at 672 points behind 1st.

On the women’s side points leader Heather Graff from Maui has a chance to make it as the league champion for 2011 but has to go against Natalie Nakasone 2nd from Oahu & Joleane Rico from Maui who is 3rd in league.

Mahalo again to Exile Skimboards for helping us out for a 3rd year now on the HASL finals.  Can’t  forget Dirty Dog Eyewear, Freak Traction, Maui Skimmers, Lulu’s Waikiki Bar & Restaurant, &  Victoria Skimboards for their help throughout the year.

Here are the sign up links for the Exile Minishaka Shakedown.

Men’s Advanced $50 entry fee – https://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1990356

HASL member $25 entry fee for those who paid the extra $25 fee at the beginning of the year – https://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1990357

One time $35 contest entry fee for those who did not pay the extra membership – https://www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1990485

Mahalo again for the support

Erik  Covarrubias

Hawaii Amateur Skimboarding League HASL
Email:  info@hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Website: hawaiiskimboardleague.com
Phone: (808) 265-2112