Results: Wrightsville Beach Wahine Classic 

Women's East Coast Surfing Competition Returns to North Carolina

Morgan Knight of Virginia Beach finishes first place in Pro Longboard; Darsha Pigford of Wrightsville Beach tops Pro Shortboard; Jackie Fisher of Kure Beach wins SUP 

Wrightsville Beach, N.C - Wahines (wa-hee-nees), a Polynesian word meaning surfer girls, assembled Saturday and Sunday to compete in the Wrightsville Beach Wahine Classic. Girls and ladies faced stiff competition in shortboard and longboard divisions during the two-day event, August 17 and 18.

Jo Pickett, Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) longboard champion in 2012 and shortboard champion in 2006, co-chaired the Wahine Classic with Jack Viorel of Indo Jax Surf Charities. Blockade Runner Beach Resort served as host hotel. 

Taking advantage of Wrightsville's reputation as a SUP hub, the Wahine Classic introduced two standup paddleboard events - a race and standup paddle surf. Jarrod Covington, Wrightsville Beach Biathlon Champion, coordinated SUP activities.

Entries totaled 108, hailing from Ohio, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Head judge was Wilmington native Liz Hauser, now a resident of Puerto Rico. Hauser is a judge for the Asociacion Profesional de Surfing de Puerto Rico.

Results:

Pro Shortboard:

First Place: Darsha Pigford, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Airlie Pickett, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Third Place: Leilani Pickett, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Cat Rogerson, South Carolina, NC

Guppies 12+:

First Place: Madeline Eckel, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Leah Thompson, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Third Place: Malia Harrell, Ocean Isle, NC

Fourth Place: Elizabeth Head, North Carolina

Girls 13-14:

First Place: Julia Eckel, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Kat Neff, Carolina Beach, NC

Third Place: Swain Curtin, Oak Island, NC

Fourth Place: Michela Boone, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Junior Women 15-17:

First Place: Madison Huckabee, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Hannah Milligan, Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Third Place: Samantha Newkirk, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Nina Long, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Novice 16+:

First Place: Jessie Van Hurst, Wilmington, NC

Second Place: Johanna Kjesbo, Carolina Beach, NC

Third Place: Greta Barnes, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Kate Zeissler, New York, NY

Novice 15 and under:

First Place: Savannah Meek, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Mary Clare Haldeman, Carolina Beach, NC

Third Place: Kirby Smith, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Anna Haldeman, Greensboro, NC

Women 18-29:

First Place: Chandler Von Cannon, Carolina Beach, NC

Second Place: Deanna Wells, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Third Place: Rachel Breitner, Virginia

Fourth Place: Sinetta Ruiz, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Women 30+:

First Place: Jo Pickett, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Patritia Hook, Outer Banks, NC

Third Place: Ashley Barnes, Kitty Hawk, NC

Fourth Place: Fran Reynolds, Outer Banks, NC

Pro Longboard:

First Place: Morgan Knight, Virginia Beach, VA

Second Place: Chandler Von Cannon, Carolina Beach, NC

Third Place: Leilani Pickett, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Patritia Hook, Outer Banks, NC

Longboard 14 and under:

First Place: Julia Eckel, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Second Place: Carly Carter, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Third Place: Kat Neff, Carolina Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Laney Brooks, Virginia Beach, VA

Longboard 15-19:

First Place: Nina Long, Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Second Place: Hannah Milligan, Ocean Isle Beach, NC

Third Place: Madison Huckabee, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Samantha Newkirk, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Longboard 20-39:

First Place: Misty Wilbanks, Carolina Beach, NC

Second Place: Liza Dean, New Jersey

Third Place: Deanna Wells, Wrightsville Beach, NC

Fourth Place: Leigh Powell, Topsail Beach, NC

Ladies SUP Competition:

First Place: Jackie Fisher, Kure Beach, NC

Second Place: Johanna Kjesbo, Carolina Beach, NC

Third Place: Ryan Dadds, South Carolina

Fourth Place: Anna Blackburn, Wrightsville Beach, NC

"Girls have come into their own in the last five years showing their competitive edge by surfing aggressively in the traditionally male-dominated sport," Viorel says. "It's good for girls at this stage of surfing to see what the possibilities are," he says. 

National Geographic Magazine named Wrightsville Beach one of the World's 20 Best Surf Towns in 2012.

Wahine Photo Flashback

Note: Surfers Healing returns to Wrightsville Beach on Monday, August 19. Surfers Healing, founded in California by professional surfer Izzy Paskowitz, shares the unique therapy of surfing with children with autism. Registration is full, but families will want to witness this uplifting event. Wrightsville Beach is one of only 14 locations on the 2013 U.S. and Canadian tour.

Contacts:

Jo Pickett, Co-chair

Crystal South Surf Camps

(910) 465-9638

www.crystalsouthsurfcamp.com 

Jack Viorel, Co-chair

Indo Jax Surf Charities

(910) 274-3565    

www.indojaxsurfschool.com

Jarrod Covington, SUP Race Director

(252) 622-9699

Robert B Butler | PR