Women surfers from Maine to Puerto Rico came together to celebrate the 10th Annual East Coast Wahine Championships held August 19th and 20th in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Consistent one to three foot waves held through the weekend while light winds made for favorable conditions. As usual, wahine competitors made the most of the small surf- many heats saw girls sharing waves, hooting on each other and laughing in the water together.
East Coast Wahines welcomed a special guest, Tammy Zybura, who founded the contest in 1997. Returning after a nine-year absence, Tammy, a former east coast champion, who now lives in southern California was amazed at how successful the event has become. "It has gone way beyond what I could ever have imagined it would be," said Tammy, who went home with a plaque commemorating her as event founder as well as a third place trophy in Women Shortboard.
New to this year’s competition was the Global Surf Industries One Design Fish and Funboard division, where surfers rode the same size/shape surfboard. The all aged division was a popular, drawing a large field of competitors. Winners, Jo Pickett (NC) and Mimi Munro (FL) were stoked when they learned they got to take home a brand new surfboard just like the one they rode in their heats.
This year’s ECWC also held a Team Paddle Relay race, a Surf Diva surf clinic, and a Novice division for women who have never entered a contest before. The Saturday night banquet featured a slideshow with nearly 500 images from the past decade and a dozen women were presented with an award for their 10-year attendance.
The ECWC’s presenting sponsor Billabong is one of the foremost companies in the surf industry and is a leading supporter of women’s surfing. Billabong presents a World Championship Tour stand-alone women’s event in Maui, HI. Billabong sponsors the world’s best female surfers, snowboarders and skateboarders, and is committed to supporting the progression of women’s surfing.
For more information on the East Coast Wahine Championships, please visit the official website, www.eastcoastwahines.com
CONTEST RESULTS
GROMMETTE SHORTBOARD
1 Keenan Lineback- SC
2 Jasset Umbel- FL
3 Kate Easton- VA
4 Sally Walker- SC
5 Airlie Pickett- NC
6 Rachel Nessuno-NJ
GIRLS SHORTBOARD
1 Kayleigh Winslow- NC
2 Leilani Pickett- NC
3 Hannah Frazelle- NC
4 Kristen Tanner- SC
5 Cailin Lawson- SC
6 Carly Elred- NC
JR. WOMEN SHORTBOARD
1 Maria Gonzales- PR
2 Erin Whittle- NC
3 Sarah Dodds- NJ
4 Janie McGregor- NC
5 Shannon Sommers- NC
6 Katie Coryell- NC
WOMEN SHORTBOARD
1 Cayce Patterson- NC
2 Danielle Talbert- NC
3 Tammy Zybura- CA
4 Kristen Kornegay- NC
5 Stephanie Green- NC
6 Amy Hart- NC
GODDESS SHORTBOARD
1 Jo Pickett- NC
2 Mimi Munro- FL
3 Tina Tyrone- FL
4 Terri Tanner- SC
5 Marty Mentzer- NC
6 Nathalie Glenn- NC
GIRLS LONGBOARD
1 Leilani Pickett- NC
2 Kate Easton- VA
3 Kayleigh Winslow- NC
4 Kristen Tanner- SC
5 Airlie Pickett- NC
6 Rachel Nessuno-NJ
WOMEN LONGBOARD
1 Morgan Knight- VA
2 Erin Whittle-NC
3 Laura Butler- SC
4 Cayce Patterson- NC
5 Kristen Kornegay- NC
6 Sindia Sosdian- NJ
GODDESS LONGBOARD
1 Mimi Munro- FL
2 Jo Pickett- NC
3 Tina Tyrone- FL
4 Marty Mentzer- NC
5 Beth Schub- NC
6 Terri Tanner- SC
ONE DESIGN FISH
1 Jo Pickett- NC
2 Sindia Sosdian- NJ
3 Jessica Delosreys- NC
4 Sarah Dodds- NJ
5 Leanne Foster- NC
6 Danielle Talbert-
ONE DESIGN FUNSHAPE
1 Mimi Munro- FL
2 Kate Easton- VA
3 Barbara Corey- NC
4 Laura Butler- SC
5 Margaret Haga- NC
6 Lisa Wakley- FL
GIRLS BODYBOARD
1 McKenzie Edwards- NC
2 Rachel Nussuno- NJ
3 Roxana Boyd- NC
4 Lucille Boyd- NC
5 Maisie Bruno- NC
6 Bonny Allison- NC
WOMEN BODYBOARD
1 Shea Lindon- NC
2 Jenny Owens- NC
3 Morgan Knight- VA
4 Anne Weber- WA
5 Ocean Priselac- NC
6 Valerie Lisanti- NJ
NOVICE
1 Madison Huckabee- NC
2 Kristi Vance-NC
3 Morgan Smith- NC
4 Ashley Shealey- SC
5 Amber Gaudef-Marlin- VA
6 Tina Radan- NY