Nine Hawai'i contestants still in World Surfing contention
Advertiser Staff
Five Hawai'i competitors were still undefeated after the fifth day of competition in the ISA World Surfing Games yesterday at Huntington Beach, Calif.
Kaua'i's Gavin Gillette is one of eight surfers still undefeated in the open men's surfing division. He advanced through the fourth round of the winner's bracket yesterday.
In the open women's surfing division, Bethany Hamilton of Kaua'i and Lani Hunter of Punalu'u remained undefeated by advancing through the third round of the winner's bracket.
Chasity Baltazar of Wai'anae won her second round heat, and is one of six still undefeated in the women's bodyboarding division.
Bonga Perkins of Hale'iwa is undefeated in the longboard surfing division, but he drew a bye yesterday.
Hawai'i trails only Australia and Brazil, which have six undefeated competitors each.
In the repechage heats held yesterday, Kaua'i's David Hubbard advanced through two rounds in the men's bodyboarding division. Fellow Kaua'i bodyboarder Travis Smith was eliminated from the men's bodyboarding repechage heats.
Nine of the 10 competitors on the Hawai'i roster are still in the contest. The contest follows a double-elimination format, so surfers from the repechage heats can still come back to win the division.
More than 300 competitors representing 33 countries are participating in the World Surfing Games. The contest is held every two years at a different site around the world.
Hawai'i is recognized as its own country for the contest. A separate United States team is entered.