ISLE FILE
Irons, Uemura advance in world longboarding
Advertiser Staff
Janna Irons from Kaua'i and Miku Uemura from Wai'anae advanced to the third round of the Roxy Women's World Longboarding Championship contest yesterday.
The second round was completed in 2-foot waves at Biarritz, France.
Irons dominated her heat in defeating California's Malia Fuertes, 13.5-6.05.
Uemura had one of the best waves of the day with an 8.0 (out of 10) in her victory over Great Britain's Candice O'Donnell.
"I was super-nervous actually," Uemura said. "But I scored that fun wave and it felt good. I'm so stoked to still be in the competition."
Five Hawai'i surfers are among the 32 still in contention. Honolulu surfers Crystal Dzigas, Joy Magelssen and Kelia Moniz advanced to the third round earlier.
The winner of the contest will be crowned the 2007 world champion of women's longboard surfing. All competitors in the event must ride surfboards at least 9 feet long.
IRONS WINS FIRST HEAT
Kaua'i's Bruce Irons won his first-round heat in the Billabong Pro Jeffreys Bay yesterday.
The second day of the contest was completed in 4- to 6-foot waves at Jeffreys Bay, South Africa.
As a first-round winner, Irons advanced directly to the third round. His older brother, Andy Irons, advanced to the third round earlier.
Two other Hawai'i surfers — Fred Patacchia Jr. and Pancho Sullivan — have second-round heats upcoming.
VOLLEYBALL
U.S. MEN TRIUMPH
The U.S. Men's National Team came back from a 13-19 deficit in the third game to defeat France, 25-21, 25-20, 28-26, in the final round of the FIVB World League yesterday in Katowice, Poland.
The victory ensures that the U.S. men will advance to tomorrow's semifinals. Team USA will face hometown favorite Poland (1-0) today to determine the pool winner. The Pool E winner plays the second-place team from Pool F in the semifinals.
Honolulu's Clay Stanley, a starter for the U.S. at the past two Olympics, entered the match as a substitute, but did not score.
It is the first time the United States has advanced to World League semifinals since it finished third in 1992.
TENNIS
INAKOSHI GOES CAMPING
Honolulu's Kaito Inakoshi, from the Kilauea Junior Tennis Club, will represent Hawai'i at the 2007 Tennis Leadership Camp, Tuesday through July 23, at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Inakoshi is one of 40 players, between the ages of 12 and 14, from throughout the United States and Puerto Rico who will participate.
The Tennis Leadership Camp was developed in 1984, by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder, to provide an educational and motivational tennis experience for National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) participants who could not otherwise afford such an opportunity. The all-expenses paid weeklong camp emphasizes character and leadership development, good sportsmanship, physical fitness, proper nutrition, and other healthy attitudes.
The 40 Tennis Leadership Camp participants were chosen based upon a number of criteria including tennis ability, financial need and leadership and community involvement.
