Physics gnarly, but not waves

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Courtney Conlogue isn’t even old enough to drive herself to her surfing competitions, much less vote or buy alcohol.

But there’s no age restriction on winning, which is exactly what the rising Sage Hill School sophomore did Tuesday in heat two of the women’s division of the U.S. Open of Surfing.

By topping the other three surfers in her heat with a score of 12.70, the 15-year-old Conlogue ensured that she would move on to the Round of 12 today, the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open of Surfing. The top two surfers in six heats of women advanced. American Kyla Langen followed Conlogue and also moved on, scoring 12.26.

Combine her skill and success with her age, and Conlogue is in a league of her own, where the surfer she admires most — 19-year-old Stephanie Gilmore of Australia — is one of her favorites, because “she’s closer to my age.”

“She’s a great surfer, and I’ve always watched her and watched her grow and looked up to her since I was little,” Conlogue said.

Gilmore is currently tied for first place with Chelsea Hedges, also Australian, in the Assn. of Surfing Professionals Standings.

Conlogue, the youngest girl on Team U.S.A, was the 2006 National Scholastic Surfing Champion and won first place last year in the U.S.A girls’ under-18 championships.

Conlogue, who lives in Santa Ana, hasn’t had the luxury of living close enough to the beach to just pop over for a ride whenever it suits her, and last year, when she ran cross country for Sage Hill, it was nearly impossible.

Sage Hill’s rigorous academics didn’t make things any easier.

“Last year I had one of the hardest classes I’ve ever had,” Conlogue said. “I took conceptual physics, and that was pretty gnarly. I tried really hard, but I had a little trouble on the final.”

Surfing was reserved for weekends, and, if there was any time before school, Conlogue would drag herself out of bed to catch some waves at 4:30 a.m., in the dark.

“It makes it fun, surfing in the dark, but it’s nicer surfing when it’s light out,” Conlogue said, laughing. “Especially when you’re by yourself out there.”

At that time of the morning, the only light Conlogue got was from the pier. The darkness helped because it forced her to feel the waves. Friday’s conditions weren’t the best, and the waves were smaller than Wednesday’s, Conlogue said.

But come darkness or light, attitude is key.

“When you’re out there, after surfing for ten years, you kind of learn that you gotta really be feeling good and want to go out there and have fun,” Conlogue said. “If you’re angry and emotional, you’re going to just be a havoc wreck. You’ve got to relax and enjoy things, or else you won’t do too well.”

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at soraya.mcdonald@latimes.com.