Conlogue, four others, qualify for USA Surf team

After a long weekend of surfing at the Huntington Beach Pier, five Newport Beach teens qualified for the 2008 USA Surf team, with a shot at eventually representing the U.S. at the ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in France in May.

Courtney Conlogue of Sage Hill School led the way, qualifying for a fifth consecutive year in both the girls’ under 16 and girls’ 18 brackets. Conlogue, along with the rest of Sunday’s competitors, fought fatigue and spotty wave conditions.

“I was doing double divisions for two days, so it was really tiring,” Conlogue said.

Conlogue went into Sunday’s team trials as the top seed in both of her events and more than lived up to the expecations.

Now she has her sights set on loftier goals.

“I’m looking forward to making it to France and hopefully getting the gold,” Conlogue said.

Taylor Thorne qualifed in the boys’ 16s for the first time, edging twin brother Jared in the semifinals.

“He hates me right now,” Thorne joked afterwards. “I feel bad for him, but I’m super stoked. I’ve been trying really hard to make it, and I finally did.”

Of the 32 surfers who qualifed Sunday, only 12 will actually represent the U.S. in competition.

Most of Sunday’s scores were relatively low due to poor wave conditions. After qualifying with a score of six in his second semifinal heat,Andrew Doheny was blunt about his feelings:

“I hate Huntington. But I’m stoked about being on the team.”

Doheny’s dad taught him how to surf and he has won major events before. But he said being named to the USA Surf team ranks at the top of his accomplishments.

Kaleigh Gilchrist and Chase Wilson also qualified.

— Peter Kooiman