Laguna’s Pitz selected to PacSun USA Surf Team

Taylor Pitz has been selected to the 2009 PacSun USA Surf Team for a second time.

The 15-year-old, a sophomore at Laguna Beach High, competed over a six-day period at the SIMA Surfing America USA Championships presented by PacSun at the Huntington Beach Pier that wrapped up Aug. 24. Pitz competed in both the girls’ Under-16 and Under-18 events and was the lone female to make the finals in both divisions.

At the conclusion of the championship, the new PacSun USA Surf Team was announced by Surfing America, the national governing body for the sport of surfing.

Pitz finished third in the Under-16 division and took second in the Under-18 division. She finished second in the U-18 division to 15-year-old Courtney Conlogue of Santa Ana. Conlogue, Pitz, Quincy Davis (New York), Lani Doherty and Nage Melamed of Hawaii, Kaleigh Gilchrist and Lake Peterson of California and Keenan Lineback (South Carolina) were the eight surfers selected to the girls’ Under-18 team on the 2009 PacSun USA Surf Team.

Pitz, MVP on last year’s Laguna Beach High surf team, was third behind Melamed and Lineback in the girls’ U-16 division.

In addition to the girls’ U-18 members, the 2009 PacSun USA Surf Team includes nine members on the boys’ U-18 team, six on the boys’ 16-U team and seven on the Super Juniors U-14 team.

“The level of surfing at this year’s USA Champs was unbelievable,” Surfing America Executive Director Mike Gerard said in a statement. “The performances were tremendous, the judging was spot on and the new PacSun USA Surf Team looks stronger than ever.”

USA Surf Team Coach Joey Buran will select a travel team that will compete at the Quiksilver International Surfing Assn. World Junior Surfing Championships in Ecuador in March 2009.

“” Mike Sciacca