Pitz helps Team USA take third overseas

The defining moment of Taylor Pitz’s experience at the International Surfing Assn. World Junior Championships probably occurred in Qualifying Round Three.

Pitz had done well in the first two heats at the event, which concluded in Piha, New Zealand, on Jan. 28. She won both her first two heats, but the third round was stacked. The Laguna Beach High junior would be going against her PacSun Junior National teammate, Courtney Conlogue of Santa Ana, who finished second individually at the event last year and was also the 2009 U.S. Open of Surfing women’s winner.

Also in the heat were a pair of Hawaiians in Malia Manuel and Nage Melamed; Manuel won the U.S. Open in 2008. Yet Pitz, in her first international event, didn’t bat an eyelash. She took second behind Manuel in the heat, scoring an 11.85 as Conlogue was dropped to the repercharge.

“When I saw my heat draw, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I going to do,’ “ Pitz said. “I ended up getting two good waves. It really showed me that I could hang in there with those top girls. It gave me a really big confidence boost. New Zealand was just a really great trip. I got to travel with the national team and surf in an entirely new environment.”

Pitz made it to Qualifying Round Four, two rounds shy of the final, before falling to the repercharge. She ended up tied for 11th individually out of 48 surfers in the Under 18 Girls competition. Conlogue and Newport Harbor High senior Kaleigh Gilchrist tied for ninth individually and the final Team USA girl, Lakey Peterson, made it to the final before placing fourth.

Team Australia won the overall event for the fifth straight year with 6,015 points, helped by girls’ champion Tyler Wright. Hawaii took second. Team USA, coached by Laguna Beach resident Ian Cairns and consisting of the Under 18 Girls and Under 18 and 16 Boys, finished third. It was a somewhat disappointing result, given that the Americans were leading going into the final two days of the competition.

“We had hoped to do better,” Pitz said. “We were one placing behind silver.”

Yet, for Pitz, it was a breakout performance after making the trip as an alternate a year ago. She enjoyed the scenery, as well as the competition.

“It was incredibly beautiful and we had good waves the whole time,” Pitz said. “The conditions were really challenging. Everything changes really fast. The wind changes direction and the flow changes a lot, too.”

Pitz said other events she’s looking at include the USA Championships, set for June 16 to 19 at the Huntington Beach Pier and June 22 to 26 at Lower Trestles. She also expects to surf at the National Scholastic Surfing Assn. Nationals from June 29 to July 3 in Huntington Beach.

Then, she wants to enter into the main draw at the U.S. Open of Surfing.

“This contest helped build my confidence a lot,” Pitz said. “I had never competed on an international level before, but I felt like I could have competed with everyone out there.”