Just, Prophet capture titles
Sunday was a day of firsts for the 2010 Victoria Skimboards World Championships of Skimboarding.
A pair of Dana Point residents and Victoria Skimboards riders, Morgan Just and Anna Prophet, won the Men’s and Women’s Pro titles, respectively at Aliso Beach. It was the first Women’s Pro held in the competition that focused on its first live web broadcast in its 34-year history.
While Prophet became the first Women’s Pro winner — she won the Women’s Amateur division last year, Just earned the Men’s Pro title for the very first time.
Just, 24, was happy to get the title after so many years of near misses.
“I’ve gotten second-place so many times before, that I was expecting to get second again,” said Just who said he first entered the world championships 14 years ago, the same amount of years he’s been a rider with Victoria Skimboards.
He emerged victorious from a Men’s Pro finals field that included runner-up and perennial division winner Bill Bryan, third-place Brandon Sears and fourth-place Paulo Prietto.
The first- and second-place roles were reversed, Just said: in previous competitions, he lost out on the title to Bryan.
Just said he won the 10-12 age division “a couple of times” when he first stated out.
“Morgan Just has been skimboarding a long time and chasing the title of world champion for many years,” said Trigg Garner, general manager of Victoria Skimboards. “He has worked hard on and off the beach to improve his skills and better his craft. Through his dedication and determination he has reached the goal of being crowned ‘World Champion’ and I personally could not be more proud of him.
“We at Victoria Skimboards are happy to call him one of our top professional skimboarders and look for continued success from Morgan Just in the near future. Next stop, UST Champion? Keep your eyes on Morgan because he is as hungry as ever.”
Sunday’s win earned Just tour points and $1,300.
“Everyone that made it to the finals deserved to be there,” he said. “It felt great to beat these guys because I respect them so much. Congratulations to them and to Anna for winning the Women’s Pro, and a big thanks to Victoria Skimboards, Skim City and Xtrak, for all of their great support.”
Prophet, 19, lived in Panama City, Fla. before moving to Dana Point five months ago.
“The waves are better out here and the atmosphere is great. I’m staying here for good,” she said.
Prophet also claimed $1,300 for her victory and beat out a finals group that included second-place Keiao Gucwa-Bucasas, Shonna Cobb (third) and Jasmine Joy (fourth).
The camaraderie, she said, was evident from the get-go.
“We were all excited to be competing in the first Women’s Pro,” she said. “Everyone was so nice to each other and we were having fun, that it didn’t feel like a competition.
“I was really impressed with how everyone skimmed. Everyone really gave everyone else a run for their money.”
Garner was pleased with the outcome of the big weekend.
“To say that a good portion of my efforts were focused on the first-ever live web broadcast and the first-ever women’s professional division, would be an understatement,” he said. “Both of those items were on the top of everyone’s list of things to watch out for at this year’s competition and I feel that both were successful.
“Overall, the contest was a success and can be used as a great building block for next year’s Victoria Skimboards WCS and hopefully, the industry as a whole.”
Victoria Skimboards World Championship Of Skimboarding 2010
Contest Results
8-and-Under Division: 1. Tanner Brown; 2. Dominic Sanzone.
9-11 Division: 1. Reece Fowler; 2. Kanoa Akana; 3. Pierce Tenney; 4. Jake Levin.
12 -14 Division: 1. Jared Green; 2. Max Bourne; 3. Turner Tenney; 4. Tomas Ohara.
15-17 Division: 1. Blair Conklin; 2. Dylan Hunter; 3. Jovani Reyes; 4. Travis Sampson.
18-21 Division: 1. Trevor Stanaland; 2. Eric Rosenberry; 3. Joie Antonelli; 4. Kai Lowe.
22-24 Division: 1. David Sterman; 2. Bryan Russak; 3. Will Wright; 4. Danny Kerfeld.
25-29 Division: 1. Kelly Hawlish; 2. Hiroto Suzuki; 3. Michael Yunich; 4. Andrew Galbraith.
30-39 Division: 1. Paul Wade; 2. Robert Salazar; 3. Lance Brooks; 4. Kristian Pujol.
40-and-Up Division (exhibition): 1. Chris Berry; 2. Tex Haines; 3. Kanai Shars; 4. Brad Dickey; 5. Garth Wyckoff; 6. Conley Ware; 7. Kurt Westgard.
Women’s Pro Division: 1. Anna Prophet; 2. Keiao Gucwa-Bucasas; 3. Shonna Cobb; 4. Jasmine Joy; 5. Lanakila Kelliher; 6. Tia Dambrosio; 7. Silvia Garavito; 8. Yasmyn Andrade.
Men’s Professional Division: 1. Morgan Just; 2. Bill Bryan; 3. Brandon Sears; 4. Paulo Prietto; 5. Brad Domke; 6. Nathan Zoller; 7. Teddy Vlasis; 8. Austin Keen.