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• Aug 25 Report |
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For Immediate Release FOUR DECADES ON, VIERRA LIFTS YOSHIDA BACK TO WORLD CHAMP STATUS Second place went to Inman and Rabacal, who are a new couple to the competition this year. Third place was outgoing world champions Keaulana and Terada, and fourth was the impressive Californians Wilborn and Lynn. A year ago today, Yoshida made her way to Waikiki to watch the tandem competition. Before leaving she asked if someone might take her back out for one more ride and European champion Rico LeRoy offered. All it took was one wave to erase more than 30 years of being away from the waves. Blanche returned to Kauai, found Vierra, who had never tandem surfed before but was one of the island's most accomplished watermen, and the rest is history. "It feels even better than before," said Yoshida. "I never even dreamed this, so it's not even a dream come true. "I just can't even believe that after four decades I'm back, and it's because I've got such an awesome partner. "The guy I tandemed with a long time ago, like Kalani, was something special - he paddled canoe, he even was the first guy to do stand-up paddle out here at Waikiki - Leroy AhChoy. He was a true waterman. So I've been very fortunate to have two awesome guys to surf with and both of them brought me to be the world champion." Vierra was honored to share the experience with Yoshida, and also to win a world title at such an historically important venue, and in honor of the greatest waterman of all time. "I wish Duke was here and I could give him a big hug," said Vierra. "Last night in the hotel I was watching a story of him on TV. I want to be like him. Duke started tandem surfing here, so it's an honor just being here and being part of his festival." Despite winning this one-off world title today, there is no time to rest for the Kauai pair. Over the past nine months, since first picking up tandem surfing together, they have been competing on the World Tandem Surfing Tour - a four-event series that will conclude in Spain next month and crown its own champion team. Vierra and Yoshida are also leading that tour, but must eliminate the European champions - led by LeRoy, to claim the title. The man who brought Blanche back to tandem is now their main rival. "I hate to be greedy, but Kalani and I would love to have both titles," Blanche said with a wicked laugh. "The European champions are excellent. They're the local favorites and we're the underdogs, but that's OK. We're going, and we're going on a high. It's Rico's fault that he got me hooked!" The Contest Director
for today's event, Bear Woznick, was ecstatic with the results. If today was any indication, the future of tandem surfing looks to be very bright. Thousands of spectators from around the world set up their towels along the shores of Waikiki Beach to watch the final and it was standing room only by the time all four teams returned to shore to a standing ovation. It was a "chicken skin" moment when the first, second and third-placed teams, all from Hawaii, rode the final wave to shore in mirror formation with the women standing on the shoulders of their board-steering men, all holding hands to the sand before enjoying an emotional group embrace. For those interested
in finding out more about tandem surfing, visit www.itsatandem.com,
or look for the local couples practicing at Waikiki every Sunday at
4 p.m. For more information on Duke's OceanFest, please visit www.dukefoundation.org RESULTS: World Title of Tandem Surfing, Presented by Tsunami's Waikiki Final Standings: # # # For Immediate Release EXPERIENCED PAIRS FAVORED FOR TITLE On paper, defending world champions Keaulana and Terada would appear to have their names written in the stars for another crown. But a single star on the waves today - as tandem's toughest lift is named - might just tip the scales in favor of Vierra and Yoshida. The Kauai pair has been tirelessly rehearsing the famous star lift and executed it perfectly in the semi-finals today. But Keaulana and Terada have only been successful in rehearsing the move on the beach; tomorrow they will make their first attempt at it on the waves in the final. "Right now, looking at the competition, guys like Kalani and Chuck are flawless," said Keaulana at the end of the day's action. "You watch them and they are great guys. They live and breathe tandem. "For me and Kathy right now, again we've got to up our game, because the highest score you can get on a maneuver is the star - it's the highest one yet and that's not in our repertoire right now. But we're nailing the thing on land. We haven't nailed it in the water. So we're going to practice that today as well as tomorrow and put that in our sequence too. It's kind of like playing chess at a high level." If you go back far enough in the annals of tandem surfing history, you will discover that 54-year-old Yoshida has more world tandem titles to her name than anyone in the competition, having been a part of the winning team from 1968 to 1973. After hanging up her bikini for more than 30 years to raise a family and pursue a career as a school teacher, Yoshida visited this event last year and was smitten all over again. Back on Kauai, she put a request out on the coconut wireless for a willing and able-bodied tandem partner. She found highly revered waterman and lifeguard Kalani Vierra, 41. (Vierra was a baby at the time Blanche won her first world title.) "I'm really enjoying this, way more than before I think," said Yoshida, who still stands around four-and-a-half feet tall and 90 pounds wet. "I just took it for granted before but now I appreciate every minute I get out there. We do more lifts per wave than we did back then, but we did some pretty difficult lifts back then as well." Keaulana remembers Blanche from all those years ago. "Blanche is such an inspiration," Keaulana said. "She surfed in the Makaha International when I was one small kid. "But when we get in the water (tomorrow) I'm going
to bring my game as well as Kathy and I expect also Kalani, Chuck,
Tiffany and Blanche - it's going to be a match out there!" "It doesn't matter if you're young or old, main thing is you're having fun and we love to do it," Vierra said. "Hopefully we can revive the sport. I'm training my daughter, she's 10 years old now and she's starting to do it. Hopefully other teams will come join us. Duke Kahanamoku started tandem surfing here in Waikiki and it's an honor for me to follow in his footsteps and hopefully keep the tradition going." The World Title of Tandem Surfing presented by Tsunami's Waikiki is part of the Duke's OceanFest Celebration, held in honor of Kahanamoku. Today is the anniversary of Kahanamoku's birthday. As for Wilborn & Lynn and Inman & Rabacal, the future looks very bright for many years to come. They will give their elders a true run for their money tomorrow and, who knows? Perhaps one of the younger teams will emerge as the stars come the end of the day tomorrow. The final will take place at 2:30pm Hawaii Time. For more information on
Duke's OceanFest, please visit www.dukefoundation.org RESULTS: World Title of Tandem Surfing, Presented
by Tsunami's Waikiki Semi-Finals Results
(1st & 2nd to final): # # # For Immediate Release DEFENDING WORLD CHAMPS TRUE TO FORM Transitioning effortlessly through difficult lift
sequences, Keaulana maneuvered his way across the waves while holding
Terada high and dry to swing and loop like a yo-yo at the end of a
trickster's string. Their movements were graceful with perfectly executing
lifts in a style that was magic to the eye. Defending world champion tandem surfing team Brian Keaulana & Kathy
Terada (Makaha, Hawaii) flying high at Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, today,
in the World Title of Tandem Surfing, presented by Tsunami's Waikiki.
Photo credit: cunninghamphotos.com "We were just looking to maximize the sequence of moves we could get on a wave, so all the while that Kathy was up in the air, we were calling out to each other saying 'this move next, then that move'... It was a good heat," said Keaulana. Kauai pair Blanche Yoshida and Kalani Vierre were similarly impressive in the last heat of the day. Yoshida was part of the world champion tandem team back in 1968, holding the title through 1973. At 54 years of age today, she hasn't lost an ounce of the flair or passion for tandem that she had all those years ago. Teamed up with one of Hawaii's most proficient watermen, they are on track to challenge Keaulana & Terada for the title. In all, five of today's winning teams were from Hawaii: Keaulana/Terada; Duane DeSoto/Brianna Holguin; Bear Woznick/Krystl Apeles; Chuck Inman/Tiffany Rabacal; Kalani Vierra/Blanche Yoshida. Three California teams also tasted victory: Clay & Kristen Hungtington; Caleb Wilborn & Wendy Lynn; and Brian and Illa McEvily. Joining them to advance to tomorrow's quarter finals are: Jason Lusk/Leena Yada (CA); Ryan Reynolds/Jennifer Jacquez (CA); Loic Caillet/Caroline Angibaud (France); Archie Kalepa/Jaime Punakashi (HI); Charles Christensen/Myra Burg (CA); Mark & Debbie Gale (CA); and Sean Remos/Susannah Chun (HI). The quarter finals and semi-finals of the Main Event will take place tomorrow and conclude with the final on Saturday. The World Title of Tandem Surfing, presented by Tsunami's Waikiki, is a feature event of the Duke's OceanFest Celebration. For more information on Duke's OceanFest, please visit
www.dukefoundation.org RESULTS: World Title of Tandem Surfing, Presented
by Tsunami's Waikiki
# # #
For Immediate Release WORLD TITLE OF TANDEM SURFING UNDERWAY The top nine performing teams from today's trials heats advanced through the main event that will get underway around midday tomorrow. Hawaii's Brian Keaulana and Kathy Terada (Makaha) are the defending World Tandem Surfing champions and will make their debut as the top seeds, appearing in heat one of the main event tomorrow. They will surf against trials final winning pair Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Jacquez, of California, and one other local team. Above: Bear Woznick & Krystl Apeles (Hawaii), winners of the Masters
Division Today's Masters final was won by local Honolulu team Bear Woznick and Krystl Apeles. Woznick wears several hats this week, both hosting the world title event, and competing in two divisions - the main event and the Masters. Conditions for today's competition were tricky with waist-high surf that was at times inconsistent. "Tandem surfing in small waves is like trying to ride a bicycle slowly," explains Woznick. "It's way more preferable to tandem surf in bigger waves, but small waves are a real skill. I always encourage tandem teams to practice in small waves. There is so much fine-tuning of technique that takes place in small waves and that's what sees you through. In training, they will really reveal your weaknesses and show you what you need to work on." Unlike one person surfing alone on a surfboard, tandem surfing brings together a man and a woman who must demonstrate grace, good style, controlled lifts, and polished wave-riding - similar to pairs figure skating, only on a moving stage. On the technical side, the acrobatic lifts - of which there are 45 officially recognized moves, are rated according to difficulty and the tandem surfing pair must hold each position for a minimum of three seconds while riding the wave and demonstrating style and control. In addition, each individual lift must segue into another, making a sequence, or end neatly with the woman touching down with her feet on the surfboard in order to be scored. "When you're surfing with your partner, you want to move as if you're one person," says Woznick. "You get scored on your highest and hardest lifts, your sequence of lifts, your style, and your surfing. "Our winning move today was a cobra - it's the fourth hardest move out of the official 45 tandem surfing lifts, and when you're doing lifts of that degree, you need a really awesome partner and that's what Krystl Apeles was for me today." While the aloha spirit embodied by Duke and many of the other Waikiki Beachboys who pioneered tandem surfing in days gone by has been perpetuated by today's tandem teams, the level of surfing definitely shows a half-century of growth. "It used to be that the man was the elite waterman and he'd simply grab a woman off the beach, teach her a few lifts and then take her out to surf," said Woznick. "Today, we're seeing more and more elite women athletes who are highly tuned. For example, Krystl is a gymnast, practices aikido and ballet, and is a stunt cheerleader. I hope the old beachboys who are still down here are watching today are enjoying what we're doing. I don't think they understand how important they are to what we're doing today." One of the highlights of today's competition was the inclusion of teams from Florida for the first time. Mother-and-son team Brent & Brenda Brint competed in the trials heats while fellow Floridian Lance Maki and his local Hawaii partner Anna Manuel placed fourth in the Masters final. Maki is considered to be the father of tandem surfing in Florida and will host the top teams in Florida for the first time later this year. The first-ever International Tandem Surfing Association (ITSA) sanctioned event to be held in Florida will take place over the Labor Day weekend at Cocoa Beach, as a fundraiser for the National Kidney Foundation. Second place in the Masters division went to Charles Christensen and Myra Bang, from California, who are technically the oldest pair in the event with a combined age of 101 years. Third place was husband/wife team Mark and Debbie Gale, also from California, who were the defending World Masters Tandem Champions coming into today's event. The final of the trials division was won by young Californian team Ryan Reynolds and Jennifer Jacquez, who have only been tandem surfing for one year. Tomorrow they will take on the world's best in defending champion pair Brian Keaulana and Kathy Terada, of Oahu, Hawaii. "We do a lot of club competitions in California, but this is THE contest if you're into tandem surfing," said Jacquez. "It's such a small community, tandem surfing, so it's camaraderie and competitiveness at the same time. It's awesome. Our first goal was just to make it to the main event, so we're very excited to have made it. To be in a contest with Brian and Kathy is amazing. They are world class, so it's something for us to aspire to one day. We're surfing with the best, so it's easier. The expectations are off now." The first round of the Main Event will take place tomorrow, continue
on Friday, and conclude with the final on Saturday. # # # |
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In this photo released by the International Tandem
Surfing Association, ITSA co-founder Bear Woznick, 53, of Honolulu
holds his partner, Krystl Apeles, overhead using one arm as he surfs
at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007, during the
Duke's OceanFest. The week-long celebration honors legendary surfer
Duke Kahanamoku. Woznick and Apeles won the Masters Division today.
Teams from Hawaii, California, France and Brazil, and Australia will
be competing for the rest of the week. The World Title of Tandem Surfing
finals will be held Saturday, August 25, 2007. (AP Photo/ ITSA, Carol
Cunningham)
International Tandem Surfing Association HAWAII © 2007 | molokaibear@aol.com