Young surfers rip it up as NSSA comes to Wrightsville Beach

This weekend, the National Scholastic Surfing Association was at Wrightsville Beach and some of the area's best young surfers were on hand trying to rip up the waist high swell and improve their surfing. "NSSA is a good thing to do if you are an up and coming surfer around here," said NSSA member Mason Barnes. "There's districts in California, Hawaii, up and down the east coast and everybody just shows up at their local spot for their local district and then everyone meets down at Sebastian Inlet down in Florida, and then if you keep doing good, you go to nationals, which is the whole world at lowers in California,” explained fellow surfer Evan Barton who attends Hoggard High School. More than 80 NSSA events, including this one at Wrightsville Beach, are run nationwide that culminate with the annual national championships. NSSA regional directory Anthony French said, "Wrightsville's a great place. We always feel welcome here. There's great support from the surf shops, the people, the town of Wrightsville Beach, the parks and rec, as well as the police department and ocean rescue." The NSSA is one of the few national youth sports organizations that require its participants to maintain academic standards in order to compete. "The competition is really good; it pushes my surfing. All the guys are really good, so that's what pushes me," said Dylan Kowalski who spent much of his winter training in Hawaii and returned home to Wrightsville Beach to compete in the NSSA event. While there were some gnarly little wipe outs, the contest made a big splash. "This is a fairly new district coming to Wrightsville Beach and the Outer Banks. Before this, me and my family were driving down to Florida to compete in NSSA every weekend," Barton said. For more information on the NSSA, log onto NSSA.org. NSSA Mid Atlantic Conference Results March 7, 2009 Location: Wrightsville Beach, NC Conditions: 1’-3’ SW Wind Glassy in the morning a little onshore breeze in the afternoon. Sunny and Warm. Regional Sponsors: Monster Energy, Rip Curl, Kaenon polarized Eastern Surf Supply, Freak Traction, Freestyle Watches National Sponsors: NoFear, Nike 6.0, Surfing Magazine, HSS, Sexwax Results: Open Mini Grom 1st place Stevie Pittman Newport, NC 2nd place Luke Gordon Pawley’s Island, SC 3rd place Katie Gordon Pawley’s Island, SC Open Boy’s 1st place Weston Williams Ocean Isle, NC 2nd place Tyler Faulkner Carolina Beach, NC 3rd place Stevie Pittman Newport, NC 4th place Luke Gordon Pawley’s Island, SC 5th place Zackery Freyer Garden City, SC Open Juniors 1st place Dylan Kowalski Wrightsville Beach, NC 2nd place Mason Barnes Wrightsville Beach, NC 3rd place Cam Richards Garden City, SC 4th place Knox Harris Ocean Isle, NC Open Men 1st place Cam Richards Garden City, SC 2nd place Evan Barton Wrightsville Beach, NC 3rd place Nick Rupp Ocean Isle, NC 4th place Dalton Gilley Wilmington, NC Explorer Women 1st place Katie Gordon Pawley’s Island, SC 2nd place Alison Bowman Virginia Beach, VA 3rd place Morgan McIntyre Morehead City, NC 4th place Bree Kleintop Virginia Beach, VA 5th place Katy Mac Fitzgerald New Bern, NC Explorer Girls 1st place Bree Kleintop Virginia Beach, VA 2nd place Katie Gordon Pawley’s Island, SC 3rd place Alison Bowman Virgina Beach, VA Explorer Sr/Master 1st place Daniel Sacchi Wilmington, NC 2nd place Chester Pittman Newport, NC Explorer Longboard 1st place Brad Rose Myrtle Beach, SC 2nd place Weston Williams Ocean Isle, NC 3rd place Tyler Faulkner Carolina Beach, NC 4th place Chaz Schuck Mt. Pleasant, SC 5th place Morgan McIntyre Morehead City, NC Explorer Menehune 1st place Weston Williams Ocean Isle, NC 2nd place Tyler Faulkner Carolina Beach, NC 3rd place Luke Gordon Pawley’s Island, SC 4th place Alison Bowman Virginia Beach, VA Explorer Boy’s 1st place Cam Richards Garden City, SC 2nd place Weston Williams Ocean Isle, NC 3rd place Tyler Faulkner Carolina Beach, NC 4th place Jack Brandon Wilmington, NC 5th place Knox Harris Ocean Isle, NC Explorer Jr. 1st place Evan Barton Wrightsville Beach, NC 2nd place Nick Rupp Ocean Isle, NC 3rd place Cole Richards Garden City, SC 4th place Dylan Kowalski Wrightsville Beach, NC Explorer Men 1st place Cole Richards Garden City, SC 2nd place Evan Barton Wrightsville Beach, NC 3rd place Dalton Gilley Wilmington, NC 4th place Daniel Sacchi Wilmington, NC