Mau Ah Hee won his third open men’s title at the Ole Longboard Classic, Saturday at Launiupoko Park.
The 24th annual longboard contest had a record 259 entries in 13 divisions. The open men division was the biggest with 40 surfers.
The 29-year-old from Lahaina, who also won the open men in 2006 and 2008, was runner-up the past four out of five years. Ah Hee won a split decision over last year’s champion, Eric Casco. Ah Hee also won the 19-29 age group.
“To finally win it is crazy,” Ah Hee said. “I was worried about Eric’s lefts, he loves going left. I just do what I do.”
Doing what Ah Hee does, at Launiupoko’s Lahaina peak, is going right. His third and final wave started right, then he faded left, stepped to the nose for a cheater five, then a quick hang ten, then a cutback, two more quick steps to the nose, and he was at the opening of the keyhole to the tide pool. That was his highest scoring wave on all three judges sheets.
“I’m happy for Mau,” Casco said. “He deserved it today.”
Casco won the 30-39 age group and the Ole board division. He rode the 10-foot Ole board he won at the Kimo’s longboard contest in May. “I wanted the Ole division. I was focusing hard on that division.”
For the second year in a row, a Honolulu girl won the open women. Ashley Ahina, 26, a lifeguard at White Plains beach, won despite catching only two waves in the 15-minute final. Her graceful nose-riding stood out among the finalists.
“I loved it, it was firing,” Ahina said. “I was stoked that there was surf, this is perfect for longboarding. The girls were amazing out there.”
Kelis Kaleopaa, of Honolulu, finished second in the open women and defeated 17 other girls to win the junior women. She also placed third in the 12-14 junior division, a mixed class of boys and girls. Her open women and junior women final were back-to-back. After her open women heat at the Lahaina peak, she had to paddle to the Kihei peak for her junior final.
“It was stressful trying to get there, never paddled so fast in my life,” Kaleopaa said. “The waves were awesome, it was the best conditions until the wind came up.”
Glen Fukushima (50-59) and Mickey Ester (60 & over) defended their titles. Other winners included Chase Burnes (menehune), Zachary Newton (junior men), Ken Goring (40-49), and the father-daughter team of Christopher Simpson and Chrislyn Simpson-Kane in the tandem.
Menehune (11 & under)
1. Chase Burnes
2. Rafi Neri
3. Taryn Taoka
4. Dylan Sloan
5. Stella Valdez
6. Abby Balmus
Ethan Speltz, 12-14 champion
Juniors (12-14)
1. Ethan Speltz
2. Landen McLaughlin
3. Kelis Kaleopaa
4. Ty Simpson-Kane
5. Kai Claydon
6. Jackson Bunch
Junior Men (15-18)
1. Zachary Newton
2. Kaniela Stewart
3. Kaimana Takayama
4. Itai Holland
5. Nicholas Delos Santos
6. Morgan Davis
Kelis Kaleopaa, Junior Women champion
Junior Women (18 & under)
1. Kelis Kaleopaa
2. Kirra Seale
3. Lara Claydon
4. Kyra Duldulao
5. Nora Liotta
6. Alicia Kelley
Mau Ah Hee, Open men & 19-29 champion
19-29
1. Mau Ah Hee
2. Nelson Ahina
3. Zye Norris
4. Ashley Ahina
5. Sierra Lerback
6. Kazuma Saita
Eric Casco, 30-39 & Ole board champion
30-39
1. Eric Casco
2. Kekaula Campbell
3. J.P. Kelopaa
4. Fritz Belmoro
5. Casey Casco
6. Ben Gee
Ken Goring, 40-49 champion
40-49
1. Ken Goring
2. Mike Wilmeth
3. Judd Lau
4. Cade Duldulao
5. Ryan Schooley
6. Jeff Hudson
Glenn Fukushima, 50-59 champion
50-59
1. Glenn Fukushima
2. Kana Saita
3. David Wilson
4. Tomi Tsuda
5. Bruce Baptiste
6. Tom Talbot
60 & over
1. Mickey Ester
2. Nathan Moody
3. Kevin Eide
4. Moe Serafica
5. Snake Ah Hee
6. Barry Brown
Ole Division
1. Eric Casco
2. Mau Ah Hee
3. Kekaula Campbell
4. Fritz Belmoro
5. Ken Goring
6. J.P. Kaleopaa
Ashley Ahina, open women champion
Open Women
1. Ashley Ahina
2. Kelis Kaleopaa
3. Sierra Lerback
4. Kirra Seale
5. Makoa Ah Sam
6. Mahealani Ah Hee
Open Men
1. Mau Ah Hee
2. Eric Casco
3. Kekaula Campbell
4. Kaimana Takayama
5. Nelson Ahina
6. Kaniela Stewart
Chris Simpson & Chrislyn Simpson-Kane, tandem champions
Tandem
1. Chris Simpson / Chrislyn Simpson-Kane
2. Mike Wilmeth / Jessica Davis
3. Isaac Teodoro / Itai Holland
4. Abby & Annaliese Balmus
5. Dylan Sloan / Mike Davis
6. Auggie & Stephanie Constantino