ENCINITAS — Local surfers made a splash during Monday’s opening round of competition at the Sambazon World Junior Championships hosted by Best Western, advancing to the elimination rounds of the weeklong surfing competition at Seaside Reef.
For the women, Encinitas resident Alyssa Spencer, 19, won her heat on Jan. 9 with a score of 12.66 against Hawaii’s Puamakamae DeSoto and Japan’s Nanaho Tsukuki in the first round of the junior world surfing championships held off the shore of Cardiff State Beach.
Another Encinitas local, 19-year-old Ella McCaffray, came in second in her heat with a score of 10.43. Portugal’s Francisca Veselko won the heat with a score of 13.67. Sara Wakita of Japan took third with 8.14.
McCaffray and Wakita will face each other in an elimination round on Jan. 11.
On the men’s side, Levi Slawson, another 19-year-old surfer from Encinitas, won his heat with a score of 12.33, defeating Adur Amatriain of Basque Country and Noa Dupouy of France.
The Sambazon World Junior Championships consists of a field of 24 women and 24 men aged 20 years or younger from nine nations and six continents. The men’s and women’s winners will receive spots in the World Surf League Challenger Series.
Surfers took a break on Tuesday, Jan. 10 due to heavy rain.
MONDAY, JAN. 11 RESULTS
Heat 1
Men’s
- Winner: Kauli Vaast, France – 11.60
- Ryan Kainalo, Brazil – 9.90
- Tenshi Iwaami, Japan – 7.40
Women’s
- Winner: Ellie Harrison, Australia – 11.66
- Kirra Pinkerton, San Clemente, Calif. – 7.37
- Gemma Hanafey, South Africa – 3.27
Heat 2
Men’s
- Winner: Jackson Bunch, Hawaii – 13.63
- Brodi Sale, Hawaii – 11.83
- Saxon Reber, Australia 83
Women’s
- Winner: Sawyer Lindblad, San Clemente, Calif. – 13.33
- Sierra Kerr, Australia – 9.16
- Rubiana Brownell, Costa Rica – 5.16
Heat 3
Men’s
- Winner: Taro Watanabe, Malibu, Calif. – 11.73
- Tide-Lee Ireland, South Africa – 8.00
- Jett Schilling, San Clemente, Calif. – 6.77
Women’s
- Winner: Alyssa Spencer, Encinitas, Calif. – 12.66
- Puamakamae DeSoto, Hawaii – 9.57
- Nanaho Tsukuki, Japan – 9.46
Heat 4
Men’s
- Winner: Jarvis Earle, Australia – 10.73
- Joel Vaughan, Australia – 8.03
- Bitor Garitaonandia, Basque Country – 6.44
Women’s
- Winner: Erin Brooks, Canada – 11.50
- Luana Silva, Brazil – 11.40
- Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri, Basque Country – 11.04
Heat 5
Men’s
- Winner: Levi Slawson, Encinitas, Calif. – 12.33
- Adur Amatriain, Basque Country – 11.26
- Noa Dupouy, France – 7.53
Women’s
- Winner: Sol Aguirre, Peru – 12.40
- Anon Matsuoka, Japan – 9.43
- Zahli Kelly, Australia – 8.93
Heat 6
Men’s
- Winner: Eli Hanneman, Hawaii – 15.17
- Alan Cleland, Mexico – 11.30
- Tommy Coleman, Vero Beach, Fla. – 10.23
Women’s
- Winner: Aelan Vaast, France – 12.50
- Daniella Rosas, Peru – 10.17
- Eweleiula Wong, Hawaii – 10.17
Heat 7
Men’s
- Winner: Cauã Costa, Brazil – 12.20
- Lennox Chell, Australia – 11.33
- Kade Matson, San Clemente, Calif. – 7.53
Women’s
- Winner: Laura Raupp, Brazil – 8.16
- Rachel Presti, Germany – 6.86
- Louise Lepront, South Africa – 6.10
Heat 8
Men’s
- Winner: Oscar Berry, Australia – 11.50
- Luke Thompson, South Africa – 11.16
- Kian Martin, Sweden – 11.16
Women’s
- Winner: Francisca Veselko, Portugal – 13.67
- Ella McCaffray, Encinitas, Calif. – 10.43
- Sara Wakita, Japan – 8.14
