Young and Jucker capture open divisions at 35th annual Surfbash

Cody Young and Sloane Jucker captured the open divisions at the 35^th annual Vissla / Hi-Tech / Lopez Surfbash, Saturday and Sunday at Hoʻokipa Beach Park on Maui’s north shore. The meet was the second event of the Hawaiʻi Surfing Association-Maui season.

The waves were a solid six-foot with some occasional close-outs for the open finals on Saturday. The younger divisions competed on Sunday in more manageable 3- to 4-foot conditions.

Young captured the open men, the largest division with 42 competitors. Last year Young finished third to his younger brother, Levi, and Logan Bediamol. This year the tables were turned as Bediamol was second again, but Levi was third.

“It feels good to get one back on Levi for sure,” said Cody. “Logan is one of the most underrated, super talented surfers. It’s a stacked field, the talent pool on Maui is obviously so deep.”

So deep that the open men’s winner two years ago, Jackson Bunch, of Pāʻia, qualified for the 2025 World Surf League World Tour, which determines the world champion. Cody Young is currently sixth in the Hawaiʻi / Tahiti region with hopes of qualifying for the WSL Tour.

The Surfbash gave Young a chance to get his competitive juices flowing again. “It’s always good to surf heats out here at my home break,” said the 25-year-old from Makawao. “Anytime you can put on a jersey and simulate that sort of energy that comes with competition This is like a small contest compared to you know I’m trying to pursue a professional career, but just doing this is great practice to kind of fuel that.” 

Jucker, a Maui Prep junior, claimed the open women, which had 18 competitors. She finished second in the girls 16-17 division when she couldn’t get a second high scoring wave, losing to Ione LaTurner. LaTuner didn’t advance in the open women.

“I was nervous about that lull (in the 16-17 final),” Jucker said. “I couldn’t really get that second wave, and then I ended up getting a small buzzer beater that put me into second. That lull was quite long.”

The open women had plenty of scoring opportunities for Jucker as she had the four highest scoring waves in her 20-minute final. Officials count the top two waves.

“It’s really fun out there,” Jucker said. “It’s a nice size, some of the sets were a little close out. But if you get the good ones, they can be really good waves.” 

Asher McClenahan, of Pukalani, won the biggest youth division, the 12-13 boys, which had 23 competitors. It was the 13-year-old Hawaiʻi Technology Academy seventh-grader’s first victory in HSA events.

“I’m super stoked because this is my first HSA contest win,” McClenahan said. “My final felt pretty good. As soon as I dropped my 6.5, I just waited a little bit longer, I was patient, then I got my 5.”

McClenahan described the wave that moved him into first. “I wanted to get a big snap, but I was a little bit late, and the wave was super foamy and bumpy so I bottom turned up and kind of like hit it under it and tried to project myself outward and I landed it. I knew I got the score to move into first.”

Nahuel Messera also claimed his first HSA win, taking the 14-15 boys. That division may have been the strongest age group with three former national champions among the 18 competitors.

The King Kekaulike freshmen from Haʻikū caught a wave at the end of the heat to move from fourth to first.

“Incredible, super psyched to get the wave that I wanted,” Messera said. “I was waiting for the other people that had priority in front of me. I wanted them to go on the waves before. I knew a set was going to come before the heat ended. Then I waited for that set when I had priority, and I got it and was able to do some good turns on it.”

“That was a special wave, a special contest,” Messera said. “Best contest ever. So happy to get my first HSA win.”

Kalli Sprenger, of Lahaina, repeated as the girls U12 champion. The other winners were Rocco Swift (boys/girls U10), Crew Oliver (boys U12), Ocean Lipstein (girls 12-13), Makaia Barnes (girls 14-15), Chase Burnes (boys 16-17), and Hans Vandervoort (open longboard). 

Boys / Girls (16)

U10

1. Rocco Swift 14.80
2. Axel Goya 13.17
3. Jack Grier 7.90
4. Jasiah Jack Lucas 7.70
5. Greyson DaProza 7.00
6. Felix Swift 2.67

Open Longboard (18)

1. Hans Vandervoort 12.07
2. Zolten Poulsen 10.83
3. Ines Beisso 8.37
4. Bode Davis 8.26
5. Kekoa LaBang 6.50
6. Bella Kuailani 5.80

Boys 

U12 (13)

1. Crews Oliver 14.47
2. Bryce Martins 11.30
3. Aukan Messera 10.00
4. Elan Bar 9.14

12-13 (23)

1. Asher McClenahan 11.70
2. Archer Oliver 10.67
3. Kai Martins 9.54
4. Kona Yamada 8.00

14-15 (18)

1. Nahuel Messera 13.70
2. Kaden Awad 11.40
3. Kahlil Pineres-Schooley 10.66
4. Matias Banto 10.50

16-17 (13)

1. Chase Burnes 15.76
2. Keano Jardine 10.30
3. Kingston Panebianco 8.90
4. Zolten Poulsen 7.20

Open (42)

1. Cody Young 12.97
2. Logan Bediamol 12.64
3. Steve Roberson 10.30
4. Levi Young 9.06
5. Kingston Panebianco 8.54
6. Rafi Neri 8.27

Girls

U12 (10)

1. Kalli Sprenger 12.30
2. Madison Cambier 9.03
3. Avery Stelow 7.60
4. Peata Lee-Hubin 5.87
5. Sayler Udell 5.84
6. Millie Colpas 2.00

12-13 (5)

1. Ocean Lipstein 10.50
2. Mayli Hack 10.42
3. Indy Forbes 6.66
4. Baylee Brown 6.47
5. Halia Barnes 5.70

14-15 (4)

1. Mikaia Barnes 10.40
2. Ayla Daian 9.07
3. Kaja Przeciechowska 5.90
4. Stella Pogni 4.96

16-17 (9)

1. Ione LaTurner 12.73
2. Sloane Jucker 8.67
3. Shia Boverman 8.60
4. Graye Smith 3.67

Open (15)

1. Sloane Jucker 12.97
2. Ayla Daian 9.77
3. Baylee Brown 9.67
4. Mayli Hack 6.33
5. Hadley Talavs 5.07
6. Ocean Lipstein 4.73