RESULTS

Aloha na hoa o ka nalu: we were fortunate to run our contests in a narrow swell window that lasted almost exactly as long as we needed it!  Mahalo a ke Akua for the SSE 3 to 5 foot swell that we were blessed with. Despite strong and variable winds and lulls during some heats there were excellent athletic performances by our athletes in every division. In the Grand Championships Division Kai Santos, Wyatt Tillotson of the Senior Men's Division and the indefatigable Pedro Refuerzo from the Men's Masters Division battled it out for 1st, 2nd and 3rd as they did in the 2005 and 2006 contest. . . and Pedro, Kai and newcomer Chris Mercier bested a strong field of 9 of the best bodysurfers of our generation to share the $350 Pro Division purse. Both the Mercier brothers, Chris and Ben, and the Schwager brothers from Oz, Kevin, Anthony, and Chris put on outstanding performances. Our visitors from Australia, Kevin Schwager and Don McCredie finished 2nd and 3rd in the Masters,  and 5th and 8th in the GC, and Bob Jones took 4th in the Dugongs and 6th in the CG. Anthony showed us how to do the Australian crawl and set a new record for the Round the Green Buoy Swim covering the distance in just 11 minutes flat. Our own Kelly Girl Craven was back in the water after a maternity break and took first in the Women's Division. Point Panic regular Pili Lehano won the Junior Men's Division just barely outpointing Chris Mercier, and first time competitor Roland and Dj  Kahewai came in a strong 3rd and 4th. The waves of the day was Pedro's long, highlining ride from Dougie Land all the way to the wall with at least 5 graceful spinners that guaranteed him first place in the Men's Masters Division.  Contestants in the Paepo Division had some good sized waves at Flies and Jarrett Liu and Wyatt Tillotson battled it out for 1st and 2nd and young Sterling Higa came in a strong 3rd.

Mahalo nui loa to our dedicated judges and to the individual donors who made this event possible and to CTS Foundation, Hydro Sports Inc, Patagonia, the Outrigger Duke Kahanmoku Foundation, the Lehano Ohana, Manoa Honey Company, the Hawai`i State Bodysurfing Association and Pacific South Swells for providing prizes and monetary support.

From: The REDWINGS Memorial World Championships Meet Committee, co-Meet Directors Claude Higa, Michael Kliks    Head Judges Bill Wise, Jarrett Liu;   Logistics Support Kaleo Garlasa, Willie Ma`i`i, LeRoy Matthews, Andrew Stenger;   Security Ernie Foster, Chip Hartman;   WebMaster Scott Crawford. 

View photos: Greg Rice's photo album 2007 Redwing's Handboarding Championships! and Albert Balderama's photo albums Day #1 Saturday July 28, 2007 and Day #2 Sunday 29 July 2007!

CONTACT: MM KLIKS
mmkliks@hawaii.rr.com
www.redwingsmemorial.com