Big waves, big action expected for NSSA national championships finals day in Surf City

Big waves are expected for the final day of the National Scholastic Surfing Association’s national championships on Thursday, July 3, a contest that has brought the best young surfers in the country to battle it out in Huntington Beach.

“Waves have been good every day of the event,” said NSSA Executive Director Janice Aragon, noting that the swell is expected to bring 4- to 6-foot surf for Thursday. “You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

The contest drew 600 surfers from around the country to compete, with about 60 left with hopes for the prestigious title going into the final day — only a handful will take to the podium by late afternoon.

With the strong swell expected, coupled with the talent level of the kids, “there’s going to be fireworks down here,” Aragon said. “Everybody should come down to check out the action, plus the weather is forecasted to be great.”

Each year, the level of the surfers gets better and better, she added.

“They are pulling off insane moves,” she said, noting there has been two perfect 10 scores during the event. “When the surf is firing, and you have the top kids in the nation, that’s a recipe for excitement … we’re so grateful the waves have cooperated.”

The south side of the pier is “the arena of surfing,” a place where in just a few weeks, pro-level surfers will be competing for the prestigious US Open of Surfing from July 26 to Aug. 3.

Many surfers who win NSSA national championships go on to compete at the US Open or even land on the prestigious World Tour.

“This is kind of the stepping stones to that, right here,” Aragon said. “It’s really a great training ground here — especially when the surf is firing.”

There are still plenty of local surfers in the running.

San Clemente’s Kai Finn and Tanner Sandvig, Huntington Beach’s Finn Castle and Dana Point’s Sean MacDonald are all in the men’s 18U quarterfinal matchups. Castle also made a spot in the U16 semifinals.

Huntington Beach’s Wyatt Yount and Greyson Walker, as well as San Clemente’s Zion Walla, are in the boys U14 final.

Newport Beach’s Brett Gregorious is in the boys U12 final. San Clemente’s Teagan Sandvig is in the girls U14 final and the U12 final.

The open men’s and women’s national champions are expected to be awarded the Mayor’s Cup at about 4:30 p.m. on the south side of the pier. For more information, go to nssa.org.