Fourteen year-old poster girl for the Roxy Jam Honolulu by Schick Quattro For Women, Kelia Moniz, will enter tomorrow's final at Waikiki as the youngest competitor in the event and the sentimental favorite.
The daughter of former professional surfer Tony Moniz (Hawaii), Kelia maneuvered her way through a highly rated field of women in the quarter finals and semi finals of the competition today to reach the final round of action. Her stylish light-but-surefooted board work was well received by thousands lining the shores of Waikiki, but none were more proud than her own father.
Moniz will be joined in tomorrow's final by fellow Oahu surfer Crystal Dzigas and a pair of Californians in veteran longboarder Julie Whitegon and Lindsay Steinriede. Both Moniz and Dzigas have expressed being nervous during their heats, but it has never shown in their performances.
While waves have been on the small side throughout this event - ranging from one to three feet, both have demonstrated a full repertoire, particularly impressive with their lengthy nose-rides and critical top-to-bottom carves, drawing out every available ounce of power from the rides at hand.
If they have a single fear between them heading into the final tomorrow, it is Whitegon, who has been known for more than a decade to be one of the fiercest competitors and most powerful longboarders in international ranks. She's no stranger to Waikiki either, having competed here on many occasions over the years.
Whitegon is recovering from knee surgery and her right leg is visibly weaker than her left, but the injury hasn't held her back at all. Today she accounted for world champion elect Jennifer Smith in the quarter finals. Whitegon won all of her heats en-route to the final.
"I'm super nervous, more nervous than for any of these heats," said Dzigas, the more experienced of the Hawaii girls set for the final who spoke for both. "There's too many emotions... excited, nervous. "For the girls who surf here, we can surf this wave with our eyes closed, so we definitely have a bit of an advantage, so hopefully we can use that tomorrow.
"I've watched Julie Whitegon surf and she's going to be a very tough competitor tomorrow. She's very powerful, very together. She's amazing. It's going to be hard!"
The Roxy Jam Honolulu is the first stand-alone professionally sanctioned longboard event to be held here and tomorrow's finalists will be battling it out for a share of the $5,000 prize purse. First place receives $2,000, the runner-up will receive $1,000, third and fourth will earn $600 and $400 respectively. The balance was distributed among today's semi-finalists.
Equal fifth in the event, being eliminated in the semi-finals today were Miku Uemura (HI) and Megan Godinez (HI). They received $300 each. Equal seventh, also losing in the semi's, were Jennifer Koki (HI) and Livia Nehinu (HI). They earned $200 for their efforts.