BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
PAELOGE Surfer, Sammy Kanzi is the winner of Western Solomons Surfing Association (WSSA) 2022 senior category surfing competition on Wednesday.
The finals were tense as participants dug deep to pull off a perfect barrel to get good points.
Kanzi came top in a split decision from second runner-up, one of the aspiring surfers, Tautau from Team Titiana.
Kanzi managed to execute perfect barrels, clean riding on waves as well as displaying eye-catching flips earning him top points and the title.
Second runner-up, Tautau also pulled off few barrels and clean wave riding but his performance proved insufficient for the top spot.
Junior White from Team Titiana also scoped the third prize walking away with a brand-new surfing board.
Both Kanzi and Tautau received cash prize. The trio will be part of a surfing team who will travel to Papatura Resort in Isabel province on a special surfing experience sponsored by Solomon Airlines.
In an interview with SunSPORTS, one of the judges, Jocul Ravia said the competition had been tough and gave the judges a hard time in making the decisions.
He said the standard of performances have improved compared to previous surfing competitions staged in the province.
“I commend all the surfers for the spectacular performances throughout the last two days. They have displayed great skills that I as an old surfer surprised myself,” Ravia said.
He said surfing is a difficult sport as it depends on waves and skills within the time limit of 15 minutes to register good points.
Ravia adds that the sports is anybody’s game.
“Even junior surfer can beat senior surfers if he or she catches a good wave,” he explained.
Ravia meanwhile said he had enjoyed watching young surfers improving and building up their skills in the sport.
