Dana Point, Calif. (December 9, 2018) – More than 100 of the best under 18 surfers on the West Coast battled it out at USA Surfing’s Got Milk? West Coast Prime Series held at Salt Creek.  Wins and places earned at Prime Series events cumulatively determine national rankings and a chance to compete at USA Surfing's national championships.

Thirteen-year-old Caitlin Simmers of Oceanside won both the girls U16 and U18 divisions. San Clemente’s Samantha Sibley earned the highest wave score with a 9.27. The highest heat total of the day went to William Tex Mitchell, whose combined 8.67 and 7.83 waves earned a 16.5 total.  

Salt Creek is the fourth of nine stops in the elite, cross-country competition. USA Surfing was stoked to welcome a new sponsor this weekend – Rise Brewing Company, an organic, nitro cold-brew coffee.  

Results are as follows:  

Girls U16

1st  Caitlin Simmers, Oceanside, Calif.

2nd Ella McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif.

3rd  Lilie Kulber, Los Angeles, Calif.

4th  Elle Emery, Dana Point, Calif.

Girls U18

1st  Caitlin Simmers, Oceanside, Calif. 

2nd Samantha Sibley, San Clemente, Calif.

3rd  Sawyer Lindblad, San Clemente, Calif.

4th  Ella McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif.

Boys U18

1st  Levi Slawson, Encinitas, Calif.

2nd William Tex Mitchell, Oceanside, Calif. 

3rd  Jabe Swierkocki, Ventura, Calif. 

4th  Koby Hughes, Encinitas, Calif.

Boys U16

1st  Taj Lindblad, San Clemente, Calif.

2nd Levi Slawson Encinitas, Calif.

3rd  Lucas Owston, Oceanside, Calif. 

4th  William Tex Mitchell, Oceanside, Calif. 

Boys U14

1st  Cole McCaffray, Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif.

2nd Cannon Carr, San Clemente, Calif. 

3rd  Dane Matson, San Clemente, Calif.

4th  Luke Wyler, San Clemente, Calif.

Prime Series competitors include surfers who placed highest in regional competitions held by USA Surfing’s affiliate organizations – the Western Surfing Association, Eastern Surfing Association, National Scholastic Surfing Association, Hawaiian Surfing Association and Texas Gulf Surfing Association. 

USA Surfing’s Prime Series was created to bridge the gap young surfers experience when working to make the leap to next-level competition opportunities, including a position on the USA Surfing national teams, the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series, the WSL Championship Tour and the Olympic Games. 

“The Prime Series which celebrates its 10thanniversary this year.It has been such a privilege to watch these athletes grow and progress,” USA Surfing President and Prime Series co-founder Andrea Swayne said.

Just this week USA Surfing team member Kirra Pinkerton became the first surfer from the United States to be crowned the WSL World Junior Champion.

Several current WSL pro surfers honed their competitive skills through USA Surfing’s Prime Series. Former East Coaster 16-year-old Caroline Marks, currently ranked No. 6 in the WSL, qualified for the Championship Tour while still competing in the Prime Series. Other greats include 2018 US Open champions Courtney Conlogue and Kanoa Igarashi, 2nd-ranked Lakey Peterson, Conner Coffin, Kolohe Andino, and Griffin Colapinto.

The Got Milk Prime Series continues in venues across the country including: 

• January 13 – 14, 2019 – USA Surfing Prime Junior Event – Steamer Lane, Santa Cruz, Calif.
• January 26 – 27, 2019 – USA Surfing Prime Junior Event – Satellite Beach, Fla. 
• February 9 – 10, 2019 – USA Surfing Prime Junior Event – Huntington Beach Pier, Calif.
• March 2 – 3, 2019 – USA Surfing Prime Junior Event and East Coast Junior Team Training – New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
• May 4 – 5, 2019 – USA Surfing Prime Junior Event – West Coast location TBD

The series culminates with USA Surfing Championshipsin June – the pinnacle competition with 250 of the nation’s top surfers competing for national titles and spots on the USA Surfing team at one of the world’s best surf breaks – Lower Trestles.  

Contact: becky (at) usasurfing (dot) org

USA Surfing is the National Governing Body for surfing in the United States, recognized by the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). USA Surfing’s mission is to promote and grow the sport of surfing and support United States athletes of all backgrounds to achieve sustained competitive excellence in Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American and Parapan American competition. USA Surfing will oversee and support America’s Olympic team as surfing makes its debut in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and surfing and stand-up paddleboarding athletes compete in the 2019 Pan American Games.

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