Toyota USA Surfing Prime Series 2021 Season Opener

Indiatlantic, Fla. (January 24, 2021) – A NASA rocket launch during finals day set the tone for the start of the 2021 East Coast Toyota USA Surfing Prime Series at the Space Coast’s Paradise Beach. 

The elite contest drew the best junior surfers from New York to Florida. After months of Covid shutdowns, USA Surfing head coach Brett Simpson was stoked to see surfers back in Toyota jerseys competing again. “It was so nice to see the kids have those competition nerves, jitters and excitement again,” Simpson said. “Even though it had been awhile, there were some great performances.” 

Palm City, Florida’s Zoe Benedetto took double wins in girls under 16 and under 18 divisions and shared the highest score of the event – a 9.33 with boys U16 winner  Deerfield Beach Florida’s Sterling Makish. Zoe earned the 9.33 with two powerful backside combination maneuvers. Sterling launched a big air reverse for a 9.33 and backed it up with an 8.27 to earn the event’s highest heat total. Boys under 14 winner Vance Weyant had big maneuvers frontside and backside. Coach Simpson applauded Vance’s wave selection. 

RESULTS

Girls U18

1st   Zoe Benedetto, Palm City, Fla.

2nd Taylor Green, Milton, Fla. 

3rd  Madison Lavender, Sorrento, Fla 

4th  Niyah Rosen, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Boys U18

1st  Ryan Huckabee, Flagler Beach, Fla. 

2nd Owen Moss, Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

3rd  Carl Burger, Flagler Beach, Fla.

4th  Blayr Barton, Virginia Beach, Va.

Girls U16

1st  Zoe Benedetto, Palm City, Fla. 

2nd Kylie Pulcini, Melbourne, Fla. 

3rd  Niyah Rosen, New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

4th  Kora Passarelli, Indiatlantic, Fla.  

Boys U16

1st  Sterling Makish, Deerfield Beach, Fla.

2nd Kepa Mendia, West Palm Beach, Fla.

3rd  Carl Burger, Flagler Beach, Fla.

4th  Owen Carter, Wrightsville Beach, N.C. 

Boys U14

1st   Vance Weyandt, Tequesta, Fla. 

2nd  Mako Musilinus, Garden City, S.C.. 

3rd   Beckham McCart, Indiatlantic, Fla.

4th   Dylan O’hallaron, Viera, Fla.

The Toyota USA Surfing Prime Series is the highest level of junior surfing in the nation, and is now an official part of the Olympic Development Program as recognized by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. 

The Toyota USA Surfing Prime Series makes stops along both East and West coasts and culminates in the USA Surfing Championships in June. The competition was created to bridge the gap young surfers experience when trying to make the leap from pro junior competition to next-level competition opportunities, including a position on the USA Surfing national teams, the World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series and potentially the Olympics and WSL Championship Tour. 

In addition to Caroline Marks, several current WSL pro surfers honed their competitive skills through USA Surfing’s Prime Series, including 3rd-ranked Lakey Peterson, 5th-ranked Kolohe Andino, 2018 US Open champions Courtney Conlogue and Kanoa Igarashi, fan favorites Conner Coffin and Griffin Colapinto. New Jersey’s Ben Gravy (Graeff) was on USA Surfing’s national team that competed in ISA World Championships in Australia in 2005. Wildwood Crest’s Maddie Peterson was on USA Surfing’s 2014 ISA World Junior Championship team. The Prime Series champion and podium roster is a who’s who in American surfing. 

Media 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 and Paralympic Committee (USOPC). 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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