Santa Barbara’s Lakey Peterson reeled in her second straight NSSA National Championship today, benefiting from a late interference call that propelled Peterson into the lead just when it looked like it would be Nage Melamed claiming the title.
Men's Open runner-up Conner Coffin, left, and co-Men's Open finalist Parker Coffin, right, flank Women's Open champion Lakey Peterson. Parker Coffin was champion in Explorer Junior Boys.
Peterson was stuck in second place with the clock running out on their 30-minute heat when Melamed dropped in on Catherine Clark in a way that forced the judges to rule interference on the Hawaiian, which automatically halved her score and boosted Peterson to the win.
In the Men’s Open division, Conner Coffin and Parker Coffin surfed through four heats each to meet in the final, one of the few times the brothers have surfed against each other in competition. It was a first for brothers competing in the same Open men’s final at the NSSA Nationals. Joining them were Floridian Evan Geiselman and Hawaiian Kaimana Jaquias.
Paquias controlled the final after posting an early 8.25, which turned out to be the highest score of the heat. Conner Coffin was in the hunt, tucking away scores of 6.5 and 6.0 to stay within easy striking distance of Jaquais. Coffin could only find three waves in the heat, however, and Jaquias held out for his first NSSA National title.
Parker Coffin, 14, already had a national championship under his belt, having won the Explorer Junior Boys earlier on Saturday.
