Santa Barbara 9-year-old Hamilton Jacobs made a big splash in the season-opening events of the National Scholastic Surfing Association Gold Coast Conference.
Hamilton was victorious in the Explorer Super Groms Division in the first two conference meets held at C Street in Ventura recently.
The NSSA meets feature youth age-group and adult divisions.
Hamilton’s twin brother, Curtis, took third place in the first meet at C Street. The sons of Chris and Charmaine Jacobs are fifth graders at Roosevelt School.
Chris Jacobs said the boys refer to themselves as the “surf twins,” and they actually were able to secure the domain name, surftwins.com. The family is working to get a web site up and running.
Chris Keet, the boys’ coach has another name for them.
“The ‘Wonder Twins’ are absolutely frothing at everything they do,” said Keet, the owner of the Surf Happens surf school. “They caught their first waves with us at summer surf camp when they were only 4 years old. They have really been honing their skills over the last 16 months. Hamilton is an absolute natural and already has an amazing backhand snap, while Curtis is a little bit less natural but has incredible drive and work ethic and will be amazing as well.”
In the both competitions, Keet said Hamilton was “throwing down huge backside slams reminiscent of a young Bobby Martinez.”
Santa Barbara’s Martinez surfed on the ASP World Championship Tour for several years.
The surf at C Street ranged between 2 and 4 feet for the doubleheader meets.
Keet was a double winner in both competitions, sweeping the Explorer Masters and Seniors Divisions.
Another highlight was Ventura’s Jabe Swierxocki scoring a perfect heat of 20 points in the Menehunes Division.
The Hamiltons and Keet will be back in action this weekend for NSSA Gold Coast Conference meets Nos. 3 and 4 at the Ventura Harbor on Saturday and Sunday.
GOLD COAST CONFERENCE EVENT #1
C STREET PIPE, VENTURA
EXPLORER MEN
1. Micky Clarke-Ventura
2. Josiah Amico-Ventura
3. Jason Knell-Santa Barbara
4. Nathan Smithson-Camarillo
5. Jeff Knell-Santa Barbara
6. Zane Booth-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER JUNIORS
1. Takumi Yasui-Saitama, Japan
2. Eithan Osborne-Ventura
3. Sean Woods-Thousand Oaks
4. Micky Clarke-Ventura
5. Izaiah Hansen-Morro Bay
6. Kairi Noro-Shishikui, Japan
EXPLORER BOYS
1. Eithan Osborne-Ventura
2. Tommy McKeown-Oxnard
3. Jabe Swierkocki-Ventura
4. Taro Watanabe-Malibu
5. Zane Booth-Goleta
6. Matt Pierce-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER MENEHUENE
1. Jabe Swierkocki-Ventura
2. Taro Watanabe-Malibu
3. Trevor Berry-Ventura
4. Koby Hughes-Encinitas
5. Hamilton Jacobs-Santa Barbara
6. Arata Tomatsuri-Summerland
EXPLORER SUPER GROMS
1. Hamilton Jacobs-Santa Barbara
2. Noah Steinmetz-Huntington Beach
3. Curtis Jacobs-Santa Barbara
4. Tanner Vodraska-Camarillo
5. Pitas Higgins-Ventura
6. Finn Bertino-Hermosa Beach
EXPLORER WOMEN
1. Steffi Kerson-Thousand Oaks
2. Ashley Held-Santa Cruz
3. Malia Faramarzi-Encinitas
4. Cassidy Urbany-Santa Barbara
5. Claire Loughlin-Ventura
EXPLORER GIRLS
1. Malia Faramarzi-Encinitas
2. Makena Burke-Ventura
3. Kyra Williams-Manhattan Beach
4. Riley Malmsten-Santa Barbara
5. Lily Reeve-Oxnard
6. Alana Moore-Carpinteria
EXPLORER MASTERS
1. Chris Keet-Santa Barbara
2. Eric Pohring-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER SENIORS
1. Chris Keet-Santa Barbara
2. Tony Foster-Cayucos
3. Brett Jordan-Ventura
4. Curt Harper-Santa Monica
GOLD COAST CONFERENCE EVENT #2
C STREET PIPE, VENTURA
EXPLORER MEN
1. Josiah Amico-Ventura
2. Micky Clarke-Ventura
3. Jeff Knell-Santa Barbara
4. Jason Knell-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER JUNIORS
1. Takumi Yasui-Saitama, Japan
2. Eithan Osborne-Ventura
3. Micky Clarke-Ventura
4. Eric Ronning-Ventura
5. Sean Woods-Thousand Oaks
6. Josiah Amico-Ventura
EXPLORER BOYS
1. Eithan Osborne-Ventura
2. Taro Watanabe-Malibu
3. Jabe Swierkocki-Ventura
4. Zane Booth-Goleta
5. Tommy McKeown-Oxnard
6. Matt Pierce-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER MENEHUENE
1. Jabe Swierkocki-Ventura
2. Taro Watanabe-Malibu
3. Finn Reyes-Camarillo
4. Arata Tomatsuri-Summerland
5. Liam Osborne-Ventura
6. Kaden Tsuji-Camarillo
EXPLORER SUPER GROMS
1. Hamilton Jacobs-Santa Barbara
2. Tanner Vodraska-Camarillo
3. Talen Vodraska-Camarillo
4. Pitas Higgins-Ventura
5. Noah Steinmetz-Huntington Beach
6. Wade Kirkelie-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER WOMEN
1. Steffi Kerson-Thousand Oaks
2. Ashley Held-Santa Cruz
3. Cassidy Urbany-Santa Barbara
4. Claire Loughlin-Ventura
5. Elle Miller-Ventura
EXPLORER GIRLS
1-Malia Faramarzi-Encinitas
2. Alana Moore-Carpinteria
3. Kyra Williams-Manhattan Beach
4. Makena Burke-Ventura
5. Maddie Malmsten-Santa Barbara
6. Riley Malmsten-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER MASTERS
1. Chris Keet-Santa Barbara
2. Eric Pohring-Santa Barbara
EXPLORER SENIORS
1. Chris Keet-Santa Barbara
2. Brett Jordan-Ventura
3. Mike Lamm-Oxnard
4. Tony Foster-Cayucos
5. Curt Harper-Santa Monica
AIRSHOW
1. Takumi Yasui-Saitama, Japan