Kevin Skvarna Wins Back-to-Back US Kneeboard Titles

We like to say we always get lucky with the weather and waves for the KSUSA US Kneeboard Titles, and Huntington Beach has been good to us.  This winter we’ve seen wild surf and torrential storms, so we didn’t know what to expect.  A week before the contest a storm was flooding southern California and the surf forecasts for the contest were swinging from two feet to triple overhead. The day before the event it was small and blown out, almost unsurfable, but the forecast was favorable.  The morning of the contest we were greeted with beautiful weather, no wind, and consistent glassy surf with the biggest sets reaching head high plus.  The swell held up through the tide change and the wind stayed down through the afternoon finals.  We were stoked for an awesome contest day.

Congratulations 2024 US Kneeboard Open Champion Kevin Skvarna.  Kevin is now the youngest US Kneeboard Champion and only the second surfer to earn back to back Open Division Titles in the KSUSA era.  He is currently number three in the World and Pro Junior age division World Champion.  Kevin has accomplished all of this in just four kneeboard contests.  No stranger to watersports, Kevin Skvarna is a top tier professional surfer competing on the WSL Longboard Tour.  We are so stoked to have him represent the sport of Kneeboard Surfing.

This year’s Open Division was extremely competitive with veterans and former champions fighting it out with the young guns.  Former champion Chris Beresford had an amazing performance coming in second.  Shaun Murphy brought his power surfing back from Hawaii and surfed his way to third place.  Six-time Open Division champion, Jack Beresford secured fourth place and the Joel Mayer wave of the day award with his highlight reel surfing.  On the other end of the age spectrum, Scott Wessling, our oldest competitor took on the young guns all the way to the Open final and placed fifth.  Scott keeps showing us that you can get better with age.  Veteran kneeboarder Sean Noone really stepped it up this year, taking sixth in the Open with his excellent surfing.  We’re excited to have five of our Open Division finalists heading to South Africa to compete for the World Title in Jeffreys Bay in August as part of Team USA.

Congratulations to 2024 US Women’s Division Champion Marina Garcia Franco.  Marina traveled all the way from Spain to compete.  The Women were very competitive in both the Open Division and Women’s division heats.  It was awesome to see the Women’s final with some great waves and long paddles.  Last year’s Women’s Division Champion, surfer/shaper Rachel Lord came in second.  2022 Women’s Champion Patti Hook took third.

Congratulations to 2024 AAA Division Champion Ed Quinn.  Due to a change in format, the AAA division was more difficult than ever.  You had to reach the Open Semifinals to make it to the AAA final.  Last year’s AAA Champ, Liam O’Callaghan took second.  Jason Foster, always a great competitor came in third.  Traveling from Spain, Cesar Arenal Pidal took fourth.  Local legend Mike Fernandez claimed fifth.  Dynamic power surfer Chris Buscemi was sixth.

Congratulations to 2024 AA Division Champion Chris Linn.  Ed Dimick was runner up.  Representing Spain, Alberto Gonzalez Garcia placed third.  Mike Neal claimed fourth.  Mark Van Slooten took fifth. Richard Wallinger was sixth.

Every year we welcome kneeboard surfers from around the world to join us for the US Titles.  This year we were stoked to have a team from Spain, Marina Garcia Franco, Alberto Gonzalez Garcia, Cesar Arenal Pidal, and Jorge de Celis Rodríguez.  Team España did extremely well taking home the Women’s Division title and finalist positions in AAA and AA divisions.  Adam Shapiro represented South Africa with a strong showing into the Open quarterfinals.

Results:

Open Division:  1. Kevin Skvarna, 2. Chris Beresford, 3. Shaun Murphy, 4. Jack Beresford, 5. Scott Wessling, 6. Sean Noone

Womens Division:  1. Marina Garcia Franco, 2. Rachel Lord, 3. Patti Hook

AAA Division:  1. Ed Quinn, 2. Liam O’Callaghan, 3. Jason Foster, 4. Cesar Arenal Pidal, 5. Mike Fernandez, 6. Chris Buscemi

AA Division:  1. Chris Linn, 2. Ed Dimick, 3. Alberto Gonzalez Garcia, 4. Mike Neal, 5. Mark Van Slooten, 6. Richard Wallinger

Thank you to all who came out to watch the action and who attended and supported KSUSA at the awards celebration.

Finally, a special thanks to our generous sponsors for making this event possible.

Premier Sponsors: Barry Snyder Designs, Bilt Kneeboards, Blast Surf Designs Hawaii, Blenders Eyewear, Block Surf, BruSurf, Casa Sirena Surf Lodge, Freeline Design, TK’s Frog House, Kneelo Gear, Parkes Australia, Trimco Hardware, and Walden Surfboards.

Event Sponsors: Delahunt Brewing, Disorderly Images, GryptaLite High Performance Traction, Hanalei Fins, Hawaii Line International Apparel, Jeff Jensen, Kneelo Nation, KS.TV, Wayne Kopit, Plastic Fantastic Surfboards, Stonefish Skegs, The Blue Trip, Tidelines Tide Calendars, and Victory Koredry.

Photos thanks to Bob Gove, Chuck Smith, Brad Colwell, Kevin Skvarna

Established in 2003, Kneeboard Surfing USA is dedicated to promoting camaraderie in the sport of Kneeboard Surfing through competitions, kneelo gatherings and other activities.