Malia Manuel, a 14-year-old from Wailua, Kaua'i, Hawaii became the youngest rider in history to win the U.S. Open of Surfing in Huntington, Beach, Calif., Saturday. Manuel defeated Coco Ho, 17, in the women's final 14.34 to 7.90.
"I'm so stoked right now," Manuel said in a story at the Association of Surfing Professionals Web site. "My sponsors gave me the wildcard into this event and I was just happy to be here. To get to surf against some of my heroes and to be in the final with my friend Coco is just something I would have never dreamed of."
Manuel defeated former ASP women's world champion Sofia Mulanovich of Peru in the quarterfinals and current ASP World Qualifying Series leader Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia in the semifinals.
"There weren't many waves out there this afternoon which was too bad," Manuel said. "I just got lucky that a couple linked up for me and I was able get some scores under my belt."
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