New Zealand Wins Surfboat Event

With four victories and two second-place finishes, New Zealand captured the first round of the Pride of the Pacific Surfboat Rowing Challenge at Pacific Beach Sunday. The Kiwis amassed 16 points to Australia’s 14, while the U.S. was a distant third with six points.

The six-race event was the first of three legs of a world championship. Each team consists of five lifeguards, four who paddle and one who steers the 420-pound skiffs through a 400-meter course from surf to sea and back. The series will make two more stops, in New Zealand Nov. 29 and Australia Dec. 6. Australia scored two victories and four second-place finishes. The U.S., represented by Santa Monica lifeguards, was third in every race. This is the second year the U.S. has raced the surfboats, which have a lengthy history in the South Pacific.

“Our team does very well in low surf conditions, which we had today,” said New Zealand’s Andy Jujnovich. “It is very encouraging that the U.S. has taken on surfboats. They’re steadily improving and that makes for better competition.”

FOOTBALL

Lincoln rallied to score 24 points in the second half but lost, 34-24, to Kahuku High in the second game of the Shawn Akina Memorial Classic at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu late Saturday. The Hornets, defending City Central League champions, trailed, 27-0, before quarterback Akili Smith threw two touchdown passes and running back Jimmy Greene rushed for two scores.

Greene, who had touchdown runs of 36 and 13 yards, finished with 68 yards on 15 carries. Smith completed 11 of 27 passes for 135 yards and had one interception. Smith had scoring passes of 16 and seven yards.

SOCCER

Toby Taitano and Guillermo Jara each had a goal and an assist to lead the University of San Diego to a 4-2 victory over its alumni at Valley Field.