NSSA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Timmy Reyes, a senior at Edison High, is the No. 1-seeded competitor at the National Scholastic Surfing Assn.’s Western Regional Championships, which begin Friday and continue through Sunday in Huntington Beach.

The competition, which features more than 400 surfers from NSSA’s Southwest and Gold Coast conferences, serves as a qualifier for the NSSA National Championships, scheduled June 27-July 1 at Lower Trestles south of San Clemente.

Reyes was the Southwest Conference’s Open men’s and Explorer juniors champion on March 21 at Church’s, south of San Clemente. Joining him will be second-seeded Micah Byrne, a five-time NSSA champion and senior at Huntington Beach High who finished third in last year’s open men’s competition.

The Western Regional Championships features two events: the open and explorer championships.

The open is a student-only competition which includes a men’s division (ages 16 and up), juniors (13-15), boys (12 and under), mini groms (10 and under), women (all ages) and bodyboard (all ages).

The explorer includes competition in a wide range of student and non-student categories: men’s division (all ages), juniors (15-17), boys (13-14), menehuene (12 and under), women (all ages), masters (15 and up), seniors (35 and up), super seniors (45 and up), longboard (all ages) and bodyboard (all ages).

Among other county surfers scheduled to compete are Huntington Beach’s Lizz Kampen, who won the open women’s title last year; Darren Brilhart of Huntington Beach; Chad Wells, Chas Wickwire and Chas Chideser of Seal Beach; Travis Northey of Laguna Niguel; Chiron Stewart of Costa Mesa; Patrick and Tanner Gudauskas, Travis Mellem and Mark Austin of San Clemente, and Jeremiah Klein of Anaheim.

Competition on the south side of the pier begins at 6:30 a.m. each day and all finals will be Sunday. Admission is free.