Youths to Compete in Surf Contest

Most of the top young surfers from across the country are scheduled to compete today in the inaugural USA Championships alongside the Huntington Beach Pier.

The event was conceived and organized by Surfing America, the newly appointed national governing body for the sport in the U.S.

The USA Championships includes prequalified surfers from the top amateur organizations in the country, the Eastern Surfing Assn., the Hawaii Amateur Surfing Assn., the National Scholastic Surfing Assn. and the Texas Gulf Surfing Assn. Boys and girls will compete in two divisions, and there will be divisions for longboarders and bodyboarders.

The event also includes the selection of a national team that will compete at the International Surfing Assn. Junior World Championships in December in Tahiti. The final rounds of the surf team selection will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Former world champion Pete Townend, founder and president of Surfing America, said the goal of the event was simple.

“What we’re after here is the birth of the next generation of U.S. surfers,” he said.

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At a Glance

* What: USA Surfing Championships

* Where: Two contest areas just south of Huntington Beach Pier.

* When: Today. First heats begin at 7 a.m. Competition for U.S. team berths will continue Saturday and Sunday from 4-5 p.m.

* Format: Four-person 20-minute heats; the finals are 30 minutes.

* Details: www.surfingamerica.org.