Target Women's Junior Pro
Honda U.S. Open of Surfing
Huntington Beach Ca.
TARGET BRINGS JUNIOR WOMEN'S
SURFING TO HUNTINGTON BEACH
Surfersvillage Global Surf
News, HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. '
Junior women will have a
division of their own during
the Honda U.S. Open of
Surfing, July 22 to 31, for
the first time since
competitive surfing debuted
at the Huntington Beach Pier
in 1959. Target is
sponsoring the inaugural
Target Women's Junior Pro
showcasing the nation's top
young female surfers in the
world's largest surfing
arena.
Offering an unprecedented
$10,000 prize purse ' the
same as the junior men's
division ' the Target
Women's Junior Pro field is
set at 32 competitors. The
roster is headlined by
National Scholastic Surfing
Association (NSSA) Open
Women's Division champion
Carissa Moore (Honolulu),
Hello Kitty Boardfest
semi-finalist Courtney
Conlogue (Santa Ana) and
world junior surfing
champion runner-up Karina
Petroni (Atlantic Beach).
Also slated to compete are
Hawaiian Coco Ho, along with
Newport Beach standout Erica
Hosseini.
The Association of Surfing
Professionals (ASP)
sanctioned event is the
major U.S. qualifier for the
World Junior Championships
to be held in North
Narrabeen/Sydney, Australia
in January 2006. A grade
level 2, the highest
possible rating, the top
American finisher will join
Floridian Connie Arias,
winner of an East Coast
event earlier this year, in
representing the United
States.
'The women's junior division
is considered a stepping
stone for young surfers who
desire to move from the
amateur ranks to the pros,'
said ASP North America's Meg
Bernardo, who is championing
the concept. 'The fact that
Target is onboard in such a
big way is a defining moment
for the young women
competitors.'
In addition to a first place
prize purse of $2,500,
Target will be treating the
top four finalists to lunch
and major shopping spree at
an area store on July 27.
'Target has been inspired by
and is proud to be
affiliated with this amazing
group of young women, 'said
John Remington, vice
president of
communications. 'Our goal
for sponsoring this
first-time event is to feed
the profession of women's
surfing and help to elevate
it to new levels.'
The addition of a junior
women's division to the
Honda U.S. Open of Surfing
parallels the explosive
growth of women's surfing
across the nation.
Professionally and
recreationally the ranks are
beginning to swell as women
join in the lineup next to
their male counterparts.
Fueled by families returning
to the sport, all-girl surf
camps and myriad
manufacturers of women's
clothing, accessories and
hard-goods, participation is
at an all-time high.
The Honda U.S. Open of
Surfing Presented by
O'Neill, the world's largest
professional surfing
competition, anchors the
'2005 Bank of the West Beach
Games' which attracts more
than 600 international
competitors and features
surfing, skateboarding, BMX,
FMX and volleyball in
world-class venues along
with live concerts and an
interactive lifestyle
festival spread over 12
acres. All events are open
to the public, free of
charge. Surfing competition
begins on Friday, July 22
and runs through Sunday,
July 31. Consumer
information is available at
www.usopenofsurfing.com
and
www.bankofthewestbeachgames.com.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target
serves guests at 1,330
stores in 47 states
nationwide by delivering
today's best retail trends
at affordable prices. Target
is committed to providing
guests with great design
through innovative products,
in-store experiences and
community partnerships.
Whether visiting a Target
store or shopping online at
Target.com, guests enjoy a
fun and convenient shopping
experience with access to
thousands of unique and
highly differentiated items.
Target (NYSE:TGT) gives back
more than $2 million a week
to its local communities
through grants and special
programs. Since opening its
first store in 1962, Target
has partnered with nonprofit
organizations, guests and
team members to help meet
community needs.
Target Womens Junior Pro
Mike
Kingsbury
Juniors - Surfersvillage
