The best high school surf teams in the nation gathered this past weekend at Upper Trestles for the 5^th annual National Surf League (NSL) High School Cup National Championship featuring the “Game” format.  With a new south swell delivering 3-4 foot sets all day and glassy conditions, the Huntington Beach High Oilers took home their first ever NSL High School Cup national title by out dueling the San Dieguito Academy Mustangs in a display of some of the most progressive and innovative surfing ever seen in amateur competition as judged by a highly qualified judging crew of professional surfers.

The best high school surf teams in the country will meet at Upper Trestles, CA this weekend June 12-13 for the National Surf League (NSL) High School Cup Championships.

The top high school surfers in the country gathered this weekend in San Clemente to compete in the Red Bull Riders Cup National Championship, bringing with them ideal weather and near-perfect waves.  With a powerful swell pouring through Upper Trestles at San Onofre Beach all weekend long, the teams were given the chance to test their mettle and show their skills in the premiere high school surfing competition.  The eight teams – all of whom had earned their National Championship spots by dominating local rivals in Regional Championships – came from Florida, New Jersey and all up and down the Southern California coast.  The competition was fierce from the get-go, but in the end it came down to a grudge match between Mira Costa High and San Dieguito Academy that could only be settled in overtime.  When all was said and done, Mira Costa High School took the win and with it the bragging rights as 2009 Red Bull Riders Cup National Champions.

The stage is now set for the nation’s top eight surfing teams to face off at the fourth annual Red Bull Riders Cup National Championship. On June 6 and 7, the teams will take to the waves at San Clemente’s famed Upper Trestles at San Onofre State Beach and battle it out to determine the top high school surfing team in the country. Each of the eight teams have already proven themselves as the best in their region, as they fought through a long, competitive season, defeating local rivals to earn their spot in the National Championship.

The San Diego Regional Championships, the eighth and final regional stop of the 2009 Red Bull Riders Cup season, took place this week.  Participating high schools included Carlsbad High School, Point Loma High, Torrey Pines High, and San Dieguito Academy.  This stop of the Red Bull Riders Cup, the nation’s premier high school surfing competition, saw a classic rivalry continue as the 2007 and 2008 national champions battled it out against each other.  This year it was to be San Dieguito Academy earning the bragging rights as they defeated last years champs Carlsbad.

The Orange County Regional Championships, the seventh stop of the 2009 Red Bull Riders Cup season, took place this week in sunny, albeit “small” conditions. This stop of the Red Bull Riders Cup, the nation’s premier high school surfing competition, saw Orange County’s best high school surfers battle it out in a series of close games. Participating high schools included Huntington Beach High School, Newport Harbor High, Edison High, and San Clemente High. In a surprising upset, last year’s champion San Clemente High was knocked out in their qualifying game by Huntington Beach High, setting the stage for a new regional champion to be crowned.

The New Jersey Regional Championships, the sixth stop of the 2009 Red Bull Riders Cup season, took place this week in a cold tail end of the East Coast winter in Ocean City, New Jersey.  This stop of the Red Bull Riders Cup, the nation’s premier high school surfing competition, saw New Jerseys best high school surfers paddle out in mostly cold and difficult conditions.  Participating high schools included Ocean City High School, Southern Regional High, Manasquan High, Point Pleasant High and Middle Township High.

The South Bay Regional Championships, the fourth stop of the 2009 Red Bull Riders Cup season, took place this week during a cold snap in the Los Angeles South Bay beach break at El Porto.  This stop of the Red Bull Riders Cup, the nation’s premier high school surfing competition, saw L.A.’s best high school surfers battling against both each other and the cold and windy conditions.