San Clemente's Nate Yeomans may have just made a reservation for next year's ASP World Tour. By winning the 6-Star Prime O'Neill Cold Water Classic in huge surf at Steamer Lane the dynamic goofyfooter has jumped all the way up to 8th in the WQS rankings from the No. 27 slot. He now stands a great chance of jumping up into the major leagues along with fellow Californians Patrick Gudauskas and Brett Simpson in 2010.

Lord knows Yeomans was due to cash in on some of the good karma he'd racked up over the years. The 27-year-old has been battling on the WQS for what seems like forever. He's won several smaller events at home in California, but none that have carried much weight. "I’ve been winning 2-Stars for too long and it was time for a big 6-Star win," he said. "To have my name up there with all of the great surfers who have won this event over the years is amazing. This is the biggest result of my career and I’m speechless. ”

Thanks to brands like Nike, Hurley and O'Neill, all of whom have stepped up their support of the WQS in North America this year, there has been far more points and prize money available to American surfers. The added opportunity has proven to be a productive launching pad guys like Yeomans, the Gudauskas brothers and Brett Simpson who are taking advantage of the added opportunities. Yeomans earned $20,000 for his win.

The Cold Water Classic in Santa Cruz was only a 4-Star last year when 17-year-old local boy Nat Young took the victory. While Young wasn't able to defend his title in the WQS event this week, he managed to redeem his early exit with another win in the Oakley Pro Junior division (a title he took back in 2007). He thrilled his home town crowd in the final where he edged Hawaiian Tonino Benson, who was also very impressive all week.

“I was the only kid from Santa Cruz in the junior, so I’m stoked,” Young said. “It’s great to build momentum up for Worlds, even though it’s far away, it’s good to win this event at home with so many good guys in the draw.”

The completion of the Santa Cruz event marks the end of the historic Cold Water Classic Series that was comprised of five events this year, including the first ever WQS event in Canada just last week. A very stoked Aussie Blake Thornton is taking home an extra $50,000 for taking the Series title.

O’Neill Cold Water Classic California Final:
1 - Nathan Yeomans (USA) 15.33
2 – Heath Joske (AUS) 8.60


O’Neill Cold Water Classic California Semifinals Results:
Heat 1: Nathan Yeomans (USA) 12.50 def. Alejo Muniz (BRA) 8.00
Heat 2: Heath Joske (AUS) 11.43 def. Luke Munro (AUS) 8.86

O’Neill Cold Water Classic California Quarterfinals Results:
Heat 1: Alejo Muniz (BRA) 12.50 def. Adriano de Souza (BRA) 8.00
Heat 2: Nathan Yeomans (USA) 15.00 def. Cory Lopez (USA) 12.53
Heat 3:
Heath Joske (AUS) 13.17 def. Damien Fahrenfort (ZAF) 9.10
Heat 4: Luke Munro (AUS) 9.67 def. Kieran Horn (USA) 8.46

Oakley Pro Junior ASP North America Championships Final Results:
1 - Nat Young (USA) 15.07
2 – Tonino Benson (HAW) 7.76
3 – Cody Thompson (USA) 7.73
4 – Dylan Goodale (HAW) 7.10

Santa Cruz super grom Nat Young, 17, kept his year of terror going by winning the Grade-3 Arnette All-Day Antics Pro Junior in Newport Beach. While this was his first victory of 2009, Young hasn't skipped a beat since going on his rampage during the second half of 2008, when he won the NSSA Nationals, finished second in the North American Pro Junior Rankings, and won the hallowed 4-Star O'Neill Coldwater Classic held in his own Santa Cruz backyard.


Young's victory at last year's Coldwater Classic was a ceremony of sorts, solidifying his ascension to fearless leader status in one of the nations most revered surfing communities. While the town has produced a number of celebrated surfers through the decades, Young is clearly carrying the torch now, representing the vanguard of a new generation of surfers up there.


Not surprisingly, he's being touted as the best young surfer in California right now. SURFER Magazine listed him at number 12 in this year's Hot 100 rankings, which was the highest of any west coaster. SURFER also listed Santa Cruz as the best surfing city to live in inside the U.S.. Young's performances undoubtedly played a role in that decision, having drawn a lot of the attention up that way. Traditionally, Santa Cruz tends to get overlooked since it's hundreds of miles away from the surfing industrial complex. Young heavy presence has been sucking some of the limelight up where it belongs.


The pride of Santa Cruz is now sitting at number three in the pro junior rankings, but with a handful of upcoming events on tap likely play right into wheelhouse (he's a lethal beachbreak surfer) don't be surprised to see him climbing. Young is hoping to qualify for the world junior championships in Australia, and he should be considered a huge threat if he gets the wildcard at this year's Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge in Bali, which is likely. As of today, Young is our frontrunner for Surfer Magazine's Breakthrough Performer of the Year, an award given out each year at their annual Surfer Poll Awards show. Stay tuned...