SF girl wins state surfing championship

It takes talent, patience and perseverance to become a competitive surfer in Northern California. Perfect days are at a premium, leaving kids to deal with chilly weather, contrary winds, icy-cold water and the threat of creatures lurking below.

But it can be done, as 16-year-old Emma Stone proved last Monday. A San Francisco surfer representing Half Moon Bay High, Stone won the Scholastic Surf Series state championship at Oceanside Harbor in San Diego.

Surfing against a field of Southern California girls, representing San Clemente, La Jolla, Carlsbad, Laguna Beach and other surf havens, Stone won the shortboard division to continue an impressive run.