VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. (WAVY) — The 60th East Coast Surfing Championships kicked off Sunday at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
It is a week-long event (August 21-28), with pros across the region competing for the trophy.
Story Martinez, a 10-year-old Virginia Beach native, is making a name for herself all over the country. Story tells 10 On Your Side she already has about 150 surf awards.
Last month, she took home 2nd place in Explorer Women’s Long Board division in the National Scholastic Surfing Association (NSSA) Championship in California.
Now she’s back to compete in her hometown!
She is one of the youngest people to surf in the ECSC world surf league qualifying event.
“I got confirmed a couple days ago,” Story said. “It’s really exciting !”
Darren Brilhart, ECSC surf director, said usually the women are 18 to 25 years old. “It’s really rare to have someone qualify that young!” Brilhart said.
Story is up for the task. Her dad, Ashley Martinez, said she will miss her first day of school at Norfolk Collegiate to compete.
“She just wants to hang out with all those pro girls that she looks up to,” Ashely Martinez explains. “She gets a little better every time she surfs. Whether she’s surfing in the Virginia Beach, North Carolina or on the West Coast!”
She hopes to place this week against the pros to pursue her goal of making it to the World Surf league tour.
“I want to go to Tahiti, Australia, and a bunch more places!” Story said.
