Here’s a question for you. What do you think of surf contests?
The story of my first surf contest is at this link..
https://drsurfboards.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-story-post-40-my-first-attempt-at.html
Over the years I’ve been
in maybe 4 or 5 others beside the one in the link above. Maybe 3 of the 4 or 5
were at the point in
Honestly surf contests are fine. But typically it seems to me the number of events that have any decent surf are few and far between. So why bother? That said… I competed in the annual “C” Street Classic the first of this month. September 2 and 3. Why?
The week going into that weekend a friend of mine asked me If I’d like to be in the contest that coming weekend. “why” I asked. “because it would be fun, you should come out” he says. Then says “Think about it, I’ll get back to you.” And that was it.
So I wake up Saturday morning fire up the computer to pay some bills. But first look at the surf via Surfline cameras and notice all this activity on the Ventura Promenade. ‘oh yeah there’s the surf contest today’. Then think I’d look at the contest web page to see who I might know in the event. Looking at the old man category I see guys I know and then see my name listed.
What???? ‘what the heck,
my friend put me in the event’? So I give him a call… he picks up and I say “you
put me in the contest”? “yeah where are you”? “I’m at home… you didn’t tell me
I was signed up” “well do you want to be in it?
the surf is really good.” “Well I
guess” I say “ but it’s
I’ve pretty much always got all my gear and boards in my van so I rush out the door to the beach. Get there, run to the check in both sign the disclaimer paper run back to the van, suit up all the while looking at some really nice surf. Grab my board walk down to the waters edge and paddle out. I get to the line up just as the horn goes off signaling the start of the heat.
The heat was 15 minuets. Not much time for 4 surfers to find enough waves to get a decent score total. But the surf was good and pretty consistent, no wait time for a wave. Catch a wave paddle back out catch another. Everyone got waves. And good ones at that. Though only 15 minuets, it was nice being in those conditions and not have to work though a crowd.
Back on the beach I find I’ve advanced and will be back for more Sunday morning. This time in a 20 minuet heat. The surf was even better for the final.
All in all it was fun. Just like I was told it would be.
D.R.
