by Ed Solt
A haunting happened on the south side of the Manhattan Beach Pier in chest to high head surf on Sunday. Good corners and glassy conditions with light wind kept the spooks and goblins at bay all day at 2016’s Spyder Surf Scare and Tear Halloween surf contest.
“The Scare and Tear was started back in 2005 by Charlie Ninegar to honor Mira Costa Student Adam Frand and continues today in his honor,” said Spyder Surf’s Master of Horror Richard “The Ripper” O’Reilly. “It’s the most photogenic surf contest of the year. The Costumes were fantastic.”
A frightfully high air reverse doesn’t guarantee a win at the Scare and Tear. Surfing is awarded just half of the points. The other half–how rad is your costume.
In the Micro Zombies division, Joey Samuelian was the perfect Flash Gordon.
“Joey was ripping,” said O’Reilly. “He flashes brilliance — moving so quickly across every wave.”
Ultimate hotdogger Lucas Meyer decided to give his mom a good scare.
“That’s not ketchup on that hot dog. Super tough Lucas Meyer took his costume to the next level when he started gushing blood from his forehead after his board whacked him,” O’Reilly said.
Spidergirl, aka 11-year-old Olivia Lusby, channeled her inner Spyder Surfboard powers.
“Spidergirl came ready to take on all the bad boys and caught all but two in her web,” O’Reilly said.
Nevermind the repercussion of a beak full of barnacles, Cash Cherry was the perfect Crazy Chicken, never getting cooked to place 2nd.
“He kept using the pilings to rack up points as he shot the pier over and over,” O’Reilly said.
Mermaid Man, aka Beck Cherry, came out of retirement as Bikini Bottom’s elderly superhero from under the sea in the SpongeBob universe to place 2nd in the High School Zombies Division. Kyra Williams traded her Birdwell Beach Britches for a black tutu.
“The Black Swan Pirouettes to the Win — Kyra Williams rode each wave to the beach and spun and posed for the judges,” said O’Reilly.
In the spookiest and scariest division of them all, the Crusty Creatures, Creepy Crowns infiltrated the contest site, coming from underneath the pier.
“Scott Rusher as the Creepy Clown prompted parents to hug their kids a little tighter,” O’Reilly said.
Carl Fredrickson doesn’t need thousands of helium of balloons to go up, just his Spyder “Kickstarter” model. The elderly Disney character surfed a lot like a really young dude named Chris Broman, placing 2nd. If there was one person who epitomizes the spirit of Scare and Tear, it was Tamara Lentz. In the past, she’s been Princess Leia chained to a Jabba the Hut on the nose of her surfboard as well as Dorothy from the Wizard of OZ. For this year, she went all out as “Frozen’s” Elsa.
“Elsa lets it go all the way to number one — singing as she surfed, with Olaf on the nose of her board,” said O’Reilly. “The little girls on the pier cheered for her on every wave.”
Micro Zombies (Middle School & Younger)
- Flash Gordon (Joey Samuelian)
- The Crazy Chicken (Cash Cherry)
- Spidergirl (Olivia Lusby)
- Grandma (Ryan Roberts)
- Hot Dog (Lucas Meyer)
- Funky Hippie (Ethan Mibu)
no images were found
photo gallery by Richard O’Reilly
High School Zombies
- The Black Swan (Kyra Williams)
- Spongebob Mermaid Man (Beck Cherry)
- Cat in the Hat (Megan Seth)
- Alice in Wonderland (Mckenna Hawkes)
- Groovy 70’s Guy (Leo Schlayer)
- Disco Dude (Zach Rosenberg)
no images were found
photo gallery by Steve Gaffney
Crusty Creatures (18 & over)
- Elsa from Frozen (Tamara Lentz)
- Carl – Old guy from Up (Chris Broman)
- 70’s Disco Man (Noah Collins)
- Gladiator (Dave Schaefer)
- Udderly Perfect Cow (Tom Horton)
- Surfing Samurai (Ottz)
no images were found
photo gallery by Mike Balzer
