SB Boardriders Event #1 presented by Jack’s Surfboards Recap

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Photos by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)

“It became an endurance contest,” said third place legend division finisher Mike Purpus, “The riptide was like inside Pipeline when you are scratching to get to the inside while stuck in the impact zone. The current was like paddling against the Colorado River and the sets were like surfing a stormy day at 2nd Reef Pipeline.”

In the context of the Saturday, February 7 Boardrider’s  surf contest at 26th St., Manhattan Beach, Dave Matthews Band’s sappy, boy-yearns-for-girl  hit “Crash Into Me” was very much appropriate in the music rotation. The 1990s hit featuring Matthew’s “CRASSHHHH into ME” lined up seamlessly with approaching double overhead sets.

The three, previously scheduled SBBC contests had been called off due to macking surf or lake-like conditions.

During Saturday’s heats, competitors spent most of their time scratching for the corduroy lines with two outcomes — making it to the outside or being swept into the impact zone and taking the gas. Average size waves were in the head high range, which for a typical contest is the set wave range.

“It was a very legit contest,” surf judge Chris Wells said. “It was the South Bay version  of a big wave contest.”

Wells recalled a Junior Women’s division competitor having her leash broken after she took a 10-foot wave on the head in the opening rounds.

“After her leash broke, she was pulverized by at least another seven set waves,” Wells said. “Being in that situation can be really traumatizing. But she made it in on her own, before the lifeguard could get to her, a testimony to how she’s one tough gal.”

Lifeguards van Wilkins and Dave Cartlidge patrolled the contest on their PWC’s and made three rescues, the most in the contest series history.

By the afternoon finals, the falling tide and building swell made conditions even more treacherous. Entire heats were caught inside and had to settle for inside reforms.

“It became an endurance contest,” said third place legend division finisher Mike Purpus, “The riptide was like inside pipeline when you are just scratching to get to the inside while stuck in the impact zone. The current was like paddling against the Colorado River and the sets were like surfing a stormy day at 2nd reef pipeline.”

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Photo gallery (CivicCouch.com)

Codee Stamis dominated the the Junior Men’s division (18 and under) with his man sized hacks and turns. He looked pumped up by his purple Kool-Aid  hair and rode with a power more commonly seen in older divisions.

“Codee just ruled the day,” Wells said. “He was surfing like it was a Pro Juniors contest.

If there was an award for “Most Committed Surfer,” it would have gone to Natalie Anzivino. In the Women’s final, she took off on a 10-foot set and air-dropped down the face. But she couldn’t find an open section for a back-up score and had to settle for third. Sarah Kohrogi won the women’s open by power packing a smorgasbord of turns on the inside. Her Mira Costa Surf Teammate Emily Seth took second by shredding the reforms with Kohrogi.

What isn’t there to say about Jamie Meistrell? Last year’s Open Men’s Season winner stood out the entire contest.

“Jamie has the most critical backside in the league,” Wells said. “He really knows how to throw the fins out.”

Unfortunately, Meistrell uncharacteristically fell on a couple of waves in the the final and finished third, despite pulling off the backside hit of the  contest. Dylan Melamed followed the beat of what the judges were awarding this particular contest, hard gouges. Aerial surfing and flick turns were on the back burner as Melamed finished second by destroying the rare open face. Eddie Lester mustered a bravado performance for the victory by connecting just one more turn and one more radical hit on each wave in the final.

Lester just came out of nowhere,” Wells said. “He is a throwback to when I was kid when shorts were short and powersurfing was in.”

Lester’s highest score was a set wave he set up with a huge powerbottom turn, then slingshotted himself to an open shoulder and blasted the lip repeatedlyfor his first ever South Bay Boardriders win.

Results: South Bay Boardriders Club/Jack’s Surf Showdown at 26th Street, Manhattan Beach. February 7, 2015.