First Place Mira Costa Defeats Second Place Palos Verdes High in Close Surf Contest

photo gallery by Marty Tueling, MartyCam

On Wednesday, February 25th, Mira Costa beat Palos Verdes in a close meet held at 26th Street in Manhattan Beach. Two to four feet waves were greeted by a brisk offshore wind for excellent conditions.

“It’s a super clean contest,” said South Bay Scholastic Surf Association League Director Dickie O’Reilly. “It’s bigger and better than it looks.”

The men’s shortboard division started things off by convening on a right peak. PV’s Peter Healy won the heat with smooth style and picturesque cutbacks on the set waves. Second place went to Mira Costa’s Ryan Ulrich with a backside bash.

photo gallery by Saul Zaragoza

Heat two of the Men’s Shortboard Division became a battle between PV’s Jack Rowan in Red and Mira Costa’s Matt Hodges in Orange.

“It was tight,” said surf judge and local surf star Codee Stamis. “It went back and forth between each surfer.”

Rowan won on the exchange with a huge coaster against Hodge’s attacks on the set rights.

A big interference shook up the the women’s shortboard heat. PV’s Paula Knickrehm, no stranger to winning a heat, took off in front of Mira Costa’s Sara Kohrogi.  Knickrehm was clipped by the lip wiping out. Kohrogi held her ground and went around the falling surfer. While Knickrehm’s board bobbled in the whitewash, Kohrogi grabbed the board and put it underneath her arm casually before tossing it behind her and continuing down the wave. Kohrogi would go on to win the heat while PV’s Alicia Stephans placed second.

The men’s longboard heat showcased a couple of the most talented hotdoggers of the league.

“It was the best heat of the day,” said O’Reilly.

Mira Costa’s Andrew Neal stuck a sick noseride on a set left all the way to the inside for second place. PV’s Jack Rowan has a style that’s immediately noticeable. When he draws a turn, he draws a hard turn. He won with a critical cheater five in the tube.

With a minute to go in the heat, Rowan ran to shore to prepare for the next heat, the bodyboard heat. He’d go on to win with a giant El Rollo. Mira Costa’s Nick Coon followed him in second with a solid 360.

After the bodyboard heat and back-to-back victories by Rowan, PV was up by one point.

“This is the closest contest all year,” said Reilly.

Mira Costa surf oach Tracy Geller, the league’s Phil Jackson,  inspired and fired up his women’s longboard team to take the top three spots in the heat. The stylish Amelie Vergnolle took second by riding top to bottom on the lefts. Emily Seth won the heat with a couple critical cutbacks.

After Mira Costa regained the lead from the previous heats sweep — and with a few of PV’s top surfers missing the contest due to ACT testing — Mira Costa ran away with the contest. Cody Purcell won the third shortboard men’s heat with a couple solid whacks on a set left. His teammate Tommy Dietz styled on the rights for second.

With the last heat of the contest to go, the men’s fourth shortboard heat, a glimmer of hope remained for for PV. If the team could sweep the heat, PV would take the win. Danny Charvet of Mira Costa squashed PV’s chances by winning the heat while his teammate Peter Neal followed him second.

Final Score: PV 73, MC 94

Results:

Men’s Shortboard heat 1

1. Peter Healy PV
2. Ryan Ulrich MC
3. Shane Crow MC

Men’s Shortboard heat 2

1. Jack Rowan PV
2. Matt Hodges MC
3. Pat Komick MC

Men’s Shortboard heat 3

1. Cody Purcell MC
2. Tommy Dietz MC
3. Nick Ferrara PV

Men’s Shortboard heat 4

1. Danny Charvet MC
2. Peter Neal MC
3. Chad Brown PV

Men’s Longboard

1. Jack Rowan PV
2. Andrew Neal MC
3. Andrew Vandermark MC

Women’s Shortboard

1. Sara Kohrogi MC
2. Alicia Stephan PV
3. Emily Seth MC

Women’s Longboard

1. Emily Seith MC
2. Amelie Aergnolle MC
3. Sara Kohrogi MC

Bodyboard

1. Jack Rowan PV
2. Chad Coons MC
3. Quinn Stoneman PV