Anderson repeats in classic Rock 2 Rock
Father's Day 2010 Rock 2 Rock
and Matt Walls
When a race director says of his own race, “The first mile and the last seven miles were good. The rest were horrible,” it normally doesn’t reflect well on the course or the director.
But when Rock 2 Rock Paddleboard Race director George Loren made that statement at his event’s award ceremony on Sunday, it was meant as a tribute to the competitors.
The Rock 2 Rock is always tough, in part because the 22-mile course from the Catalina Isthmus to Abalone Cove is a long race for so early in the season. Paddlers haven’t had long to train and because it’s early summer, conditions in the San Pedro channel are typically rough. This year was no exception.
“We left the overcast, glassy Isthmus harbor to find swells coming at us from three different directions,” 10th place finisher Matt Walls said in describing the course. “We had a northwest wind swell generated by the heavy winds in the outer waters mixed in with some steep north swell and them some south swell mixed in with that. As if that was not enough we then had a little south wind mixed in there as well.”
The conditions were particularly tough for SUP competitors (Stand Up Paddlers,) whose bodies functioned like back-filled sails when the wind switched around to the north. The course runs just a few degrees east of north.
Redondo Beach King Harbors Church minister Chris Cannon, who was competing in his first Rock 2 Rock in the SUP division, hoped to finish in under five hours, but took just under six hours.
Second place finisher Anthony Vella and repeat winner Tyler Anderson.
One person who had no complaints about the conditions was Long Beach lifeguard Tyler Anderson. After winning the event last year, when conditions were worse, he commented, “The gnarlier it is the more fun I have. My Bark board is really stable.”
This year, Anderson’s time of 3:34 was a course record and 16 minutes faster than his winning time last year.
“This year’s conditions were nicer. I was able to catch some runners and it glassed off toward the end, about the time I started to feel crappy,” Anderson said.
He credited his fast time to being pushed by second place finisher Anthony Vela.
“I was nervous. Anthony and (third place finisher) Adam Buckley took off fast and were ahead of me for a while. Anthony was never more than 400 yards behind.
“I stayed with him for about the first hour. Then he started to pull ahead. I kept think I’d make my move, but he was just too fast,” said Vela, a Los Angeles County Lifeguard.
Anderson said he started training earlier this year than last, in anticipation of competing in the Molokai and Catalina Classic races in July and August. He won last year’s Classic.
Rock 2 Rock sponsors included Loren’s Koffee Kart in downtown Manhattan Beach, Kaenon sunglasses and Hinano Tahiti beer.
Top finishers:
Unlimited – Tyler Anderson 3:34, Anthony Vela 3:37, Adam Buckley 3:48, Ron Roebuck 3:57. 14-foot – Steve Shlens 4:04, Jon Loren 4:19, Joel Pepper 4:37, Gary Tomlin 4:43.
Stock – Shane Scoggins 4:01, Austin Bates 4:05, Jack Bark 4:11, Spencer Synder 4:50. Wahine stock DJ O’Brian 4:42, Amanda Calhoun 5:33, Elle Stevens 6:13.
Stock relay – Austin Simon, Scott Simon 4:25, Shanon Delaney, Jo Ambrosi 4:26, Carly Rogers, Kelsey O’Donnell 4:40, Lisa Wilson, Theresa Connelly 5:04.
Unlimited relay: Jp Cruz, Ben Vail 3:51, Greg and Tom Hinds 4:25, Tom and Cole Horton 5:24, Kevin and Jim Cody 5:25.
Fun relay — Doug Grant, John Phaneusf, Adam Maingot 4:30, Mike Calputo, Kyle Vestermark 4:46, Kyle Vestermark, Mike Calputo 4:49, Team Bark 5:21.
SUP unlimited – Jared Vargas 3:59, Nicole Madosik 5:02.
SUP stock – Dave Morrissey 5:19, Mike Vauighn 4:34, Chris Cannon 5:53.
SUP stock relay – Christina and David Powers.
SUP fun relay – Teva, Ryan Siegal, Joels Dawson 4:58. ER