Conditions challenge Velzy-Stevens Pier to Pier paddlers
Over 150 paddlers participated in the 2011 Velzy Stevens Pier to Pier Paddleboard Race. Photo by Olivia Kastin.
Conditions couldn’t have been much worse for the 2011 Velzey-Stevens Paddleboard Championships held Sunday morning in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary International Surf Festival.
But a south wind and bumpy water didn’t deter over 150 prone and stand-up paddlers from lining up off the end of the Manhattan Beach pier and sprinting the 1.6 miles to the beach on the south side of the Hermosa Beach pier.
Los Angeles County Lifeguard Tom Seth paces his daughter Emily and fellow Junior Lifeguards to the finish line. Photo
Lifeguard cadet and Redondo High swimmer Hogan Inscore, 18, won the race for his first time, in 19:24.1. Inscore placed second last year. Max First, 21, of Manhattan, had the second fastest time and lifeguard Will Didinger, of Manhattan, was third.
DJ O’Brien of Redondo Beach finished first in the women’s division, paddling a (12-foot) stock board, in 25:27. Jennifer Stevens, daughter of the race’s co-namesake Terry Stevens, won the women’s under 17 division.
The conditions were especially challenging for the stand-up paddlers. Generally, stand-up paddlers are faster than prone paddlers. But on Sunday, the south wind and bumpy, northwest swell conspired to push the stand-ups, which do not have tillers, off course and onto the beach.
Neal Drinkward, 48, of Redondo Beach was the fastest stand-up paddler in the race, finishing in 22:51. Lifeguard Jay Butki was second in 24:19. Gene “Tarzan” Smith was third overall, and first in the 50 and over division. Smith owns the newly opened Tarsan Stand-up Paddleboards shop in downtown Hermosa Beach.
In the highly competitive 40 to 49 men’s unlimited division, Catalina Classic rivals Scott Rusher, of Manhattan and Ron Roebuck, of Hermosa dueled the length of the course. Rusher finished in 21:03, less than half a minute ahead of Roebuck. Stan Majcher, of Manhattan, was third in 26:53.
Stand-up Paddlers, including Peff Eick (right) found condtions challenging because of the south wind and bumpy water. Photo
Race director Derek Levy enlisted the South Bay Boardriders Club to coordinate the race, which was preceded by a competitors photo taken by SBBC president Mike Balzer.