Endless Session, Day 313: Go for Gold
The Doheny crew at the awards ceremony. Photo
Not making it through to finals the previous day at the Santa Cruz Longboard Union Invitational made me the honorary cheerleader for my fellow teammates on the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association.
With stacked judging tents and streets lined with sponsors, the event was going off as smooth as could be. Divisions ranged from groms to seniors to 70+, lining the cliffs with shiny longboards and curious onlookers. Josh Rapoza and RJ, Doheny representatives, made their way into the lineup for their heat at 11:40, and dominated while I strained my vocal chords, cheering loudly from the overlooking terrace. Josh switched stance and streamed down the sets, hanging 5, 10, and busting off the lip right under the judge’s noses. RJ had a few short rides, then caught one magic line, looking poised as he perched backside on the nose for what seemed like an eternity, enticing hoots and hollers from not just me, but the whole crowd hanging over the edge. Our boys were sure stealing the show.
The girls looked like sea goddesses, and the seniors and legends surfed with a power and flow like they had been cruising their whole lives (because they in fact had). I jumped in the crowded Cowell’s lineup, and paddled the long way over to the lane where I knew the contest would be ending in ten minutes. As soon as the last heat stripped their jerseys, I moved into one of the most uncrowded sessions I’ve had at steamers – only alongside a few contestants in the water not wanting to leave the pumping chest high rollers.
Josh Rapozo with the gold, and RJ with the Bronze — out of the ten plus teams entering, we nailed the men’s division. After hours of surf, preparation, catch up, and seeing a great white shark jump out of the water in one of the heats and no one even batting an eye, it was time for a well deserved beer before farewells.