The top High School boy’s shortboarders congregated last Thursday at 38th Street in El Porto for the opening rounds of the Kick Off Classic, launching the 2015-2016 South Bay Scholastic Surfing Association Presented by Subaru Pacific season.
“This is the biggest start with the most amount of surfers we’ve ever had at a kick off ever,” said League Director Dickie O’Reilly. “This is a sign of a season that’s going to have the biggest turnout ever in league history.
After taking over the helm of the league a few years back, O’Reilly has dialed in the league to handle the upsurge in its popularity. He’s brought together contest organization, judges, sponsors, and scorekeepers to create a professional-level series.
“It’s going to be a good season, especially with El Nino this winter,” said Ronnie Del Valle, a judge with O’Reilly since the beginning.
Weather conditions the previous week had been very favorable with consistent surf. On Kick Off day, waist to shoulder high waves prevailed, but contestants had a nagging southshore wind bumping the ocean surface.
“Shortboarders sort of dig the side shore/onshore ‘air winds,’” said head judge Chris Wells. “It helps in stomping out a maneuver.”
Wells and Del Valle are two of the most versatile judges out there and truly are scholars of surfing. Two weeks ago, they judged the Hermosa Beach Hotdogger Championships, a traditional longboard contest with specialty rules. Next week they go on to judge SBSSA’s women’s divisions, longboard division, bodyboard division, and the second round of the boy’s shortboard.
“Our judging is top notch,” said O’Reilly. “No matter what the conditions are or the division, our team is fair and consistent with our judging scale.”
Some of the standout included Chris Stimpfl from South High who’s clean yet radical style suited the air winds well and Cody Purcell from Mira Costa who was cranking them on his backside.
Top three surfers advanced to the second round with the Kick-Off concluding the following week.
Round 1:
heat 1 :1st. Chad Parks, MCHS 2nd. V. Podegracz, South 3. Jack Langdon, RUHS
heat 2: 1st. Danny Charvat, MCHS 2nd. Kyle Beatty. RUHS 3rd. Quinn Stoneman PV
heat 3: 1st. Cody Purcell, MCHS. 2nd. Ben Hara, MCHS. 3rd. Aiden Farlo, Chadwick
heat 4: 1st. Chris Stimpfl, South. 2nd. Lachlan Robinson, MCHS. 3rd. Ryan Cortes, Penn.
heat 5: 1st. Jack Daley, ES. 2nd. James Park, PV. 3rd. EJ Harter, West.
heat 6: 1st. Robbie Itzinger, MCHS. 2nd. J Menendez, South. Shawn Griep PV
heat 7: 1st. Jack Rowan, PV. 2nd. Jake Martinez, ES. 3rd. Graham Amato, MCHS.
heat 8: 1st. Matt Hodges, MCHS. 2nd. L Humphrey, South. 3rd. Sean St. Pierre, PV
heat 9: 1st, Nate Baker, West. 2nd. Dominic Giefling, RUHS. 3rd. Zac Montrose, ES
heat 10: 1st. Alex Fry, MCHS. 2nd. Chad Brown, PV. 3rd. Jessie McBridge, RUHS.
heat 11: 1st. Pat Komick, MCHS. 2nd. Peter Healy, PV. 3rd. Chris Rennie, RUHS.
heat 12: 1st. Bridges Peus, PV. 2nd. Matt Amano, Penn. Todd Sanders, RUHS.
heat 13: 1st. Rosco, ES. 2nd. Rodney Buck, RUHS. 3rd. Pat Ramirez, RUHS.
heat 14: 1st. Wyatt Kircher, SP. 2nd. Tate Curran, RUHS. Adam Lazarus, Penn.
heat 15: 1st. Chad Coons, MCHS. 2nd. Sean Fitzgerald, MCHS. 3rd. Jason Lange, RUHS
heat 16: 1st. Zack Rosenberg, MCHS. 2nd. Ron Sannes, South. 3rd. Trevor Kahn, PV.
