[Photo gallery by Steve Gaffney below story]
Overhead, closeout waves, 74 degree water and 80 degree air made for a dramatic 10th Anniversary of the Jimmy Miller Surf Fiesta at 42nd Street in Manhattan Beach on Sunday.
Over 200 surfers competed on 32 five-member, handicapped teams — some more handicapped than others.
Father and son duos Matt and Keiran Walls and Chris and Shane Mosley, along with ringer Ben Ruby out-endured the 31 other teams in the nine-hour-long, single eliminations competition to claim first place.
Nearly half of the surfers were under 16. The most impressive was Finley Murphy, who tok home the Best Grommet award and a Sector 9 skateboard.
Mira Costa twins Ben and Miles Chromomanski received the Modom Surf Accessories Best Performance by a Family Award. The two advanced to the finals on a team that was led by Dave Shaefer and included Kevin Cody and Jon Scalabrini.
The award carrying the most bragging rights, the Spy Optics Best Wipeout Award went to Kenny Brechtelsbauer.
The Curley family won the ET Surfboard Beach Longer Award for their color coordinated swim suits and umbrellas and Dayton Silva won the Spyder Surf Best Maneuver for a giant slash on a giant wave.
Charlotte Sabina won the Trilogy Best Female award and Billy Atkinson won the Pure Surfing Experience Award for best exemplifying the spirit of Jimmy Miller, in whose memory the Jimmy Miller Foundation was established.
Top performers
Sector 9 Best Performance by a Grommet: Finley Murphy
Modom Best Performance by a Family- Ben and Miles Chromomanski
Electic Longest Traveler Award- Ian and Shea O’Keefe
Spy Optic Best Wipeout- Kenny Brechtelsbauer
ET Surfboard Beach Lounger Award: The Curley Family
Spyder Surf Best Maneuver: Dayton Silva
Trilogy Best Performance by a Female: Charlotte Sabina
Pure Surfing Experience Award: Billy Atkinson
