Longboard duel at the Hermosa Beach Pier
by Mike Purpus
The International Surf Festival Contest got underway last Saturday in a fun, three-foot windswell on the South side of the Hermosa Beach Pier. The sun was out but a fog bank lingered on the outside.
Contest director John Joseph filled surfing areas overflowing with talent. Beth Cambell and Loretta, helped tally up the score sheets, Alan Walt handed out the jersey’s while Dickie Romero was announcing the play by play. John Grannis, Pat Cahill, Joey Lombardo and I were busy judging.
The shortboard division was tough. With only 29 seconds left in the final World Surfing League big wave rider Nic Lamb, ducked into a tube coming off the Pier, flew five-feet into the air and landed a perfect air reverse, the only one of the contest. I scored him a 9.5 out of a possible 10 for that wave.
Dueling longboarders Dan Cobley, and Dave Schafer executed snappy turns, long nose rides, and 360s. Cobley flew down the left’s into the pier, and Schaefer shot out the right tubes coming off the pier. Both performed 360s. Cobley whipped his tail around like he was on a shortboard. Schafer would slide the fin out while standing on the nose, and scoot back to the tail before bringing the board around. Dark horse Neal Long was in the middle, getting long nose rides and looking like Lance Carson.
In the grom division, Matt Delheart did a big spinner on the end of his first wave. Kiren Noll dropped into some big ones on the outside and Kai Grant did some nice turns and cutbacks all the way to the beach.
Results: Men’s Open: Nic Lamb, Charles Rude, Tyler Hellinga. Jr. Men: Pierce O’Leary, Luke Randy, Jake Klinger. Groms: Kai Grant, Kirin Noll, Matt Zelhart. Men’s longboard: Dave Schaefer, Dan Cobley, Andrew Neal. Jr. Longboard: Zack Siegel, Pierce O’Leary, Tanner Grogan. Women’s open: Lisa Boos, Keoni Honda-Snow, Byrnn Barry. Women’s Longboard: Lisa Boos, Keoni Honda-Snow, Doe Jane. ER