Photos by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
If a breakout performance award were presented at the end of this season’s South Bay Boardriders Contest Series it would go to Megan Seth. After five of the series’ six contests, the Manhattan Beach Middle School eighth grader is the Open Women points leader in a field that includes pro surfer Natalie Anzivino and 2015 and 2016 NSSA High School Varsity Interscholastic State champion Bethany Zelasko of Dana Hills High. Zelaski has won the last three contests, but missed the first two. As a result, Seth needs only to advance to the finals in the series’ last contest to win the series title. The final SBBC/Spyder Surf contest is Saturday, June 4 at 42nd Street in Manhattan Beach.
Seth and Zelaski are also ranked first and second in the Junior Women’s division (18 and under).
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Former Mira Costa surf team captain Kyle Brown holds the series lead in the Open Men’s division. He’ll need at least a third place finish at the SBBC/Spyder contest to stay ahead of Mira Costa surf team’s Cody Purcell, who has two series wins and is in second place, despite missing one of the contests. Purcell also leads the Junior Boy’s division (18 and under), with two contest series victories. He can clinch the title at the final contest with a fourth place finish. His closest rival is But Redondo surf team’s Kyle Beatty, also has two contest victories.
A runner-up candidate for breakout performer of the year could be Joey Samuelian, another Manhattan Beach Middler Schooler. Samuelian is in first place in both the Boys (14 and under) and Groms (12 and under) divisions. In the boys division he has a first and two seconds. In the groms division he has won four of the five contests.
In the Micro Groms division (9 and under) Kai Kushner is in first place with victories in all four of the contests he competed in.
Jonny Herrouin leads the Assisted Groms division with first place finishes in four of his five contests.
In the Legends division (45 and over) Breakwall regular Greg McEwan has a narrow lead over longboarder Troy Campbell. McEwan is also third in points in the longboard division.
Dave Schaefer has a commanding lead in the open longboard division and Palos Verdes’ Rodney Buck has almost as commanding a lead in the junior longboard division, though Billy Atkinson could claim the junior series title if he wins Saturday’s contest and Buck fails to make the podium.
For a complete list of standings visit South BayBoardriders.com. ER
