Pagan claims South Bay Boardriders Club surf title
Body Glove team rider Matt Pagan claims the SBBC contest series title at 45th Street in Manhattan Beach. Photo (CivicCouch.com)
Body Glove team surfer Matt Pagan claimed the open mens title in the South Bay Boardriders Contest Series with his third consecutive first place finish in the five-contest series on Saturday.
Over 150 surfers, the largest field of the year, competed in 10 divisions. The contest was sponsored by Erik Nakaji’s Surf Concepts shop in Manhattan Beach. Surf that ranged from waist high to overhead throughout the five-foot tide swing, coupled with 80 degree weather, created ideal conditions for the contestants, but a challenge for lifeguards.
Lifeguard Kip Jerger, who was manning the 42nd Street, Manhattan Beach tower, where the contest was held, made four rescues through the day, among them a stand-up paddler and a dad who was hit in the mouth by his son’s board while he was teaching his son to surf.
“The big holes and the rips they create, which made conditions so good for the contest, are also what kept the guards running up and down the beach all day,” said Jerger, who also owns Kanoa Surf Camp.
One of the club’s goals for the contest series is to showcase top local surfers. By that measure, Saturday’s contest was the most successful yet.
Pagan, along with fellow pro surfer Dane Zaun, Zaun’s brother Kelly, former pro surfers Ted Robinson and Scott Daley, top ranked college surfer Dayton Silva, and South Bay High School Surf League MVP Connor Beaty put on a clinic for younger riders on how to make the challenging, cross chopped surf look fun.
In the women’s open division, former South High surfer Natalie Anzivino scored her fourth consecutive first place .
In the junior womens (18 and under) Mira Costa freshman Jordan Wible upset series points leader and Oak Foils team rider Rachel Tominga. Tominaga won the NSSA Juniors event last month at Huntington and leads NSSA series, as well.
Wible’s Mira Costa teammate Kelly Zaun won the junior boys (18 and under), but Zaun is still behind in points to teammate David Slay, who had an off day and failed to qualify for the finals for the first time in the series. Slay has a first, a third and a second from the three previous contests. Zaun also finished second in the mens open, one spot ahead of his older brother Dane.
Matt Pagan has a reason to smile. Photo (CivicCouch.com)
Saturday’s longboard division was won by Gus MConnell, but he remains behind in series points to Bret Bland, who added a second place finish to his two firsts from earlier contests.
In the masters (40 to 49), Ted Robinson clinched the series title with his third consecutive first place finish.
Scott Daley continued his dominance of the legends division (50 and over), securing the series title with his third consecutive first place finish.
In the boys (14 and under), Noah Collins, who placed first in the previous three contests, was upset by Peter Healy.
Claiming their third first place finishes, assuring them of first place overall in the five contest series were Kyle Beatty (groms, 12 and under) and Shane Mosley (9 and under).
The contest began at 7 a.m. with the open mens heat, and ended on schedule at 6 p.m. with the open mens finals.
This year’s final South Bay Boardfriders Club Series Contest is May 21 at the Manhattan Pier. The contest will be sponsored by Spyder and open to non SBBC members. For more information visit Southbayboardriders.com
A dozen micro groms (9 and under) competed. Check out the micro grom photos.
Mira Costa's Kelly Zaun wins the Junior Boys title. He was second in the men's open. Photo (CivicCouch.com)
SB Board Riders Surf Concepts results, April 16 at 45th Street, Manhattan Beach: Open mens – Matt Pagan, Kelly Zaun, Dane Zaun, Pat Murphy, Keith Brewer, Kent Nishiya. Open womens – Natalie Anzivino, Becca Rosen, Rachel Tominaga, Kim Komick, Jordan Wible, Sara Foley. Junior boys – Kelly Zaun, Kent Nishia, Jordan Robinson, Noah Collins, Kevin Piper, Wyatt Boyd. Junior girls – Jordan Wible, Rachel Tominaga, Sara Kohrogi, Jesse Rowan, Ailiden Shelden, Sarah Curran. Boys – Peter Healey, Noah Collins, Codee Stamis, Sam Dunbar, Chris Stimpfl, Jared Boyd. Longboard – Gus McConnell, Brent Bland, Tim Ferguson, Tom Horton, Jiro Ikeda, Peter Gleiberman. Masters – Ted Robinson, Chris Wells, Dave Downing, Dave Pollard, Scott Johnson, Davey Latter. Legends – Scott Daley, Derek Levy, Chris Moseley, Mike Purpus, Kevin Cody, Bob Brigden, Tom Horton. Groms — Kyle Beatty, Jack Rowan, Pat Komick, Ron Sannes, Ryan Ulrich, Cole Warner. Micro groms – Shane Moseley, Ethan Igloi, Noah Steinmetz, Sam Collins, Kieren Walls, Kelly Murphy.