A few weeks ago the South Bay High School Surf League held its Kick off Classic so the coaches could get an idea of how their surfers will fare in league contest. A lot of surfers rip everyday but can’t hold up under contest pressure situations. Last weekend the best surfers competed for their high school surf teams in perfect five-foot waves off the South side of the Hermosa Beach Pier. It allowed the surf team coaches to see if they made the proper team picks.
League director John Joseph feared the worst all week long with reports of heavy rain on its way. You can’t hold a contest in heavy rain because of the storm drain run-off. If you postpone a contest it’s almost impossible to reschedule because of other, already scheduled surf contests.
The rain held off and the South Bay Surf League got the best waves I’ve seen in nine years of judging their contests. It was cold with threatening rain but that just kept the wind blowing offshore, holding up the right barrels coming off the pier and the long left tubes going into the pier. The schools’ best surfers took full advantage, keeping the scores tight through out. Mira Costa finished two or three points ahead. Palos Verdes and Redondo were tied until the final heat, when PV took second.
Redondo High junior David Fillman may be 6-foot-2 and weigh 165, but he surfed well in both the short and long board heats, as did freshman sunburned, bleach blond, freckle faced Luke Meyers and little Trevor Lashure.
David said, “The waves were hot but more suited for short boards.” Trevor added that “Costa’s Noah Collins did everything. He had plenty of barrels and carved sick cutbacks. It was power surfing at its best.”
Luke thought the top girls surfed as well as the guys noting that “Costa’s Jordan Wible surfed great putting together three turn combo’s on every set wave. Redondo’s Alidhi Sheldon got some good long rides as well.”
I thought PV’s Jessica Duston stole the show smacking the lip on all the set waves.
The surfing was so hot that everyone agrees it’s no longer just an Alex Grey or a Dayton Silva way out in front. Luke Meyers said, “Costa’s Wyatt Boyd always rips hard. I saw him get a double sick barrel off the pier.”
I thought PV’s Will Borzi was the power dude, exploding off the top. But nobody could come close Redondo’s Mr. Nice Guy Connor Beatty. He won the long board division despite sacrificing five minutes to go after PV’s Brendan Hefferman’s board after a wipeout in the tube. Connor would stop and hoot for the others in his heats if they got a good ride, making sure everyone saw it.
Brendan got some great outside barrels into the pier. Connor came alive in the short board, getting deep in the tubes coming off the pier and launching off the lip on the way out giving him the highest scores in the contest. Connor wants to be the best all around surfer, which means competing in the body board events.
David Fillman said, “That’s the only time he rides a body board. It’s funny because he rips and wins.” Trevor said, “What’s really funny is that he rides the ugliest body board in the contest. It looks like something a great white shark chewed up and spit out. It has more holes than a piece of Swiss cheese. It weighs five pounds going in the water and fifteen pounds by the end of the heat.”
Luke cut in, “Connor is our secret weapon. He’s going to help us catch Mira Costa. Mira Costa has the best short board surfers but we have Connor and David Fillman in the long board, not to mention Connor’s body board antics.”
Costa’s Peter Venardos is another excellent long boarder. He scored big with outside tubes and smooth coasters.
If Connor could get away with it he would wear a wig and fake boobs so he could surf along side PV’s Jessica Duston, Jessie Rowan and Costa’s Jordan Wible in the girls finals.
This was the only surf contest I’ve judged where the waves were just as good in the last heat as they were for the first heat. Everybody ripped, putting on an explosive exhibition of power surfing.
Saturday’s results were Mira Costa 78, Palos Verdes 74, Redondo 72, South 49, El Segundo 35, San Pedro 25.
Yesterday at the Hermosa pier Palos Verdes defeated El Segundo 103 to 65. Heat winners, Short Board: Mike Willingrad PV, Will Borzi PV, Joe Marin PV, Justin Palmer PV.
Long Board: Josh Gilberts ES, Body Board Will Borzi PV.
Girls Short Board: Jessica Dustin PV. Girls Long Board: Jessie Rowan PV.
Also on Wednesday at the Hermosa pier, Redondo defeated San Pedro 105 to 65.Heat Winners, Short Board:Eathan Pezzolo RD, Mike Okuda RD, Trevor La Sure RD, Connor Beatty RD.
Long Board:Connor Beaty RD. Body Board: Trevor La Sure RD.
Girls Long Board: Silver Destouet. Girls Short Board: Sara Curren. ER
