Redondo’s Beaty, Costa’s Hawks earn surf titles
Connor Beaty's patient wave selection earned the SB High School Surf League short board title. Photo (CivicCouch.com)
Redondo Union High School’s Conner Beaty and Mira Costa High’s Maddie Hawks were presented with the South Bay Surf League’s highest honors on Saturday, during the Hermosa Beach Surfers Walk of Fame Ceremonies at the Hermosa Pier.
The two were named Championship MVP’s, and Beaty was named the Waterman’s Cafe All Around Champion.
The awards followed impressive performances by both Beatty and Hawks in Saturday morning’s South Bay Surf League Championships on the south side of the Hermosa pier. Beaty was a finalist in the shortboard, longboard and bodyboard divisions and won the shortboard divisions. Hawks, who won the longboard championships last year, won the girls shortboard championships this year.
Conditions were ideal for high performance surfing. The sun was out, the wind was offshore, the surf was a hollow two- to four-feet, and the heats were packed with future Red Bull surf stars. League director John Joseph had two heats going at the same time. But it didn’t matter which area you surfed because the sets were closing out in both areas. It seemed like it was low tide all day with a strong current making the surfers fight for a good wave.
Mira Costa's Maddie Hawks followed last year's longboard title by winning the shortboard title this year. Photo (CivicCouch.com)
In the girls, semi Hawks started the heat with a hollow backside bowl. Redondo’s Sara Connor responded with a huge backside take off, outside. Palos Verdes’ Jessica Dustin pulled into a nice barrel off the pier while Costa’s Jordan Wible pulled into a fast left heading into the pier.
The boy’s short board, semi main was loaded with talent, as well. Costa’s Josh Perch scored with a fast tube shooting off the pier and launching into the air on the end. PV’s Kevin Piper smacked the lip on a backside blast. His team mates Derek Daigneault also found some tubes. “It was kind of small at times but then the hollow set would come. I had a great time,” Daigneault said.
Joe Manigani told me after his big barrel off the pier, “They were kind of walled, but okay. I got a sick tube ride.”
Redondo’s Parker Baker got a fast left scoring, big points flying off the top and landing the backside floater.
Costa’s Jordan Wible looked puzzled but determined when she checked in for the shortboard finals. The spunky, sun bleached blond turned to me and said, “It looks closed out. I’m just going to look for an inside corner.”
Instead, she paddled into a huge drop on a big outsider to start the heat. Hawks scrambled to get into her jersey, five minutes after the finals began. As soon as she reached the outside line-up, perfect right barrels began coming through and she managed a late take-off. She free-fell down the face and leaned into a clean, backside bottom turn. The fast right held up and Hawks spanked the lip down the line. It was the wave of the heat.
After the heat Hawks told me, “I was lucky to get that wave. It’s thumping hard out there.”
PV’s Jessie Rowan whipped around for the next set right and fin-slid down the face but still managed to smack the lip a few more times for a nice score. PV’s Jessica Dustin made a huge backside drop on a big outsider as the heat-ending horn sounded. All the girls surfed well, especially considering how nasty the waves were.
SB High School Surf League Director John Joseph congratulates Redondo's Connor Beaty and Mira Costa's Maddie Hawks on their shortboard titles. Photo
The boy’s short board final had everyone scrambling for makeable waves. There were plenty of sick, closed out tube rides on the outside. PV’s Joe Manigani picked up a long inside left, hitting the lip into the pier. Redondo’s Parker Baker pulled backside into the barrel and Costa’s David Slay landed a nice floater. PV’s Mike Willingrad flew out of the tube and smacked the lip down the line. Peninsulas Kevin Pieper was scrambling all over, trying to find a ride-able wave. On the next, set he gave up and just pulled up backside into the sickest outside barrel of the final. He didn’t come out but he was in there for a while.
He told me after the heat, “It was kind of fun after I just forgot about the contest and started going for it. I got two sick tubes, but I couldn’t find the door to come out.” Redondo’s Connor Beatty owned the final with a perfect strategy. He caught an outside right off the pier at the start of the final to get a solid score. With one high score under his belt he sat and waited for a wave he could make right, off the pier. He found a good tube and several high scoring coasters on his following two waves.
After the heat Beaty said, “I just told myself to be patient and wait for a good one. It was a lot more fun than it looks. It was just another perfect California day.”
The South Bay Surf League has hosted 42 contests this year, involving 12 schools. The final event of the 2010-2011 is the Hennessey Cup team competition on Saturday May 14 at the Hermosa Beach pier.
South Bay High School Surf League 2011 Championship: Boys Short board: Connor Beaty (RD), Mike Willingrard (PV), Joe Mangiani (PV), Kevin Piper (PN), Parker Baker (RD), David Slay (MC). Girls shortboard: Maddie Hawks (MC) Jessica Rowan (PV), Jessica Dustin (PV), Alidah Sheldon (NW), Jordon Wible (MC), Katie Parkinson (RD). Boys Longboard: Fletcher Struye (PN), conner beaty (RD), Derek Daigneault (PV), Justin Jones (PV), Oliver Hegge (SP), Josh Perch (MC). Girls Longboard: Jessica Dustin (PV), Jordon Wible (MC), Jessie Rowan (PV), Madie Hawks (MC), Audrey Butler (ST), Krissey Bergersen (SP). Boys bodyboard: (Alex Numa (BM), Sean Drieling (RD), Michael Cassen (MC), Blake Ito (SP), conner Beaty (RD), Brian Thomas (ES). ER
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