SBBC Event #4 Presented by ET Surf: Warren Kushner Crushes the Competition [RECAP+ PICS]

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With the South Bay Boardrider’s contest season winding down, Event #4 presented by ET Surf brought out the surf stoked to 26th st. Manhattan Beach. The breakers ranged in the two to three foot range with occasional four foot set that were perfect for Open Mens and Masters winner Warren Kushner.

“The waves were playful and fun,” said Sarah Folley, who volunteered to be the event timekeeper as she’s out due to injury (she’s normally in the longboard division giving the boys a run for their money.) “It was a beautiful day and the  best thing about the Boardrider’s  contests is that the events bring out the community.”

Natalie Anzivino, winner of he women’s open series the past two seasons, hadn’t won a contest all season. But her consistency has kept her number one as the Open Women’s leader. With rivals Sarah Kohrogi and Rachel Tominaga absent from the event, Anzivino had the opportunity to gain some ground on her lead.

“For the final, it was kind of tough out there,” she said. “I’m glad the tide dropped.”

It wasn’t a cakewalk for Anzivino as the younger women surfers also took advantage. In her first SBBC contest of the season, the Junior women’s winner, Charlotte Sabina, used her smaller stature to crush every crevice of the wave. She and Emma Waldinger,  star in the local high school surf league, couldn’t overcome Anzivino’s raw power.

Controversy surrounded the legend’s division. On two separate peaks, ratings leader Mike Purpus and and Tom Horton took off with each wave breaking into each other. Purpus was on the left and Horton was on the right. The spectators gasped when a legendary collision seemed imminent before Purpus straightened out after a rollercoaster. Judges called an interference on Purpus due to the fact  that Horton stood up first. The interference erased half of Purpus’ best score, bringing him to sixth place. With his third victory in a row, Rodney Williams is now the division’s ranking leader.

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“There was only  few minutes left in the heat and I  desperately needed a second wave and wasn’t paying attention to the other surfers down the beach,” Purpus said. “I’m making this motivation that I will take into the next contest.”

In the Junior Men’s, it’s been a rivalry of Spyder Surfboards teammates Cody Purcell versus. Codee Stamis, with Stamis holding the lead in the ratings. Stamis was MIA at the event (rumor has it, with Stamis’ taste for leather jackets, he couldn’t resist a 40 percent sale at the Burlington Coat Factory). Purcell, who has won the last two events, would place 3rd to take over the ratings lead. With the SBBC becoming bigger and attracting hot surfers from outside the South Bay, Malibu’s Sean Woods in Rip Curl clad glory won the division while Venice’s Joe Duerr placed second.

“It was war out there,” smiled Purcell. “These events are always so much fun.”

The rise of the longboard division has been another prevalent theme all season with the division attracting the most entries. With such an impacted division, every heat was tight.

“It was the sickest heats all year,” said fourth place finisher Steven Buchan. “It’s all in good fun when it’s close between good friends.”

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Traditional vs. progressive is the major judging discrepancy in longboard division. Ironically, it’s the under 35 who pick up the 1960s inspired heavy glassed single fins as their choice of equipment, while the over 35 ride the lightly glassed three longboards styled in circa 1995 fashion (besides Chris and Scotty Bredesen and Tommy Ostendorf all in their early 30s). What is there to say about Dave Schaefer? The dude can ride anything at a pro level and elects to add more shortboard flair to his over 9 foot James Wheatley shaped Becker. He’s a master of the whirlybird, sex change transfer, 360 and every progressive move in the book. His antics couldn’t stop a red hot Hudson Ritchie, who was a bit steamed from losing first round in the last contest. God Bless Ritchie’s little hotdogger heart, as he took to the traditional side to school Schaefer to win the division.

“These contests bring out the best of the best of local talent,” said fourth place finisher Steve Wilson. “It’s a great show of what makes longboard so great.”

Warren Kushner has been skating to victory with his nimble quick style all season in the masters division. While 2nd place finisher Schaefer has a more set-up, cruise, and then crush power style, Judges can’t get enough of Kushner’s energetic ability to get numerous turns and quick hits on any given wave. He’s been undefeated in the division and continued his streak.

Kushner took his act straight to the Open Men’s division competing against competitors half his age. For the finals, the tide was medium with the competition as fierce as ever with any of the surfers possessing the ability to win the division.

“I sort of wish the wind was a little more onshore to help out with the above the lip maneuvers,” said Open Men’s rating leader and fifth place finisher Jamie Meistrell.

Colin Weinberg who won the last meet with his frothing style placed fourth with a few frontside hacks. Third place finisher Kyle Brown followed suit on the lefts while Mira Costa surf team member and Vanguard Teamrider Matt Hodges placed sixth with his cruisey style. Wesley Santos was unstoppable the entire contest blowing up and getting radical on all the rights. Kushner used his veteran knowledge to put a stop to Santos’ go-for-broke style to win the division.

 Results:

Open Men: 1. Warren Kushner 2. Wesley Santos 3. Kyle Brown 4. Colin Weinberg 5. Jamie Meistrell 6. Matt Hodges

Junior Women (18 & Under): 1. Charlotte Sabina 2. Amelia Vergnolle 3. Kyra Williams 4. Megan Seth 5. Hali Honea 6. Emily Seth

MicroGroms 9 & Under: 1.Jake Chandler 2. Karsten Wanke 3. Kai Kushner 4. Finn Bertino 5. Magnus Frandsen 6. Awa Miller

Masters (40-49) 1. Warren Kushner 2. Greg McEwan 3. Dawe Schaefer 4. Cameron Purcell 5. Alex Gorodetzki 6. Mark Silva

Open Women: 1. Natalie Anzivino 2.Emma Waldinger 3. Charlotte Sabina 4. Kyra Williams 5. Hali Homea 6. Valerie Rhodes

Boys (14 Under): 1. Kolby Clark 2. Chad Parks 3. Joey Samuelian 4. Italo Mesinas 5. Alex Fry 6. Charlie Winkworth

Assisted MicroGroms: 1. Griffin Fields 2. Thor Kowal 3. Miles Venegas 4. Jonny Herrouin 5. Tegan Williams 6. Max Gorodetzki

Legends (50) 1.Roddy Williams 2. Mark Silva 3. Tom Horton 4. Troy Campbell 5. Bob Siewers 6. Mike Purpus

Juniors (18 Under) 1. Sean Woods 2.Joe Duerr 3. Cody Purcell 4. Christopher Stimpfl 5. Sean Saldamando 6. Rodney Buck III

Groms (12 Under) 1. Beck Adler 2.Billy Atkinson 3. Alex lantuono 4. Joey Samuelian 5. Jake Rosenberg 6.Finn Bertino

Open Longboard (All Ages) 1. Hudson Ritchie 2.David Schaefer 3. Steven Wilson 4. Steven Buchan 5. Greg McEwan 6. Ed Solt