Drop Zone People
Jack Bark wrestling alligators in the Molokai Channel.
Jack Bark “wrestles alligators” in the middle of the Molokai Channel on his way to becoming the youngest paddler ever to win the stock division of the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships. “A lot of water moving for sure, big open ocean swells,” Bark said of the race, held Sunday, July 29. Other South Bay paddlers in the race included Jack’s dad Joe (unlimited 6:43:03), George Loren (unlimited, 5:59:14), Mike Murphy (standup stock, 5:12:45), Joel Pepper (stock, relay, 6;04:26), Rodney Ellis (stock, 6:20:15), Neal Drinkward (standup stock, relay, 6:01:33), Steve Shikiya (stock, relay, 7:28:15), Carly Rogers (female, stock, 7:39:09), Allison Riddle (female, standup stock, 6:28:17), and Ron Gallemore (standup unlimited, 6:41:10).
Jo Ambrosi keeps an eye on teammate Kelsey O’Donnell during the Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard World Championships on Sunday, July 29. The two won the women’s stock relay division in a time of 6:35. Ambrosi is a Victoria Australia lifeguard firefighter who spends her summers in the South Bay paddling and teaching junior guards. O’Donnell, a Los Angeles County Lifeguard, also won the Rock 2 Rock race from Catalina to Cabrillo Beach in June.
The South Bay Surf League will begin its 21st season when high school resumes in the fall Over 3,000 students have competed in the league since its founding. The league’s most outstanding surfers from its first two decades were recently honored during its 20th anniversary celebration on Saturday, May 26 at the Riviera Mexican Bar and Grill in Redondo Beach. The event was hosted by John Joseph, the league’s director for the past 15 years.
Recognized for founding the league in 1993 were former Mira Costa coach Elroy Lang, former Redondo coach Les Congelliere and parents Tricia Hopper, Carolyn Kintz and Rick Page.
The surfers recognized for outstanding contest performances for their schools were:
Mira Costa: John Balk, Brent Bowen, Chris Broman, Wyatt Boyd, Payne English, Tony Gonella, Maddie Hawks, John Smart, Mike Siordia, Dane Zaun and Kelly Zaun.
Redondo Union: Connor Beatty, Trevor Ellis, Chad Elliot, Jamie Meistrell, Jex McCartney, Dillon Thomas and Sean Walker.
Peninsula High: Holly Beck, Chris Bredesen Jr., Chris Del Moro, Alex Gray, Ted Travers, Matt Kelly, Kenny Nagasawa and Kevin Piper.
Palos Verdes: Derek Daigneault, Kyle Jax and Ford Timberlake.
South: Natalie Anvizino, Doug Di Santi, Johnny Joseph Jr., Hagen Kelly, Ashley Kelsey, Carrie Kintz, Shawn O’Brien, Lisa Tuttle and Kelly Moore.
Bishop Montgomery: Jon Scully and Bobby Kithcart.
El Segundo: Alex Abad, Josh Gilberts, Eddie Lester and Kent Nayishi.
San Pedro: Tony Adams, Jeremy Nunez and Brett Reinhart.
Coaches recognized were Peninsula’s Chris Bredesen Sr., and Rick Travers, Mira Costa’s Leroy Lang and Tracy Geller.
Body Glove’s California Invasion tour stopped off at ET Surf’s 40th Anniversary Re-Opening Party in Hermosa Beach Saturday afternoon. The Body Glove crew included (left to right) Mike Vavak, Cheyne Magnusson, Scott Jones, Greg Browning and Jamie O’Brien, as well as Michael and Jude Luhrsen, and Sector Nine’s Jax McCartney.
Gitelson did it all
During his retirement dinner on June 28 at the Redondo Elks Club, Joel Gitelson recalled the first day he lifeguarded in San Pedro. “A big guy got out of his pick-up truck with a beer and a cigarette and lowered his tailgate to let his dog out for a run. So, I went up to him and told him that smoking, alcohol and dogs were not allowed on the beach. He looked me in the eye and asked, Are you new? I stared back at him and said. Do I look new? Then we both laughed.” Gitelson was already 32 when he joined the Los Angeles County Lifeguards in 1982. He had spent 14 year as a beach guard on Long Island, New York before moving to Los Angeles. Over the next three decades, he worked every LA County tower, the main station and the rescue boat, He received the Medal of Valor for a nighttime rescue in gale force winds on Santa Barbara Island, won over 40 gold medals in Lifeguard Nationals Championships, and participated in countless ocean rescues, including two whale rescues.
Lifeguard Chief Michael Fraser said that as a dive master, swift water team member, and founder of the Lifeguard EMT recertification program, “Joel had a profound impact on our organization.”
Dick Mobley, who surfed, shaped, skied and sailed better than most people do any of those things, was honored by a paddleout on July 17 off of 22nd Street, where he launched his garage built catamarans in the 1950s. Mobley and his wife Vicki (handing down the ashes on Disappearance’s swim step) owned Ski and Surf Shop, which Dick opened in the early 60s.
South Bay Boardrider groms Noah Steinmetz and Matthew Hahn celebrate their first and third place finishes in the 9-and under division of the WSA Menehune Surfest at Huntington last month. Photo by Kurt Steinmetz
Los Angeles County Lifeguard Allison Riddle surfs to the beach during the Hennessey’s South Bay Dozen, an annual waterman/waterwoman event that is open to the public, but whose participants are primarily lifeguards and their kids. This year’s competition, held July 8 at Torrance Beach included 10-time Molokai Paddleboard Race champion Jamie Mitchell, of Australia, and top ranked outrigger and stand up paddleboard racer Danny Ching of Redondo. Mitchell won the stand-up paddleboard race and Ching won the outrigger canoe race. Despite the caliber of the competitors, organizers Brian and Mike Murphy make sure the day more fun than cutthroat. Proceeds benefited the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation, which offers ocean therapy to kids and military veterans. For more about the Jimmy Miller Foundation visit JimmyMillerFoundation.org.
Venice’s Dogtown visionary Craig Stecyk (center) and Tyler team riders Mike Siordia and Josh Gilberts were among the guests helping Tyler Hatzikian celebrate the unveiling of his new “Designated Hitter” mid-size, user friendly model during Tyler Surfboards annual factory open house on Saturday, July 14.