South Bay’s First is first again, but San Diego dominates South Bay Paddleboard Race
Max First checks behind him as he approaches the finish of the South Bay Paddleboard Race on Saturday. Photos by JP Cordero Photos by JP Cordero [ngg src=”galleries” ids=”2390″ display=”pro_mosaic”]by Kevin Cody The South Bay paddleboard season opened Saturday morning with 95 paddlers competing in a 15 mile race that started at the Hermosa Pier, followed the coast four miles south to Torrance Beach, then out four miles to the R10 Buoy, and then seven miles back to the pier. The four-year-old race, founded by Catalina Classic board member Scott Rusher as a qualifier for the Classic, is called the South Bay Paddle. But this year’s race might better have been called the San Diego Paddle. Ten of the top 14 places were claimed by padders from down south. But as pioneer paddler Mike Eaton once observed, there are only two places in a paddleboard race. First and finisher. And fortunately for the South Bay paddling community the first finisher was Manhattan Beach resident and Los Angeles County lifeguard Max First. Los Angeles County Lifeguard Tiana Pugliese was a repeat winner in the women’s division. Photo by JP Cordero First time of 2:20:50 was just one minute off his winning time in…
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