Buckley wins Velzy/Stevens Paddleboard Race after sprinting to start line
Photos by Frank Goroszko, Mara Laine, Kevin Cody
While the 193 paddlers entered in the International Surf Festival/Velzy Stevens Paddleboard Race were making their way through the surf to the starting line at the end of theManhattan Beachpier,Adam Buckleywas paddling the opposite direction, toward shore.
“Where’s registration,” he screamed to a passing paddler. Told it was on the beach, he sprinted ashore, registered, sprinted to the start line and then won the paddleboard division of the 1.6 mile race, which ends on the beach at theHermosa Beachpier.
“I was a little sore from yesterday,” the 34-year-old Hermosa Beach resident said after the race. On Saturday, he had gone on a 22-mile training paddle in preparation for the upcoming 32-mile Catalina Classic paddleboard race. Buckley won the Classic in 2010.
Buckley finished in 16:45, followed byManhattan Beachresident Max First, 22, in 17:07, Hogan Inscore, 19, in 18:42 and Scott Rusher, 44, of Manhattan Beach in 18:51.
The first competitor to cross the finish line was Los Angeles County Lifeguard Tyler Morgan, on a 19-foot stand-up board. He won the SUP unlimited division in 16:26.
Morgan also had an exhausting weekend. On both Friday and Saturday nights he raced dories in the International Surf Festival lifeguard competitions.
Mike Caputo, 48, of Manhattan Beach was second in the SUP unlimited division in 18:53, followed by Neal Drinkward, 49, of Redondo Beach in 19:20 andRon Gallemore, 47, of Rancho Palos Verdes.
Aimee Spector, 39, of Redondo Beach, won the women’s stock paddleboard division in 21:51, followed by Tracey Crothers, 25, in 23:14, Nina Bartlett, 20, of Hawthorne in 24:39 and Shauna Letvin, 24, of Manhattan Beach in 26:09.
In the women’s stand-up, Mariko Uyehara, 49, of Hermosa Beach was first in 24:32, followed by Janette O’Campo, 47, of Manhattan Beach, Trish Richardson, 49, of Hermosa Beach and Kelsey Lichtenstein, 31, of Venice.
Paddlers ranged in age from 6-year-old Griffen Kellum, ofManhattan Beach, who finished in 30:06 to 72-year-old Greg Johnson, who finished just a bit slower.
The race was organized by volunteers from the South Bay Boardriders Club.
For complete results visit RaceResultsEternalTiming.com ER