- John Leininger, the face of Becker Surf for over three decades, retired last month, after trying to retire for the past three years. Leininger’s encyclopedic knowledge of surfing, drawn from personal experience and his extensive surf book collection, made him the South Bay’s go to guy for journalists and anyone else who needed to understand surfing. The 69-year-old Redondo resident plans to continue his long daily bike rides and frequent surf trips to Hawaii. Photo by Amy Lynn Hicks
- Nearly 100 South Bay surfers gathered for a paddleout at Neptune Street, in Manhattan Beach on Sunday, June 30 to honor Phil Reardon, who passed away May 9 at age 96. After a 36-year career at North American/Rockwell, he celebrated his 75th birthday by hiking the John Muir Trail, solo. He last ran the Manhattan 10K at 82. He and his son surfboard shaper Pat Ryan owned the Jacobs Surf brand name for several years in the 1980s. They sold it back to Hap Jacobs when he resumed shaping for $1. Photo
- Body Glove team rider Anthony Walsh, of Lennox Head, Australia won the ASP 3-Star Maui and Sons World Star Tour contest last month in Arica, Chile. “Arica has sick, waves that really suite my surfing. The final was a sick, come from behind. I needed an 18.35 and got a 10 and a 9.45,” said Walsh, who is best known for his heavy, left barrel riding. Photo courtesy of Anthony Walsh
- Mira Costa grad Dayton Silva won the NSSA (National Scholastic Surfing Association) college men’s national championship short board final on June 15 at Salt Creek Beach near Dana Point. Dayton’s Mira Costa Community College (no relationship to Mira Costa High) surf team won the team title against 17 other colleges and universities from both coasts. Silva’s 9.3 score in the final heat was the high score of the contest. Mira Costa College teammates carrying him up the beach include former Mira Costa high teammate Kelly Zaun (in green). Silva, and Zaun, who finished third, earned a berth in the U.S. Open in August. Photo by Fred Swegles, Orange County Register
