Redondo and Mira Costa Closes Out Competition

All photos by Saul Zaragoza

The South Bay Surf League contest action resumed last Thursday having been rained out the previous week. With a giant storm system dubbed “The Pineapple Express,”  in the forecast for the following Friday, League Director Dickie O’Reilly made the call to not postponed the event despite giant surf.

Redondo took advantage of a decimated South High surf team last Thursday to run up the score, 104 to 43. South lost nine of its top surfers the previous week due to suspensions and expulsions related to an ill-conceived social media stunt.

South coach Leigh Macarthur took the situation in stride, keeping his team’s spirits up, as he’s done for the last 11 years.

“It’s a little bit challenging out there,” understated South Bay Surf League director Dickie O’Reilly said as four- to six-foot sets rolled through. “The girl surfers are especially impressive, just making it out the back and paddling through the sets.”

With the sand bars not yet formed, the medium to inside waves held the only shape. Occasionally, a set wave would hint at a corner, but explode on the inside sand bar.

“Judges were rewarding bombs,” head judge Chris Wells said. “The bigger the wave, the higher the score.”

In the first men’s shortboard heat, Redondo’s Kyle Beatty approached the Backdoor-esque set barrels with abandon, pulling into the biggest waves of the contest to capture first place. Will Hayward held the flag for South, placing second. The Spartan blazed on the better shaped, inside waves. He also dropped into a huge left, only to be gobbled up by the barrel.

With the rising tide and increasing wave size, O’Reilly allowed the contestants to paddle out five minutes before their heats. In the second men’s shortboard heat, Redondo’s Tate Curran sat out the back, only charging the bombs. He won the heat by pig-dogging a barreling left. South’s Clayton Tillung took second with a huge floater.

In the third men’s shortboard heat, Redondo took all three top spots. Jack Langdon finished first by getting locked in casually and making distance on a closing tube. Kris Hall, a threat in multiple divisions, placed second by picking off a good left corner.

By the final shortboard heat, the higher tide combined with the offshore wind to open up a good left. Redondo’s Trevor La Shure shredded for first place. Second place finisher Cameron Stamer followed La Shure to the peak and landed a good rollercoaster.

With over nine feet of foam and fiberglass, paddling out on a longboard in big surf isn’t a cakewalk. Contestants had to time the sets. During the lulls, it took a sprint of paddling furry to make it to the outside.

Redondo’s Jack Langdon pulled into the cleanest tube of the contest. He almost made it out but was clipped by the second section and settled for second place. A few contestants stayed true to form electing to ditch the monkey cord. Between swims, Hall dropped into a tubing left, grabbing rail like John Peck, circa 1963, to demolition by close out for the win.

In the women’s shortboard, two of the league’s best — Redondo’s Hali Honea and South’s Hunter Richardville — braved the conditions. Honea drew the best lines in the heat and connected to the inside on a quality right. Dropping in on some sets and taking a beating by being caught in the inside, Richardville placed second.

South’s Sacha Recht went for broke, bringing the judges to cheer every wave she went for. She won her division. Second place finisher, Redondo’s Emma Waldinger, caught a few waves on the inside and gained points by jumping on the nose before paddling to the outside.

In the bodyboard heat, South’s bodyboard team was a no show, giving Redondo a big points lead.

Beatty placed second in the bodyboard division by repeatedly getting cinched by closed out barrels. La Shure won with his drop knee maneuvers.

Peninsula Vs. Mira Costa results:

Shortboard Mens #1

1. Nigel Lipps PENN
2. Chad Coons MCHS
3. Tommy Dietz MCHS

Shortboard Mens #2

1. Pat Komick MCHS
2. Matt Hodges MCHS
3. Ryan Cortez PENN

Shortboard Mens #3

1. Shane Crow MCHS
2. Doug Golubovic MCHS
3. Adam Lazarus PENN

Shortboard Mens #4

1. Cody Purcell MCHS
2. Ryan Ulrich MCHS
3. Peter Neal MCHS

Longboard Mens

1. Peter Neal MCHS
2. Andrew Neal MCHS
3. Will Allen PENN

Womens Shortboard

1. Sara Kohrogi MCHS
2. Emily Seth MCHS
3. Skye Perranoski PENN

Womens Longboard

1. Sara Kohrogi
2. Emily Seth
3. Lauren Fredrick

Bodyboard

1. Nick Coon MCHS
2. Justin Matsui MCHS
3. JJ Accomando PENN

Final Score:

Peninsula: 42

Mira Costa: 110