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Have you ever surfed in a contest?
- Thread starter Boneroni
- Start date
Man, that was kinda brutal! 
The heat before mine had probably 20 good waves. Ours had maybe 2. I got 2 insiders, 3-4 turns each, and 2 small scores.
Still got 4th out of 6 guys though. I actually recognized a few of the guys in my heat from morning sessions over the years. There was no hassling and everyone was nice and even chatty. That was a nice surprise.
So, with the high tide lump, slight S wind lump, 20 minute lull, parking hassle, family and schedule hassle......... it was still really fun. I'll probably do it again next year if I'm not living in hicksville pennsylvania
I'll try to post some pics later after I get some work done.
The heat before mine had probably 20 good waves. Ours had maybe 2. I got 2 insiders, 3-4 turns each, and 2 small scores.
Still got 4th out of 6 guys though. I actually recognized a few of the guys in my heat from morning sessions over the years. There was no hassling and everyone was nice and even chatty. That was a nice surprise.
So, with the high tide lump, slight S wind lump, 20 minute lull, parking hassle, family and schedule hassle......... it was still really fun. I'll probably do it again next year if I'm not living in hicksville pennsylvania
I'll try to post some pics later after I get some work done.
Yeah, Saturday morning had a bit of texture and tide. Afternoons were draining! Luck definitely plays a big role in surf contests. If your heat is wave starved, you've got to scramble for anything, even inside waves. By the way, judges aren't very impressed by the quantity of maneuvers. It's all about quality. Blow us away! One big turn beats three small ones. Glad you had fun. Contests can be pretty stressful.Man, that was kinda brutal!
The heat before mine had probably 20 good waves. Ours had maybe 2. I got 2 insiders, 3-4 turns each, and 2 small scores.
Still got 4th out of 6 guys though. I actually recognized a few of the guys in my heat from morning sessions over the years. There was no hassling and everyone was nice and even chatty. That was a nice surprise.
So, with the high tide lump, slight S wind lump, 20 minute lull, parking hassle, family and schedule hassle......... it was still really fun. I'll probably do it again next year if I'm not living in hicksville pennsylvania
I'll try to post some pics later after I get some work done.
In high school, I was super into contests; almost all my surf buddies were. We had weekly surf practices which was organized by the local surf shop in my tiny beach town (Satellite Beach, FL). I did not do well though; maybe 3rd place once in all the contests.....? I can't remember.
Now I'm just an inland donkey, over the hill pro ho.
Now I'm just an inland donkey, over the hill pro ho.
I have judged and head judged the RC quite a few times in the last 10 years. The problem with a two-month waiting period is that I and most of the more experienced judges are sometimes unavailable on the weekend they choose to run. Then they have to scramble to replace us. I can’t speak to the validity of the results those years. I have been a surf judge for 37 years, and no one has ever offered me any bribes or benefits to produce a certain result. That would just make our scores look stupid in the eyes of the competitors, the public, and the other judges. Of course, we are not above criticism. It’s a subjective task with many variables in play. Rincon is a particularly challenging wave to score. Long rides, six-man heats with multiple riders up simultaneously, and computer scoring. Lots going on at once.
I can't imagine the patience and focus it takes to be a judge. Kudos.
Here's some iphone pics from where I was sitting in the cove.
I actually pulled so many newb maneuvers that I'm surprised I still had a good time.
I put on my singlet and paddled out without doing the chest zip on my suit!
I hit a chop and blew the takeoff on my first wave!
And, while I don't surf in booties, I had to wear these to walk around and keep my feet warm (it was all I had with me!)
It just makes me realize that it's all about surfing for me. I caught some good waves before the comp and felt really good about how I was surfing. That's good enough to make it fun for me.
Here's some iphone pics from where I was sitting in the cove.
I actually pulled so many newb maneuvers that I'm surprised I still had a good time.
I put on my singlet and paddled out without doing the chest zip on my suit!
I hit a chop and blew the takeoff on my first wave!
And, while I don't surf in booties, I had to wear these to walk around and keep my feet warm (it was all I had with me!)
It just makes me realize that it's all about surfing for me. I caught some good waves before the comp and felt really good about how I was surfing. That's good enough to make it fun for me.
Boneroni was signing autographs in the parking lot....
K, pretty sure we will have to move this year, so I'm doing the classic again.
It's on this weekend.
I was hoping it would be later in the season, as I've only been riding my flying manta for months. Oh well. Wish me luck!
It's on this weekend.
I was hoping it would be later in the season, as I've only been riding my flying manta for months. Oh well. Wish me luck!
Good luck! Should be fun. Good waves, conditions, and weather. It's always a tough decision whether to catch everything that moves (since you will never get Rincon otherwise with only five other surfers out) or be selective and focus on just those two waves that will get you through to the next round. Either way, not a bad situation to be in!
This post by Jeff Booth on Insta speaks volumes for what it was like growing up in that era. Being on the east coast it was a really big deal when an ASP pro surf contest was held in Seaside Heights or Atlantic City. The local surfers who got a couple of early round heats with the likes of Martin Potter, Cheyne Horan, Derek Ho and Tom Carroll were instant legends. Us groms were in awe. Every one of us dreamed of being a pro surfer some day. Couple of those local guys made it to the show. Couple of the groms went on to NSSA National teams and couple to making a little money as surfers in the early 2000s. Then it all crashed and competitive surfing in the US mainland basically died.
Sorry I never updated this thread. Been busy at home and work. Yuck.
TLR - It went pretty much exactly as bad (and as good) as last time
K, so I show up about 8:00am, which is about 1:30 before my heat.
My toes have been going numb pretty easily lately, and the waves kinda sucked, so I opted to not surf before my heat.
Tsunami warning delayed start of event, and all heats got shortened to 15 minutes.
I check in for my heat and they have a very large digital clock and a very loud horn, so I don't wear a watch.
I walk up the point, stretch a bit, then look back at the tower, but see no clock. Chat with the other guys, not knowing what to do. We paddle out because we knew our heat was about to start.
Still see no clock.
No horn.
No announcement.
We sit, confused and bemused for a few minutes. No sets come in.
I catch a couple insiders which are not good at all.
One wide set mushes through the spotty highish tide. It's kinda morning sick and tricky.
Then Dane Reynolds paddles out and tells us that our heat is over and that they lost power on the beach.
I did not advance.
I think it was because I didn't see anyone with a "team boner" shirt
Was a little bummed, but smoked a bowl and walked up to surf the indicator.
Not too crowded, and it was the usual late morning/afternoon guys that I often chase inside runners with. Everyone was in a good mood, lots of waves coming through, and I got an absolute drainer from the rivermouth to the flagpole, like the wave you always dream of getting.
So that made the day a net gain.
Here's before my heat:
Here's after my surf up top. It was really good in the cove by this point:
TL
R - It went pretty much exactly as bad (and as good) as last timeK, so I show up about 8:00am, which is about 1:30 before my heat.
My toes have been going numb pretty easily lately, and the waves kinda sucked, so I opted to not surf before my heat.
Tsunami warning delayed start of event, and all heats got shortened to 15 minutes.
I check in for my heat and they have a very large digital clock and a very loud horn, so I don't wear a watch.
I walk up the point, stretch a bit, then look back at the tower, but see no clock. Chat with the other guys, not knowing what to do. We paddle out because we knew our heat was about to start.
Still see no clock.
No horn.
No announcement.
We sit, confused and bemused for a few minutes. No sets come in.
I catch a couple insiders which are not good at all.
One wide set mushes through the spotty highish tide. It's kinda morning sick and tricky.
Then Dane Reynolds paddles out and tells us that our heat is over and that they lost power on the beach.
I did not advance.
I think it was because I didn't see anyone with a "team boner" shirt
Was a little bummed, but smoked a bowl and walked up to surf the indicator.
Not too crowded, and it was the usual late morning/afternoon guys that I often chase inside runners with. Everyone was in a good mood, lots of waves coming through, and I got an absolute drainer from the rivermouth to the flagpole, like the wave you always dream of getting.
So that made the day a net gain.
Here's before my heat:
Here's after my surf up top. It was really good in the cove by this point:
