My First Surf Contest

[willli]

It was my first purchase of a competition type surfboard, a Hansen Competitor, and I just loved the thing. As a bonus it came with a paid entry to big surf contest sponsored by the surfshop, to be held at Gilgo beach, a popular spot, but I had never surfed there. The contest was pretty far off, months, which seem an eternity when you’re 14. But I worked real hard on the one skill that seemed important, nose riding. It wasn’t easy getting practice time cos I was too young to drive and the beach within walking distance was on the Long Island Sound. I had an uncle who owned a speedboat big enough to hold 6 people while pulling 2 water-skiers at the same time, and I noticed it threw a pretty big wake, so one thing I did was bring the surfboard to the perfectly flat sound and sit and wait at a spot he always turned the boat near the beach and caught these little waves the boat threw toward the beach. Lucky for me Jerry’s older cousin Pat took an interest and on the spot he decided to buy a surfboard. He had a car, a nice 52 Ford that looked great married to my racks, and he became my ride to the ocean that whole summer. He bought a Phil Edwards three-stringer model and learned to paddle at the sound.
Pat really was an inspiration. At the ocean I would get ride after ride, but he was so happy to stand, even once. He rode straight off in the whitewater with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen, and the rides home were filled with analysis and determination. Its not easy to start surfing when you’re 27, married, young children, but he took to it like he was 12. I mentioned the upcoming contest and he was real excited to go, till I told him the date, and his head dropped explaining other commitments. I was determined to go, which meant the unthinkable, ask my older sister to drive me.
Surf mags have their uses. East coasters would study the pictures of California and Hawaiian waves and try and draw inspiration. I learned very quickly to study the boards, the positioning, and the wakes. I didn’t care who was riding; my focus was on the boards and the waves. My sister took to the guys. It was my last chance after several NO’s, show her the surf mag and lie that this buff guy and that guy were all going to be there, anyone that caught her fancy I insisted was going to be at Gilgo beach. All the time I was thinking “Right, big time surfers will be there. I’ll be there to show the world!”
It’s quite an effort to get an older sister to a distant beach by 7am. She had all her stuff, blanket, radio, baby oil, cigarettes she didn’t smoke, bikini. The morning was unusually cold. She was in good enough humor though and was pleased to see the parking lot stuffed with eligible males. One I noticed right away, a big time pro from Florida, part of the Hobie team, huddled under blankets sitting in his car, his eyes shut head leaning back. Right I thought! “Mental preparation! The key to winning.” I raced out to the beach.
I checked the board, checked in; I was in the first heat. Even though it was August we had one of those periods where the cold Labrador Current slipped by Cape Cod, knocking the water temperature down dramatically. Standing there waiting for the horn I sized up the competition. I was the youngest by two years to the next youngest and he was 6 years shy of the oldest. No matter, I foresaw my win! My first wave I planted 5 over for a good 20 feet, backpedaled, stalled, then ran up for 10, went about 10 feet and pearled. It was a good start. I surfed my heart out. The horn rang and it was over. We gave the jerseys back and I had no idea what came next, but figured results for me would be good. Another heat hit the water, then another, and another, and each one seemed to have a winner. But no results for my heat. Finally I got up the courage to ask the very fellow that sold me my board, clearly one of the organizers. “Sorry kid, better luck next time.”
I found my sister and sat on the blanket. She was in heaven with all the attention she was getting but I was bummed by my result. The air was warming and my mood started to improve as I got over my loss with a nice sandwich. They were assembling the next round and there he was, the pro from Florida, wrapped in a blanket shivering even in a full wetsuit. I saw all the heats but I didn’t see him surf. I walked up to the board to be sure. There was his name as winner of MY heat. But he didn’t even surf!! What kind of crap is this! He gets to sit in his car and WIN?? I look around. Everybody’s kissing up to this dude acting all in awe and such. I didn’t even bother questioning. I got it. He was the invited pro, the dude who was going to out surf the rest of us, the guy was going to win, preordained. He won. That was my last contest.

[fooj]

Funny story, willi. Good summary of contests in general. My one and only contest includes 1 foot surf, two triangles, which I didn't know what they were until after the heat and a sixth place. I have more triangles than contest heats under my belt. I told my friend this story and optimistically he said I'd probably saved hundreds if not thousands of $.

[ross]

last time i went in a contest,i got beaten by a dude wearing a biggles hat,flippers and a full suit (in summer) who looked like a chicken dinner on a plate .in one foot surf in wollongong.i think maybe he got the wave count and the rest of us didnt.i dont think my ego could take another flogging like that