Looking ahead to future Santa Cruz contests...

[Irish]

The USA is looking like a logistical and stressful nightmare !! Phillip Island is always ready to host a future world titles and I am sure will do so in coming years but as Bruce Hart says we have to take Kneeboarding to other places as well as Australia, What about Europe, the British could host something maybe or even S Africa

[albert]

For basketball playoffs they have different venues. Could that concept be used here.

This has been the case in the past...

At the Worlds in 2002, the contest was held in three different venues (maybe more, dont remember)

At the worlds in 1999, the contest was also held in a variety of breaks.

The venue was decided on the day, basically the one that was working the best for the day's conditions. Unfortunately, Im pretty sure you cant do this in the states, due to inherent restrictions on beach permits (i.e. you get a permit for one specific area, unlike in other places, where your beach permit is for the beaches in a certain area).

[WayneK]

This is a difficult situation. Setting a date will help narrow our choices of venues ie south swell(summer breaks) vs winter swell directions. It's double jeopardy for we kneelos: everyone dislikes having a contest at their local, and, we are already considered 'second class wave riders' and get little respect here in the USA. Last Pleasure Point contest painfully proved this. Obviously a premier spot would be fantastic, but, an unlikely reality.
Lower Trestles in late summer, Sunset Cliffs, San Diego in the winter, hell, why not Rincon! A more realistic choice would be some beachbreak: Santa Clara River, Ventura, or some other quality 'beachie' on our coast.
This will not be easy Wayne

[Jon Manss]

Albet has a very good point about using the Lane, especially for 14 days.
No way would that go over. The Cold Water Classic only runs for 5 and that is our biggest contest. And yes those butt boarders have had a very bad image here, but some how it is tolorated because these guys go home and never surf the spot. I'm afraid I and other kneelos would lose a little respect out there, to say the least.
Scott where did you get your info about anybody just setting up a contest? I heard that said by others out in the water but just passed it off as sour grapes. There are way to many contest at PP. Where is that wave machine? Clovis or Fresno?

[ScottMac]

..

[BillL]

What about Oceanside? It's a big beachbreak, lots of room for everybody, and it fires, especially in late Sept., early Oct..Plus the water would be warm. Just a thought. Bill

[Jeff Ommen]

At the risk of sounding like a "Homer" for my regular break, I agree with Bill. O-Side is a good place to hold the championships. It takes most swells, plenty of room to spread out, tolorent crowds. It gets my vote.

[SFKneelo]

Folks,

Slow down a bit.

This only applies to our 'tried and true.'
Getting permits for multiple locations is tough, but achievable.

Don't count the U.S. out on hosting the event.

It only points out some of the angst, challenges, and obstacles.

The policy may spell doom for our current venue, but we will either find something better or head elsewhere. We still don't know the validity of the statement that was made. One course of action that remains is to secure the site AND secure water clearance.

There are many angles, and many courses of response. These are all good ideas, but it doesn't diminish our resolve.

Happy Easter, or at least Happy Weekend everyone!

[hart]

There are many angles, and many courses of response. These are all good ideas, but it doesn't diminish our resolve.

Happy Easter, or at least Happy Weekend everyone!

Now that's what this Kangaroo wants to hear!

no hurdle too high..(cringe)..

SF for President

hart

all in good humour..and heart

[eqKneelo]

I think, logically, if we can't get Pleasures, we should consider moving the contest to one of the BlackBalled Piers. (Oceanside or Huntington). Steamers would be a nightmare, and if the crowd factor at Pleasures is gonna get worse, $crew it. If Santa Cruz would rather get overrun with longboarding dorks from San Jose instead of letting a core crew of international surfers run a very fun, soulful, event, then the place is going to hell anyway.
Now, if we want to think "outside the box", there is always Baja. Miles of awesome beachbreaks, epic point breaks, and MUCH cheaper for international surfers. There might be someone agency down there we could hire (i.e. Bribe) which would allow us to hold a multi-day event with the option of changing venues on a day-to-day basis.
It's a thought.
EQ

[Bud]

Geez Ed,
I was thinking the same thing yesterday.
(great minds think a like )

Going a step further............

Maybe utilize a surf camp destination in Central America, Costa Rica, Nicargua, Panama or Equador.

But they wouldn't have the well developed "infrastructure" (party venues) that Cabo now has.

At any rate, I doubt anyone would object to not needing a full wetsuit.

[eqKneelo]

It's a BLAST thing, Bud.
We're just a step ahead.
EQ
P.S. LOVE the Panama/Nicaragua idea.... Sellout the camp, and there is nobody but us. "Natividad" anyone?!

[southpeakbrad]

I hope we can but IF we end up not being able to do PPoint my first thought was Huntington (late Aug/Sept), but the Oceanside reccs from others is a great idea.
EQ, I've been to Natividad-just wouldn't work (logistics); but a Gathering would Of course, the set up would be perfect!
Hart/Albert: Oz or NewZealand, I hope to come to the next Worlds down your way!

[Bud]

One way of keeping the water cleared of non- contestants at any venue..............

Have someone sit hidden on shore driving a remote controlled dummy dorsal fin (about 3' high) around the perimeter of the surfbreak!

Clue in only the kneeboarders.

[albert]

Hart/Albert: Oz or NewZealand, I hope to come to the next Worlds down your way!

Apparently the word is the ones after Santa Cruz should be in NZ. Awesome setups down there... I think Im headed down that way sometime in August (freezing temps), but excellent waves.