KSUSA Titles Steamers' Lane Nov 17, 18, and 19

[Tom Linn]

Here's the lodging recommendation. I will see all of you there.


Comfort Inn Beach/Boardwalk Area (CA926)

314 Riverside Ave. , Santa Cruz, CA, US, 95060

Phone: (831) 471-9999 Fax: (831) 429-5000



One block to beach, 3 blocks to the Ideal. Pool, jacuzi, Free breakfast. 2- queen beds $69, 1 queen bed $59, suites that sleeps several $99



They are wide open for the period of our contest. Best to book ASAP.

[joe]

I shopped around and came up with the same hotel. I think it's the closest hotel to the event under $100/night. I've got a room with 2 queen beds for $62/night - government rate. I think there are similar discounts for AAA and Internet reservations. They even have a special discount for some of you really old kneelos (50+)

http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/ ... otel=CA926

[surfhorn]

Here is the Mapquest page:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?se ... pN8%2bnZHA

Riverside Drive is at the other end of the Boardwalk ---more like six+ blocks from wharf/restaurant.

Sorry I haven't been able to jump on this but I'll see if I can do something tomorrrow.

[DarcyM]

actually the 300 block of riverside drive where the Comfort Inn is located is more like 3 blocks from the beach and yes a little farther from the wharf/pier area. But a good price and location, I switched my hotel reservation to there so as to be closer to where the usual antics will be taking place .... and for the heated pool.

http://mappoint.msn.com/(z44natuyunzf2h ... A+95060|L1|

[surfhorn]

Hey, Cats & Kittens - Just drove down to Boardwalk area and talked with various motels.

I'm advising against the Comfort Inn. Its on the south end of the Boardwalk in an area that is known as The Beach Flats, one of the lowest rent districts in Santa Cruz. If ease in obtaining an eight ball and a hooker are high on your list, then go ahead and stay at the Confrot Inn. It is 1/2+ mile from the Ideal Fish Company.
I wouldn't want to walk there............. let alone at night. But that is my personal opinion.

But just 1/10 of a mile (one long block) from the Ideal Fish Restaurant there are other options up on the Beach Hill overlooking the ocean on Second Street.

1.)
The Econo Lodge, 550 Second Street (ocean view) is your basic motel: 2 queen beds per room. I was quoted a rate of $55/nite. You must call the local number (not the corp. 800 number):
831-426-3626 and ask for Dave - he's the one who can give you the $55 rate. You can mention my name and kneeboarding. The Lane is 8/10 of a mile from there.

2.)
Across the street from Econo Lodge is The Edgewater which is more like apartments that can sleep 2-8 with kitchens, livingrooms, bedrooms and will take pets with a deposit. The head honcho is out until Monday so I couldn't talk deals yet. But here are the winter rates off of their sheet:

2 people: midweek-85/nite wkend-119/nite

4 people: midwk-oops/nite wkend-169/nite

6 people: midwk-139/nite wkend-195/nite

8 people: midwk-159/nite wkend-229/nite

[Edgewater address/info on previous post.]

Hope this helps.

Best,
Dan Young

[surfseeker7]

Windows Media Player format. From a "Bruce" posting on today's www.niceness.org. All stand up surfers, but a good sample of small Steamers.

http://www.surfhumor.com/surfbungalows/ ... ctober.wmv

~SS7

[ScottMac]

..

[Mike Fernandez]

Hey Jon Manss, set me up for an entrypoint class, I am just there for fun, going up with Mutiny, and I'll have a brand spankin new Blast! Don't want any rock dings

[Jon Manss]

You got it Mike.

[Ed Dimick]

Any body out there interested in splitting the cost on hotel accommodations? Let me know.

Ed Dimick

[Marcman]

OK

We have finally completed all our arrangements
The plans are as follows

We fly into San Francisco on Saturday the 12th, arriving at 14:00
We are going to be renting a car from there and will be driving down to Santa Cruz that afternoon so if anyone want to hook up for surfs pre-event please get in touch with Jon Mel at freeline, we are staying with John, The Man, The Legend

And for those of you that dont know "Charles Parker" is coming along, all i can say is dont drop the soap in the shower!

Any one want anything from Jolly ENGLAND, perhaps teabags?
Let me know

See you fellas soon

MC

[surfhorn]

Tell Parker to bring his alto sax. OH, not THAT Charlie Parker.........

I'll be delivering coffee from my friends company in the AMs. Should I bring a different brew for your crew?

[Sprocky]

MahhhK!
I'd love some of those lemon raisin pancakes they have at the bread aisle in Tesco, a Ploughman's sandwich from Marks & Spencers, on a bap if possible (nobody makes baps here), a chip butty, couple cans of Strongbow, and a six pack of Chandy for the Junior division.
Maahhk! Maaahhk! MaaahhK!
Want's some homemade biltong? My brother's got venison, turkey, racoon, possum, and whatever else wanders through the yard.
Oh, and buy the chip butty now so the grease is nice and hard by the time you get here. Nothing like an old cold chip butty. Lemme know if you want Quid or Rand.

[ScottMac]

..

[surfhorn]

From Sunday's Santa Cruz Sentinel:

November 6, 2005


Gwen Mickelson, In the Water: These boarders have a knee up on others
Southern California kneeboarder Barry Baker carved it up on the North Shore of Oahu at a kneeboarder gathering earlier this year. Baker prefers kneeboarding to any other wave-riding experience.
The sensation is so immediate, he says, the face of the wave so close, and you can do everything standup surfers do but oftentimes you can take off deeper. For barrel-seekers such as Baker, on his knees is just where he wants to be.

Santa Cruz, home to small but hardy group of eclectic kneeboarders, will get to see Baker, 36, of Capo Beach, and 60-70 other competitors in action at the Kneeboard Surfing USA Titles, which will be Nov. 17-19 at Steamer Lane.

"Hopefully there will be waves and we can take it to the next level," said Baker, who won the open division in the event last year, which was held at Pleasure Point. "But it’s good to see competitors from all over the state and all over the world, and check out their boards and styles."

Kneeboard-community nonprofit Kneeboard Surfing USA has hosted two championships before, both at Pleasure Point. Based on the success of those events, the group has been awarded the opportunity to host the Kneeboarding World Titles & Festival in December 2006 — and they’re considering Santa Cruz as their primary choice of venue, said Don Harris, president.

"We’re making all of the arrangements to hold it for three days at Pleasure Point and three days at Steamer Lane," he said.

The World Titles are held every other year and have been in South Africa, Australia, Huntington Beach, New Zealand and Tahiti.

"This is a big deal," said Harris. "We’ve got to look for major corporate sponsors and we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to line it up."

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The KSUSA event began soon after the group launched its Web site, www.ksusa.org, in the hopes of bringing together kneeboarders from across the country. Lured by camaraderie more than prizes, surfers from up and down the coast, as well as from far-flung spots such as England and Puerto Rico, are expected to compete.

Darcy Murphine, 47, of San Diego, who’s been kneeboarding for more than 30 years, was the only woman competing last year. She’ll likely be the only one of her gender in the contest again this time, she said, but since she’s doing it for fun, it’s no big deal.

"Actually, it’s easier to compete against the guys because I’m not expected to do well and I can just relax," she said with a laugh.

Kneeboarding, she said, is different from the other types of riding.

"It can be more aggressive and more critical in terms of positioning in the wave," she said. "For anybody, it’s fairly easy to start but difficult to master."

Kneeboarding, which generally is done on a small, wide board with two to five fins, was a popular and progressive alternative to conventional surfing in the ’60s and ’70s. The development of the bodyboard and the modern shortboard subverted the performance advantage of the kneeboard in more recent times, though, eroding its ranks of enthusiasts. But the sport seems to be having a renaissance of sorts, with the KSUSA Web site counting more than 800 registered users.

"It’s a pretty esoteric group," said John Mel, the well-known owner of Freeline Design Surfboards, dad of pro surfer Peter Mel and a kneeboarder who will be competing in the event. "The people generally are not publicity hounds — most kneeboarders around town here surf out of the populated areas."

Kneeboarding, famously practiced by filmmaker and board designer George Greenough of Santa Barbara in the ’60s, led to the shortboard revolution and the development of the now fashionable fish.

The group is excited about having the event at the Lane, said Murphine, which she called "a pretty high-performance wave with a great arena to it." The caliber of surfing at the contest will be high.

"Expect some advanced maneuvers, big 360s, barrel rolls, air maneuvers," said Murphine. "It’ll be a good show to watch."

Of course, no surf contest is complete without nightly parties, and the KSUSA Titles are no exception. Gatherings will occur at Ideal Bar & Grill on the Santa Cruz Wharf. Simon Farrer of Australia, one of the sport’s dominant riders over the decades, will show his video from a recent gathering of kneeboarders on the North Shore of Oahu Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Entries for the contest will be accepted until Nov. 8, and a limited number may be accepted right before the event. The fee is $35 for Junior division, $80 for Open division. The event runs 7 a.m. to the early afternoon each day.

For entry information, visit www.ksusa.org or drop by Freeline Design