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On The Edge | Lots of Waves |
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By Peter Pan
The rising price of gasoline has finally affected the New England surfing scene, as this past weekend’s contest showed. Due to the high expense of driving to various contest sites on the New England coast, the South New England District of the Eastern Surfing Association designated the annual Professional Longboard Association Championships as a non-rated contest. This meant that no valuable rating points were given to participating competitors, so it was not essential to attend. Because of this, the turnout was very low, despite the fact that there were perfect 3-5 foot waves all day long.
“We tried the non-rated method for the first time,” said ESA Competition Director Mario Frade, “and it just doesn’t work. We now realize it is better to just run a lighter schedule and make all the contests fully rated.” He said that many of the competitors who did show up, commented on the high expenses of attending the event. “This is the first time ever, that gasoline has affected our contest turnout,” said Frade.
While the contest might have been small, the moves were big, as everyone managed to get a barrel or two by the end of their heat. Ron Belanger had an outstanding day, as he pulled off two dramatic fin-first take offs, to win the Masters Longboard Final. Jim Chabot closed the gap with a nice inside barrel section, but it was not enough to catch Belanger. Ron switched to shortboard in the Open Division, and grabbed the second place trophy.
Other outstanding performances came from Jonathan Tartaro and his brother, Anthony, who finished 3rd and 4th, respectively, in the Open Division event. Tim Brooks got some long left walls to take a 2nd in the Legends Longboard Final, and a 5th in the Open Division.
Before the contest began, ESA Co-Director Ron Belanger conducted an hour long coaching clinic that was attended by several ESA competitors, including Katie Zullo, who is currently undefeated in New England competition in both the longboard and shortboard divisions. “We have some real talent out there,” said Ron. “The surfers just need to understand how to put those talents to good use during a contest.”
Area surfers next gear up for the first of two rounds of competition on Cape Cod. The Cape Cod Challenge Round #1 is scheduled to take place at Whitecrest Beach, in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, on July 19th. According to ESA Massachusetts Competition Director, Chick Frodigh, all sandbars are in great shape for the summer. Frodigh expects good surf for the contest, unlike last season, when there were no ridable sandbars on the Outer Beaches.
This contest will be on call for July 18th, after 6:00 PM, on the ESA Hotline. The phone number to call is 401.727.2605. Competition in longboard, shortboard, and bodyboard will take place, and all events are fully rated for the 2008 ESA season. Interested surfers can join the ESA on the beach at Whitecrest.
Final Results of the PLA East Coast Expression Session (non-rated event)- Masters Longboard- 1.Ron Belanger 2.Jim Chabot 3.Nick Carter 4.Ryan Andrews Legends Longboard- 1. Peter Pan 2.Tim Brooks Open Division Shortboard- 1.Peter Pan 2.Ron Belanger 3.Jonathan Tartaro 4.Anthony Tartaro 5.Tim Brooks 6.Ryan Andrews.
Local Surf Photo Exhibit
Local surfer and professional photographer, Joe McGovern of Narragansett, has a stunning display of surfing photographs on display at the Blue Wave Pizza Cafe, located on 1004 Boston Neck Road, in Bonnet Shores. His work will be displayed there for the month of July. Joe is recognized as one of the premier surfing photographers on the East Coast, having been published in virtually every major surfing publication. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Eastern Surf Magazine, Surfer, Surfing, Transworld Surf, as well as the Providence Journal and the Narragansett Times. Several local surfers are featured in the exhibit.
Blue Water Testing
Results of the June water testing from the Surfrider Foundation were released this past week. These tests covered every major surf break from Westerly to Newport. The tests conducted, were to detect both fecal coliforms and enterococci, both bacteria harmful to human health.
All breaks reported clean water in the June test. Bacteria counts were found to be higher than normal in the May test. The offending breaks included the Watch Hill Harbor, Weekapaug Breechway, and Conant Avenue. All of these breaks tested clean on the second test. The July test will be conducted this Saturday, between 9 AM and 10:30 AM.
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On The Edge | Surf’s Up For Rhode Island Championships |
By Peter Pan
The contest had been postponed three times, but the fourth time was the charm, as ESA surfers were pleased to find a solid 2-4 foot south swell wrapping into the Narragansett Town Beach, this past Sunday. South New England Co-Director Ron Belanger called in from Ocean City, Maryland, the night before, and reported surfing solid waist to chest high waves all week. He was quite sure that the swell was heading our way, and he was right.
As a matter of fact, many surfers actually left the water early, before their heats were finished, because they caught too many waves. The tides cooperated, with an incoming surge all day. It is rare to see the town beach with well formed lefts and rights. But both were working on this day. There was even a little juice flowing, to get the short boards moving across some fast moving faces.
There were many outstanding performances in the surf, and one of them came from New York’s Shane Lynch, who won both the Menehune Shortboard and Menehune Longboard contests in his first try. Another Long Islander, Matt Bush, carved his way to a win in the Boys Shortboard Final, and finished 2nd in the Menehune Longboard division.
Matheus de Sousa was on fire, as he ripped across some shoulder high walls at bullet speed, to take both the Men’s and Men’s Longboard crowns. Matheus also took the “Hottest Wave” award, with a solid 9 and 10 point ride from the judges, in the Men’s Shortboard Final. James McGraghan won his second straight Junior Men’s title, picking off the biggest waves of the final heat.
Ryan Andrews charged some gnarly sections, to top Eric Greenside in a close Masters Final. Nick Carter took the third spot. Bob Fitton found one nice backside left barrel to capture the Senior Men’s crown. In the longboard version, Fitton switch footed into yet another left tube, to top Ryan Andrews for the win. Veteran Jim Chabot took the 3rd spot.
In the female ranks, Katie Zullo continued unfeated, as she carved up two fast right sections, to win the Junior Women’s title. Katie Ryan was solid in her win in the Women’s division. Janice Causey came out of retirement, to take both the Senior Women’s Longboard and Ladies Shortboard heats.
Mike Salvadore won the Grandmasters title with two clean left walls, and took a second in the Legends Longboard Final. Peter Pan pulled off a rare feat, winning four events. Pan won the Legends Shortboard, Legends Longboard, Open Bodyboard, and edged out Matheus de Sousa on a tie breaker, to win the Open Final.
“No one complained about the surf today,” said ESA Competition Director, Mario Frade. “I was surprised there weren’t more surfers here today. They are always complaining that we run the contests in poor surf, and it was about as perfect as it can get for the middle of the summer.”
Local surfers are right back in action on the 4th of July, when the ESA will host the 12th Annual Professional Longboard Association East Coast Surfing Championships at the town beach. The contest is on call for Thursday night, after 6 PM. The ESA hotline phone number is 401.727.2605.
On the following day, the annual Bic Sport Surfboards “Learn To Surf” Clinic will be held at the surfing end of the town beach. Instructors will be there to teach surfing on new Bic Sport surfboards. Wetsuits will also be provided. There are four session times, 10 AM, Noon, 2 PM, and 4 PM. Reservations are requested. Interested surfers can reserve a spot at
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The clinic will run, rain or shine.
Final Results of the Rhode Island State Surfing Championships
Menehunes 1.Shane Lynch Boys 1.Matt Bush Junior Men 1.James McGraghan Men 1.Matheus de Souza Masters 1.Ryan Andrews 2.Eric Greenside 3.Nick Carter Senior Men 1.Bob Fitton Grandmasters 1.Mike Salvadore Legends 1.Peter Pan Junior Women 1.Katie Zullo Women 1.Katie Ryan Senior Women 1.Janice Causey Open 1.Peter Pan 2.Matheus de Sousa 3.James McGraghan 4.Nick Carter 5.Katie Ryan 6.Mike Salvadore Menehune Longboard 1.Shane Lynch 2.Matt Bush Junior Longboard 1.James McGraghan Men’s Longboard 1.Matheus de Sousa Masters Longboard 1.Bob Fitton 2.Ryan Andrews 3.Jim Chabot 4.Nick Carter 5.Eric Greenside Legends Longboard 1.Peter Pan 2.Mike Salvadore 3.Don Lynch Open Bodyboard 1.Peter Pan 2.Mike Salvadore 3.Don Lynch 4.Katie Ryan 5.Janice Causey Womens Longboard 1.Katie Zullo 2.Katie Ryan Senior Womens Longboard 1.Janice Causey |
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