Oregon Surfers Invitational
September
27th,
2003
Otter
Rock,
Oregon
By Jason Menke
The
first
annual
Oregon Surfers
Invitational
hosted by
Christian
Surfers of
Oregon (CSO)
began early
Saturday
morning
at Roads
End
State Recreation
Area. A new
contest format
allowed the
contest to
be held at
either Gleneden,
Roads End,
or Otter
Rock
depending
on
swell and
weather
conditions.
Since the
forecast
looked promising,
Roads End
was
selected
as
the tentative
location.
However,
the swell
came
up more than
predicted
and
the weather
did not cooperate.
At
10:00
am
the contest
was on hold
because of
a thick fog
that blocked
the view
of
the massive
surf. The
Oregon
surfers from
Brookings
to
Government
Camp voted
38 to 2 to
move the
contest
to Otter
Rock.
This decision
came with
one
condition…every
surfer had
to help dismantle
scaffolding
and tents that
had already
been set-up.
So thanks to
the surfers’ help
and nearly
30 CSO volunteers,
the contest
was ready to
go in just
over an hour.
At
Otter,
the
conditions
were still
foggy, but
at least
the
judges could
see the surfers.
Capitalizing
on the incoming
tide and
3-6’ surf,
the shortboarder’s
were sent into
the water.
Otter Rock
is not known
for having
quality shortboarding
waves, but
the surfers
made the most
of the conditions.
In
the
Shortboard
Open, Rob
Russo
of Russo
Surfboards
clearly took
1st place.
The big surprise
of this division
was Mike
Jipp,
owner of
Lincoln
City Surf
Shop.
Mike can
be
seen any
given
day cruising
at Otter
on
his longboard,
but he has
not been
on
a shortboard
in nearly
3
months! Mike’s
intimate knowledge
of the break
and his exceptional
surfing ability
seemed to make
up for his
lack of practice,
and brought
him 2nd place.
Rounding out
the division
with 3rd Place
was yet another
shaper, Brian
Bates of Seven
Surfboards.
Brian’s
classic style
was on hand
throughout
the day. Brian
competed on
a retro single
fin board!
Next
in
the
water were
the older,
more experienced
Shortboard
Masters (35+).
These guys
might be
older,
however,
the
surfing was
no less exceptional.
Tony Gile,
owner of
Safari
Town Surf
Shop,
took 1st
place.
Tony had
been
out of the
water since
a week ago
because of
Surfer’s
Ear surgery.
Obviously he
recovered just
fine! Gleneden
Beach’s
own Irwin Langeberg,
considered
by many to
be one of Oregon’s
top surfers,
took 2nd Place
riding a board
half his size.
With
the
low
tide and
decreasing
swell, the
groms (under
18) were
called
to the water.
A glimpse
of
potential
open
division
winners
was had by
all on hand.
16-year-old
Otter Rock
local Chris
Sutherland
used his
home
court advantage
to take 1st
Place. Chris
took numerous
waves from
the point
all
the way into
the beach.
The only
girl
in the division,
Evelyn Golden,
surprised
all
the boys
by
taking 2nd
Place. Another
Otter Rock
local, Mike
Wright, took
3rd Place.
Last
in
the
water were
the Longboarders.
These guys
amazed all
with their
abilities
on
far from
perfect
waves. In
the
closest heat
of the event,
surf shop
owners
Mike Jipp
and
Tony Gile
tied
for First
Place.
Impressing
everyone
with
his long
rides
was Rob Russo
who took
3rd
Place. Normally
a shortboarder,
Buzzy Morales
took full
advantage
of a late
withdrawl
to get into
the Longboard
division.
He
walked away
with 4th
Place.
Morales was
the only
entrant
from the
valley
to take a
place
on the podium.
At
the
end
of the day,
the aloha
was
contagious
and nearly
all in attendance
had a great
time. Every
contestant
went home
with
a Hammersurf
contest shirt,
and all the
shortboarders
scored a
pair
of Cobian
Soulwear
sandals.
1st-3rd
Place winners
were presented
with Dakine
surf gear.
Yvonne Gallardo
of Coos Bay
won a custom
Russo Surfboard
of her choice
in the raffle.
Dan Stevens
of Hillsboro
was the lucky
recipent
of
a Rip Curl
wetsuit. 2004
Contest
Results
[ click
here ] |
