Wind, big surf challenge SBBC/ Spyder Kings, Queens of Beach
Legends and Open Women SBBC series champions Tom Seth and daughter Megan Seth. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
Open Men and grom SBBC series champions Warren and Kai Kushner. Photo by Steve Gaffney (SteveGaffney.com)
The end of season, South Bay Boardriders “King of the Beach” contest, hosted by Spyder Surfboards two Saturdays ago, began with a clean, sizeable swell and light, offshore winds. Then, mid-morning, the wind switched onshore and the sky darkened, creating the most challenging conditions of the six-contest series.
“I couldn’t tell the chop from the waves,” said Dave Schaefer, who blasted through six heats sick with what he later learned was pneumonia. Schaefer put on an impressive display in the open longboard division, snapping his fins out in impossible sections and hanging 10 down big faces. His performance earned him the season longboard title for the fifth year in a row.
Lifeguard captain Tom Seth surfed five heats, including back-to -back finals. He won the legends division (45 and over) to secure the legends series title.
Seth’s daughter Megan secured the women’s open series title with a second place finish, behind San Clemente pro Bethany Zelasko.
Another father and child combo to claim series titles was Warren Kushner and son Kai.
Dad won the men’s open title and Kai the groms (12 and under) title.
The following evening the series top surfers were honored at an awards ceremony hosted by Subaru Pacific.
Series champions: Open Men — Warren Kushner. Open Women — Megan Seth. Junior Men: Cody Purcell. Junior Women: Megan Seth. Longboard — Dave Schaefer. Junior Longboard — Rodney Buck. Boys (14 and under) — Joey Samuelian. Groms (12 and under) — Kai Kushner. Assisted Micro Groms — Jett Rocket Prefontaine.