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Ruett is stoked to be one of the sponsors for the first Ventura Boardriders events in a series that went down September 1st on the south side of the Huntington Beach pier and the surf was pumping. With a total of 5 teams, including Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, San Clemente, Newport Beach and Ventura the competition was fierce. The age divisions include 14 and under,15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50 and up as well as a women's division.
This is not the normal surf competition. It is a team format which only highlights a teams effort with 60 min. heats per each 5 person division. With each age group getting 60 minutes to surf, each member can catch up to 3 waves with his best one counting. Ultimately you want to burn up the least amount of time as possible. If the first wave was excellent then they get out and run up the beach and tag their teammate who is waiting in the team box.
There are penalties that can work for and against each team, for example, if your team goes over the 60 minute time given you get 5 points deducted. If you step outside of your team box before you are tagged, it's a 5 point deduction. This is what makes this type of event such a blast to watch and be a part of. We arrived at Huntington beach at 6:15 am ready to go.
Our team consisting of Ventura County legends such as Tim Curran, Sean Hayes, Nathaniel Curran, Mike Lamm and Ruett team rider Jeremy Ryan. The best of the best for each age group of women such as 14yr old phenom Makena Burke, Demi Boelsterli, and Michelle Wolfe. We had such a deep talent pool to choose from-the groms like Pitas Higgins and Trevor Berry, Jabe Swierkocki and Dimitri Poulos.
The 15-19 group?! Lookout... Josiah Amico, Quinten Rubalcava, Tommy Mckeown and Mario Diaz were throwing heat. The 50+ guys like Shaper of the year recipient Robert Weiner, Brett Jordan were dominant in their division.
Each division has to pick a surfer that will be their "double whammy" surfer, this surfer claims a particular wave he thinks is the best, making the score doubled. This is our favorite aspect of this competition. A team could be trailing by a decent score, then your "double whammy" surfer comes in, gets a solid wave, claims it, and BAM! Doubles that score!! So classic. A long day for everyone for sure and the heat was blazing. The waves were solid 4-6 feet and the water temp a nice 72 degrees. The team really did a fantastic job, I mean everyone in every division. Photographer Brent Flaaten @FlyKng was on hand to capture the entire event on film.
Our Ventura Boardriders club walked away with a second place behind host club Huntington beach. Not a bad first showing and with the next event just a few weeks away in Newport beach we have our work cut out for us.
