WEST COAST BOARD RIDERS presents SOUTHSIDE HB BOARDRIDERS CLUB COMP

Huntington Beach vs Newport Beach vs Seal Beach vs Laguna Beach

Photos Stan Sievers

Southern California is known for producing world class surfer, Orange County in particular is housing over 25% of the world tour. Orange County has too many great breaks stretching its 42 miles of uninterrupted coastline. Which has created one of the biggest rivalries in the history of Orange County. Which city has the best surfers? The West Coast Board Riders have set out to answer that lifelong rivalry.

West Coast Board Riders is a surfing brotherhood aimed at bringing the entire surf community together for a series of competitions all leading to hometown bragging rights and the coveted West Coast Board Riders Championship Cup. Another main focus of the Board Riders Clubs is to educate younger surfers. We have pre-contest workouts to teach the young up and coming surfers what the judges are looking for and how to compete better and smarter. They also work with local lifeguards where they teach board club members in programs like Surfers Awareness Lifesaving Techniques (S.A.L.T.) a program that teaches surfers how to save a person in distress out in the lineup.

Photo Stan Sievers

With no prize money, no points toward a world champion ship, Saturday was all about being the best and bringing the victory home. With 96 surfers in teams of 4, separated into 6 age groups, the heats were tag team style. One surfer was allowed in the water at a time. Each surfer had to run up the beach, paddle out, catch a wave, and come into the beach tag their teammate for them to do their part. With one hour per heat time was of the essence and from the Groms to the Old Guys it was a battle. It was every city for itself, Huntington Beach vs Newport Beach vs Seal Beach vs Laguna Beach.

Photo Stan Sievers

Lucky for the riders and spectators alike, Saturday offered up good surf 4-6 feet with the occasional 7ft. With so many great surfers residing in Orange County the event was stacked with big names from world tour surfer Kanoa Igarashi to big wave legend Mike Parsons.

Photo Stan Sievers

It was very cool to see all the local HB boys repping the number 5 on their jersey’s to credit one of the Original Huntington Beach surfers Chuck Linnen.

This weekend’s contest was won by Newport Beach with Huntington taking 2nd, Seal Beach coming in 3rd and Laguna picking up the rear in 4th.

San Clemente and Dana Point are still getting their teams together but big things are coming from the West Coast Board Riders. They are getting ready for their next event on April 22nd where they plan on having all of Orange County’s beach city’s represented.