EPIC WAVES FOR WILDCOAST SURF CONTEST

EPIC WAVES FOR WILDCOAST SURF COMPETITION:

COASTAL CONSERVATION TEAM LAUNCHES CLEAN WATER CAMPAIGN

October 10, Imperial Beach. More than 100 contestants battled the first north swell of the season in Imperial Beach on Sunday, October 9th at the WiLDCOAST 2nd Annual Dempsey Holder Expression Session and Ocean Festival. The event was a benefit and launch for the WiLDCOAST Clean Water Campaign.

Longtime Imperial Beach surfer Phillip Benham, commented the Dempsey enjoyed the “...the best waves ever for a surf contest in Imperial Beach.” The surf was big enough that Jon “Goose” Strebbler, snuck in a session at the Tijuana Sloughs, Imperial Beach’s epic big-wave spot, prior to his judging session. Contestants watched distant waves break at the Sloughs all morning.

Veteran chargers such as Jim Montalbano, Jim Sullivan, David Lopez and Kelly Krause, ripped the 6-8’ A-frame peaks on the south side of the Imperial Beach pier. Junior surfers such as Brad Butler and Mackenzie Coutts paddled through non-stop sets as they competed in the overhead surf. Mackenzie, daughter of veteran Sloughs surfer Randy “R.C.” Coutts broke her board during the first round. Borrowing a board for the Junior Girls final, she snagged a third place trophy with an impressive round of surfing. Junior boys and girls winners, Christian Bond and Briana Giorgione, both received new surfboards shaped by Jay Novak and Brett Bender courtesy of TNT Surfboard Glassing Company.

Menehune competitors were the heart of the Dempsey Holder, Expression Session and Ocean Festival, named after Imperial Beach’s legendary big-wave pioneer. Groms Jack Alldredge, Shane Cunniff, and Josh Johnson stuck to the inside, ripping the whitewater. More than thirty kids participated, receiving medals and chanting “Queremos agua limpia!” for a Univision Television Network camera crew that documented the event and the WiLDCOAST Clean Water Campaign.

A highlight of the morning was the awards ceremony in which WiLDCOAST honored Mario Olmos and John Ashley of the Poseidon Marine Science Academy, the Coronado Middle School Surf Team and the IB Art Kids for their efforts to protect the coast and ocean.

Imperial Beach was named California’s most polluted beach this year by Heal the Bay. WiLDCOAST is working with authorities on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border to clean up the Tijuana River, one of the filthiest water bodies in North American. The river deposits millions of gallons of sewage into the ocean just south of Imperial Beach.

“The Dempsey is a great opportunity to involve surfers in our fight to clean up our coast and involve the next generation of rippers in our fight to keep our ocean free of pollution,” said Dovi Kacev, a former Quiksilver Crossing crewmember, who is now coordinating the WiLDCOAST Clean Water Campaign.

With the Kahuna sponsorship of Billabong, OP, Spirit Realty, and TNT Surfboard Glassing Company, WiLDCOAST provided goody bags and a super array of raffle items to all participants. Thanks to the Waterman sponsorship of FCS, Pacific Realty, Surf Diva, Rizzio, Surf Drops, and Aaron Chang, beautiful trophies were handed out to contest winners, including two stunning glass pieces by noted surf artist Orlando Sherwood. Aaron Chang, who began his photography career in Imperial Beach, also provided signed Pipeline photographs to each of the division winners.

Additional sponsors included Surf Hut, Saltwater Magic, Cow-a-Bunga, Emerald City Boarding Source, Sector Nine, Natural Selection Surfboards, Novak Surfboards, Seacoast Giant Pizza, Oakley, San Diego-Tijuana Border Initiative, Karl Strauss Brewery, Surfline, Poorboy USA, Chris Behar Consulting, Next Day Printed Tees, Hobie, City of Coronado, The Surfer’s Path, Bruegger’s, Sharkbait Surfwax, XM Surfmore, Jide Design+Printing, Next Day Printed Tees, SIMA Environmental Fund, Chris Behar Consulting, Ibpiersurf.com, Western Radio Electronics, and Boz Wetsuits.

WiLDCOAST is an international conservation team dedicated to protecting coastal communities, wildlands and wildlife. The Alliance Healthcare Foundation, California Endowment and the SIMA Environmental Fund support the WiLDCOAST Clean Water Campaign.

Division Winners:

Longboard
1) Kelly Krause
2) Jim Montalbano
3) Phillip Benham

Retroboard
1) Kelly Krause
2) David Lopez
3) Will Renold

Open Women
1) Nicole Pratt
2) Peachy Alldredge
3) Alice Hossfeld

Open Men
1) Aaron Wonders
2) Kelly Krause
3) Jeff McGuire

Menehune
1) Shane Cunniff
2) Jack Alldredge
3) Josh Johnson

Jr. Girls
1) Briana Giorgione
2) Michelle McDonald
3) Mackenzie Coutts

Jr Boys
1) Christian Bond
2) Brad Butler
3) Arana Nikolas