The Turning Point ...1994-95-96

I really got hooked on longboarding back in 1993 during my first trip to Hawaii (Read all about it here). When I made it back home I went down to Dive N Surf and bought a used longboard for $250. It had Astro-Deck covering the whole deck of the board like something Herbie Fletcher used to use, actually I think Herbie invented the stuff, but after a few months it started peeling off. After about a year of solid surfing there was only two sections left on the board. I pretty much dedicated all my time to riding just my longboard and joined the RUHS (Redondo Union High School) Surf Team my junior year (winter 1994-95). 

Eric Cedeno Hermosa Pier December 1994
Cover of Easy Reader (January 1995) 

I competed on the RUHS surf team my junior and senior year and surfed an average of 4 days a week, sometimes two or three times in the same day. I don't have that many pictures from back then because that was before digital cameras were affordable and if anyone actually took pictures you wouldn't know if there were any good pictures until that roll of film came back from processing. 

My Senior year I got first place 7 out of 9 contest and probably would have considered trying to become a pro-longboarder if my parents hadn't planned on kicking me out when I was eighteen. No joking, for my eighteenth birthday I got a box of Hefty trash bags to help me pack my stuff and a six-month grace period to find a new place to live.

It wasn't easy working full time and going to school full time, but somehow I made it work. It was better for me to be on my own than it would have been to be stuck on the battlefield at my parents house. After I moved out they gave it one last try and that lasted less than a year until they separated. My parents turned into something more like ketchup and ice-cream, great separate, terrible together.

Eric Cedeno Topaz Winter 1994-95

Eric Cedeno Topaz Winter 1994-95

The two pictures above were taken at Topaz in the winter of 1994-95. In my ROTC class we walked down to the beach for our final and I was the only one that brought a surfboard. It was head high and real fast. I had a disposable water camera in my bag and one one of the guys swam out and took these pictures of me. I only got to surf for about a hour and then had to go back to school to take my english final.

Eric Cedeno Hermosa Pier 1994-95
Photo By Jared Dastrup

Eric Cedeno Hermosa Pier 1994-95
Photo By Jared Dastrup

Eric Cedeno 3rd place All Star Competition 26th Street Manhattan Beach1995

At the end of every surf season all the local schools with surf teams compete against each other in the 'All Stars' surfing event. Not only do the surfers compete against the other schools and their surfers, but they also compete against the surfers on their own team as well. My first year on the Redondo Surf Team and I took third place for longboarding in the All Star meet at 26th street Manhattan in big over surf. 

Eric Cedeno El Porto, Manhattan Beach 5-14-1996

Photo By Stephan Sleeis

Tuesday 5-14-1996 El Porto 1-3' and Fair:

I had a heart attack when Steph and I arrived at the parking lot and he decided to go out. He forgot his leash so we took turns with the longboard. I'd have it for two waves and Steph would take pictures. Then we'd trade off and he'd have it for two waves. We used up a whole camera and got some good shots. Steph hanging 5, me hanging ten with my hands behind my head