I Got 3rd In The 2025 South Bay Surf Series for Open Longboarding

In 2024 I felt my world collapse. I almost died twice from new allergies complications that halted multiple surgeries, and now I wear an emergency bracelet both in and out of the water. If that wasn't enough I also was laid off from work after 24 years of service. I had to reinvent new ways of bouncing back, both physically and mentally.  Some days I had to battle the lack of energy, the lack of motivation, and deep physical pain. I wanted to use my time wisely, so I set a few immediate goals to focus on. I became determined to surf three or four days a week and to enter three surf contest.

In January I signed up to compete in the 2025 South Bay Surf Series Open longboarding contests. I used to compete in longboarding about 30 years ago in high school and I felt like getting back on that finalist podium again would be a pretty cool goal. It would also reinforce my weekly surf and strength training efforts. Unfortunately I missed the first contest in the series at El Porto on 12/14/24. The surf was big out and I just didn't have the courage or energy to show up. Looking back I wish I had signed up as that would've helped my overall ranking the series. 

The first South Bay Surf Series contest I entered was the SSBR Event # 2 at Torrance on January 11th. There were only three people in my first heat so all three of us made to the final (top 3 advance). Still the waves were 2-3' and pretty good for the super high tide and I was feeling comfortable out there. Even through there wasn't much pressure in my heat I was determined to get solid rides and show that I could hold my own out in the water.

 

In the final heat I was surprised to see I only got 3 waves, but that was good enough to get 3rd place over all. I was missing waves that others got because I was out positioned. Or I was just too nice letting others get waves that I should've got. My goal was to get up on the podium and I placed in the top 3, so I hit that goal and I was stoked.

 

The next SSBR contest was event #3 at Porto on 2/8/25. The surf was solid 4-6+ and fair shape. I was really nervous leading up to this contest. I didn’t sleep well, I was kept watching the surf forecast jump from 6-10 foot to 2-3 foot. I was hoping it was actually going to be closer to 2-3, but it wasn't. It was big out with huge sets. Some looked makable, most closed out or roll by anyone trying to catch it. I stayed in the middle on my first heat and got the in-betweeners and the reformed waves. That strategy seems to work since I got 2nd in my heat. 

The tide dropped as I waiting for my final heat and the surf was just heavy out there. There was a 5 minute water start and I made it all the way out to the outside. I missed like 5 waves in a row and just felt very out of place. Let's face it, I was scared. I had a full blown panic attack 100 yards off shore with no one in sight. The waves were sucking up and the sets just kept coming. It reminded me of a dangerous situation that almost killed me years ago at Port Hueneme.

I was not in my happy place at all. I ended up getting pushed to the inside and started getting the insiders again, but it just wasn't enough. I ended up in 4th place. The difference from 4th to 3rd was 0.2 of a point. If I had just managed to get one outside wave I would've gotten 2nd or 3rd for sure. I'm just beating myself up over it now. The surf was so big and water moving everywhere. Just nonstop paddling. I had not clue what the scores might be when I was out there. I got 4th because I didn't get a set wave. I needed to find a way to shake whatever this discomfort is that holding me back in bigger waves.

No Bad Tides Pre Surf Meditation

No Bad Tides by Eric Cedeno

This video is for entertainment purposes only. Please don't operate heavy machinery or do anything that requires your attention so you can zone out and completely enjoy this Pre Surf Mediation. This Pre Surf Mediation is here to help you boost you confidence both in and out of the water. It works best if you listen to it before and after every surf session! More surf tips at https://nobadtides.blogspot.com/   / nobadtides  

Event #4 was on 3/15/25 at Porto and the surf was going to be big again. Leading up to the contest I worked on releasing some surf trauma thru therapy and tapping exercises. I also created a 5 minute pre-surf mediation with the positive self talk that wanted to reinforce. I worked on surfing bigger waves while maintaining a positive mindset. I was determined to improve my placing on the day of the contest. 

No Bad Tides by Eric Cedeno

I really prepared for this contest. I listened to my pre surf meditation and that felt really good. I knew my heat was also peak high tide so that felt good. I guess I got that first big wave just after a horn but that wasn't the horn to start my heat. Turns out theres an extra one minute gap before the real start of the heat (so technically its a 6 minute water start not 5 minutes). That thing was big and hit 18 MPH fastest wave for my stats and stoked to finally beat that first day in March of 2015!!! So getting a 10 year bomb of a wave was a win for me. 

I ended up placing 3rd over all in the final. That was good, but man if that first wave would've scored I would've probably got first place. If I got all the way back outside and got another set I would've got first. I'm so close to getting first it's frustrating but also I keep getting better. I'm hungry to win so maybe next contest I'll get that first place.

Event #5 was on 4/5/25 and back at Porto again. The surf was way smaller and would sometime go completely flat between sets. In my semi-heat I rode my bigger 9'2 Lance Ho'okano and tried a few different things to see if I could find the pattern of what the judges were looking for that day. That always seems like a moving target. Even though it was small out the take offs were tricky. The waves would roll up slow, then suck up fast just before breaking, then get slow or stop completely. 

My gut was saying swap boards to the new Skin Dog Blender in the finals, so  I did. Good call! Thankfully that board paddles so nice and easy, fast, light, and doable. I got a few head stands in and was able to squeak into second place at the end of the heat. 

 

Dave got first and had 2 solid waves. Next time I just need to be more patient and get the bigger sets (if they come). Also getting 2nd puts me in 3rd place over all in the series (from what I can tell in my excel stats chart I created since the Southbay Boardriders Club has been a little slow in keeping the rankings up to date for longboarding. 

Event #6 was on 4/27/25 at Hermosa Pier. I used to surf the pier when I on the surf team in high school  ages ago. I was checking the surf cams leading up to the event and it looked small and barely ridable. The morning or the South Bay Board Riders Club I scored free parking on the south side of the pier! I guess they just repaved the parking lot, so I was really stoked on that. I did a quick surf check and saw there were definitely waves. The surf was actually pretty big out, but the paddle out looked doable. My buddy Steph showed up to compete and I grabbed my stuff from my car and step up next to him. My sister showed up a little before my heat and that felt good to have her support. LZ was out of town in Phili so I knew I’d get less pics and videos this time, but I was hoping I'd get a few from the SBBR photographers. 

I was feeling really good about my first heat because it was just me and Rodney Buck so I knew we’d both advance. Steph decided to sign up for longboarding too so he joined us. They were playing Sublime thru the loud speakers and I was digging that. I did some tapping on my hands before my heat to release any nervousness (there wasn’t much to be nervous about). The horn rang out and we paddled out. I was stoked out there, having fun getting on the sets and doing my usually thing I do when free surfing. I won the heat with score of 9.10.

I changed back into my regular clothes after my heat, since I brought along an extra wetsuit for the finals. I watched the waves, rehydrated and snacked. I was really feeling good about the contest and felt like I had a really good chance of getting first in the final. As it got closer to the time of the finals I suited up again and did some more tapping on my hands. The wind picked up a little but the surf still looked good to me. When the horn rang out I was ready and paddled out to the main peak. I got a solid first wave and scored a 4.23 one of my two top scores of the heat. My fourth waves was my second best score of 3.30.  My final combined score was a 7.53 and I missed first place by .07 to Rodney Buck who had a combined score of 7.60. He only caught three waves and his top two waves was just enough to beat me and take that first place spot. When I got out of the water my hands and arms were cramping so bad. I really need to find a better way to prepare better so I don’t cramp up. I think this has happened after most of my contests this year.

I’m still happy that I got second, but I’m still so hungry to get a place standing. It’s been about 30 years since I’ve got first place in a longboard contest, and I really want that to happen again. The next contest in at Manhattan pier on 5/10/25 so I’ll continue to push my limits and hopefully I can get first place then. As of right now I’m ranked 3rd in the series and that feels good. I’d be a contender for first in the series if I didn’t miss that first contest a Porto back in December. 

Event #7 was on 5/10/25 at Manhattan Pier. I haven't surfed there in ages. The surf looked fun and a bit tricky. A little steep on the take off and the sets were shifty and most closed out. I was hoping for a few rights that might reform on the inside, but ended up getting mostly left. Still I got a few noserides in on the bigger waves, but man the judges were just scoring harsh. Some things may have worked in my favor as the judges missed more than a few of the other competitors waves (didn't score them at all). It seemed impossible to get a 4 and very hard to get anything above a 2.5. Even getting set waves with noserides and riding all the way to the shore would give like barely 2 points. I'm just not sure what the heck the judges are looking for if riding set waves with nose rides and cutbacks amounts to very low scores. It's frustrating. At some point I need to learn what criteria the judges are actually using to issue points for rides.

As the Southbay Boardriders Club 2025 Surf Series came to an end there that was a lot to reflect on. I ended up getting ranked 3rd on Open Longboard for the series and that's pretty good for just getting back into competing. It was definitely a challenging series, there was a huge range of surf and surfers that added all sorts of factors into each heat. Some heat finals came down to hundredths of a point to decided the winners. I'm glad it was challenging. I'm stoked to have taken the opportunity to bust out of my comfort zone after so many decades and push my limits again.

Would I do it again? Yes, totally! Hopefully next year I can do even better. I'm still chasing after one of those first place trophies. For now, I'll keep strength training and by the time the next season starts I plan to be in the best shape of my life. Then I'll do my best and see what happens next.