The morning of the contest was extra cold. The southern California air was in the mid-40's and some how I pulled something in my back loading up my car and had a new pinched nerve on the right side of my back. I put on my wetsuit, booties, grabbed my board and checked in at the main Ratopia tent. I was in the second heat and had 15 minute to get my head in the game. Surfline was calling the waves to be 1-2 feet (thigh to waist high) and poor shape. The waves were way bigger than that and would quickly closeout. Doesn't matter, I just needed to be in the top three in my heat to advance.
The heat air-horn sounded and I sprinted to the water and quickly paddled out with the other 5 contestants. I was scrambling to get on every wave that came by. Closeout after closeout, I would fall, eat it, slip off my board. I was struggling to connect the noserides and cutbacks that come so naturally when I'm free surfing. The time quickly ticked away and the heat air-horn sounded ending my 15 minute window to get waves. I got out and made my way to the tent that displayed the results and waiting for the numbers to come in. I got 4th in my heat and didn't advance. At least I tried, at least I showed up. No, that wasn't good enough, I had to do better next time. I thought about the contest results and what I could've done better. I couldn't sleep the night before the contest, my back had shooting pain, I was so nervous, I wasn't patient enough in my wave selection. The list went on and on. I wanted to do better in the next contest. I wanted to make it to the final and then stand on the winners podium and get a trophy.
Strangely enough there was another contest at the same beach break just a few weeks later. Usually contests are not at the same spot in such a short amount of time, but it was a different contest event host. I felt like it was my chance to so I could do better. I signed up for the South Bay Surf Series Dive N Surf contest at Torrance beach on Saturday 1/11/25. My plan was to surf Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and take Friday off to rest for the event on Saturday. I did surf that Monday, but the the LA fires started raging and the air was terrible. I was so worried about possible evacuations in my area and about my friends that live in the affected areas. It was an emotional roller coaster of a week.
Friday night I got the news that I would be in the first heat of the contest. Surfline was forecasting the the waves to be 2-3 feet (waist to shoulder high) and fair shape. I felt ready, I got everything loaded up in the car and got a good nights sleep. I woke up one minute before my alarm, made coffee and before long LZ and I were on our way to beach. I was surprised to see a line to get into the Torrance parking lot at 6:30 am. Usually the open the parking lot at 6:00 am but I guess the guy over slept. We didn't wait that long and got good parking. The surf looked fun to me and I suited up and grabbed my 9'0 Takayama Breach Break. I check in at the main tent and even though they were running a half hour behind setting things up they said my heat was going to start on time at 7:30 am and handed me an orange jersey. I was ready.
The air was in the mid-40's again with an offshore breeze. The heat sheet showed there should be five people in my Open Longboard heat, but only three of us paddled out. I was calm and ready when the heat air-horn sounded. The pressure was off as I new all three of us would advance to the final. Plus a pod of dolphins came by and swam right under my board, that was super cool! Some how the judges missed my last wave that I caught with 40 seconds left on the clock. I got five waves (4 that they saw) and that was good enough for me to place 2nd in my heat.
I went back to my car and changed back into my street clothes and waited for my next heat that was to start around 9:22 am. That gave me some time to warm up and watch my friends surf in the Mens Open and Masters divisions. Time passed quickly and I put on a new dry wetsuit and booties and got ready for the final Open Longboard heat. This time there was a full heat count of six contestants. I put on my assigned yellow jersey and heated to the shoreline. The heat air-horn sounded and I paddled out. People were getting waves and had a harder time getting in the right spot. I was getting out positioned or I was being too nice and letting other have waves that I should've taken. I could hear the announcer calling out the current heat results, I was still holding 3rd place.
The heat air-horn sounded ending my time in the finals. I got only three waves in my heat, but that was good enough for me to take 3rd place. I'll take that! Time quickly passed and before I knew it they were announcing the names and awards for Open Longboard. I got up and stood on the 3rd place podium and my friends and family cheered for me. It was a special moment for me. I did it, I made to the final, I stood on the winners podium. I need to scratch that off my 2025 BINGO card.
I thought about the contest results and what I I did right. I got good sleep the night before the contest, my back didn't hurt too bad, I was calm and ready, I was patient in my wave selection. The list went on and on. I still wanted to do better in the next contest. I wanted to make it to the final and then stand on the winners podium again. I feel like I'm improving in many areas as far as preparation and head space. Next up I'll work on my heat strategy. Who knows, maybe I'll surf in another division so my high schools friends and I can be in the same heat like we did 30 years ago.
