The Ocean Beach Geriatric Surf Club's
Surfer Bowl XVII
THE ANDO
Ocean Beach , San Diego
April
9 & 10 2005
Surfer Bowl XVIII has been postponed until April 2005
Due to weeks of torrential downpour, the SD River set new flood
records this past Tuesday.....and guess where it all ends up.....OB.
Our concern is for the health of all the competitors who annually support
this event. Given that this area of coastline has been deluged with our on
local toxic urban runoff for the past month, it was further compounded by
5 more days of flooding and 5 days of strong south winds which subsequently
pushed the huge plume of radioactive mud from the Tijiuana River mouth North
into Pt. Loma and OB. A very foul eyesore, not to mention an extremely noxious
one also. The stench is strong on the wind from 3 blocks inland. Given
the circumstances, the OBG's have decided to run their contest sometime in
March, well after this unusual rainy season has concluded. Your health is
important to these promoters and they are looking forward to seeing all of
you at this later date. Please accept their apologies for this unforseen innconvience.
As usual the KneeMen are the only one's who have been courteous to thier wishes
with early entries. I will immediately return all the entry fee's for the
handfull of those who have already sent them to me. These people will have
priority seeding if they elect to participate at the later date.
I will post the new date before leaving on February 3rd. Again sorry for any
inconviences this has caused some of you long distance travelers.
Now about that pic EQ has somewhere.....it is the frame grab used on this Promo page. What I'm still waiting to see is the vid Sprocky shot of it from start to finish. I had to turn out of the tube between the pilings under the pier or get compressed to the underside and bodyslammed. In doing so I clipped my arm on the barnacles as opposed to ramming the thing. That was the best final heat I've ever witnessed, more or less participated in....and by far the best REAL surf conditions of any complete KB contest in my 28 years of doing these things. I've had bigger, but not better. For once the surf dictated the winner as it should be. I remember I was pissed off that someone pulled a no show, forcing me to enter to round out a short heat. I was running the thing. I wasn't prepared to compete, I didn't want to surf against you young pups in those demanding conditions......but it was sure fun making all you snappers drop the tricks and work double time just to keep up with some straight ahead surfin'... until the old hamstrings blew in the last 5 minutes. The buggeyed expressions I saw paddling back out past you guys is still PRICELESS.
That was a KooL KB trophy. Did it over night too. Gald it went home with a
great guy. Come on back Jaimie...I still got plenty left for ya.
You should see the big sandbar that has built up on the North side of the
pier towards the LG tower:
Dredging sandsucking walls with triple bowls. YEEEEEEEEEEEEOWWWWWWWW!!!! Cough..
Hack....Cough....Snork.....
Too bad really as the forecast has it going bigger than last year's swell.
Better safe than sorry.
Hope to see some of you heroes back home on Oahu in a few weeks where only the surf does all the talkin'. Glad to observe more KneeBoarders are finally willing to take their act to the Main Arena. It's about time. Be safe, surf smart, spend a lot of time watching before rushing out like Superman. You will not lose face if you don't paddle out....remember, it is not your home break and you seriously have everything to lose with just one instance of poor judgement. Island Surf will humiliate you in the blink of an eye, not to mention destroy your confidence with even the smallest of miscalculations. Just keep in mind that the surf always wins. Just ask those who've attended the last two seasons for the first time. Be willing to learn from observation. Pay close attention to the insight you will recieve from those with long experience in the Country.
Be willing to learn from observation.
Pay close attention to the insight you will recieve from those with long experience
in the Country.
Bring the right equipment. Boards made for your local break will severly handicap
you and add to the already high inherant risk factor.
Know your limits and stay within them.
All this poseur challenge crap floating around sounds good on the blue screen...but
get real man.....it can lead to harm for those not experienced in the conditons
and the power they will find at the foot of Bud's property. Squawking Myna
birds are a dime a dozen. Ignore the incessant noise and stay focused on common
sense. Building stature here is a long term process for many reasons....all
of them dictated by the Surf. In Hawaii the surf does all the talking and
it always has the last word....but then many of you are destined to find that
out in one way, shape, or form pretty soon.
I'm happy to see the International KneeRiding Community slowly maturing and at long last willing to make a collective show of determination on the North Shore of Oahu. Better late....than never. All I gotta ask is.....what the hell took everyone soo long?
For the rest of you........I'll see everyone down here in March for some
less challenging fun but some challenging competition as always.
Aloha,
RW
This small contest is the longest running independent KneeRiding event in the USA.
Help us keep the flame alive.
E-mail all inquiries to
SurferBowl XVII Application Form