going to fix this page later.. today it is off..

By Peter Pan

ESA South New England Co-Director Ron Belanger put all his faith in the internet surf sites on Friday night before the contest.  Despite the fact that there was little or no surf to speak of on Friday, area wave forecasters called for a solid 2-4 foot swell that would hit the south side of the Point Judith Lighthouse on the following day. “I was hesitant to make the call, but when we pulled up and saw waist to chest high sets and offshore winds, we knew it was the right decision,” said Ron. Oddly enough, the best surf spot in Rhode Island that day was indeed, the south side reef break off the lighthouse. “Surfers were coming up to the contest site all day and saying that it was the best surf they saw anywhere,” said Belanger.  “We really lucked out today,” he said. “Very light crowd out there, and we have sunny skies and a swell we did not expect to last all day.”

ESA contestants were stoked to see the good waves, and almost all competitors were out practicing before their heats hit the water. “There were some solid workable peaks coming in,” said Open and Junior Men’s champion James Pilkington of Narragansett. “These were great contest waves today.” Block Island’s Gavin Smith certainly thought so, as he tore apart the perfect left and right peaks to win a record three titles. Smith was especially outstanding with his stylish long board rides, as he nailed every set wave to take the Menehune Long board final. Kai Doyle matched Gavin wave for wave in the Menehune Short board heat, but Gavin’s last right peak put him in the winner’s circle. Smith was at his best in the Menehune Body board final, when he nailed two solid right barrels and squeaked through the inside sections.

Narragansett’s top Junior Man’s competitor James Pilkington gave an indication of his surfing performance in the practice area before the contest began. James was powering through and around the long left sectioning walls. Once he hit the water during the competition, he continued with that hot performance. He found two shoulder high peaks that formed on the second reef, and proceeded to pump down the line into the south side’s “rock piles” and topped veteran Ron Belanger for the title.  He soon added the Junior Men’s short board crown to his trophy collection with another outstanding display of cutbacks and lip smacks.

Mike Akers of Pawcatuck, Connecticut showed the judges some nice tip rides and laybacks to win the Men’s Long board crown in his first ever ESA contest. Westerly’s Ron Belanger feasted on the left front side sections as he took both the Senior Men’s and Senior Long board titles in short order.

Boston’s Pat Redmond tuned up with some nice drop-knee and “el rollo’s to win the Open Body board title over Chance Hurley. Westerly’s Lucas Burger won his first ever contest in the Boy’s division as he milked two solid left sections that held into the rocky shore pound.

In the female ranks, Courtney Sutherland of Narragansett racked up the points in both the Junior Women and Junior Women Long board events, while Wakefield’s Mary Walton was able to work the left inside sections to her advantage, winning both the Senior Women’s long and short board events.

In the elder categories, Cambridge, Massachusetts Grand Legends champion Kitty Pechet added another win to her resume, while Narragansett’s Peter Pan sliced up the left walls for wins in both the Legends long and short board stanzas.

New England Sports Network (NESN) sent reporter Paul Paquette and a film crew to the contest and they were very impressed with the caliber of the surfing. They filmed the event all day and will be airing it within the next two weeks on the cable channel’s website.

This 3^rd rated contest of the season was sponsored by Pipeline Clothing, Chance Hurley, Narragansett Surf and Skate, and the Eastern Surfing Association.  ESA officials hope to pull off another contest on August 28^th at 2^nd Beach in Middletown. This contest will be on call on August 27^th after 6:00 PM.  Interested surfers should call the ESA Hotline at 401-789-7890 after 6:00 PM on Friday night.

“This is hopefully our final tune-up contest before we head down to the East Coast Surfing Championships Grand Finals at the Outer Banks,” said Ron Belanger after the contest concluded. “Our competitors need some to get some contest practice in before the big event in September.”

Menehunes- 1.Gavin Smith 2.Kai Doyle 3.Clara Burger   Boys- 1.Lucas Burger   Junior Men- 1. James Pilkington   Senior Men- 1.Ron Belanger 2.Jose Galvez  3.Scott Sutherland   Grand Masters- 1.Claudio Paolino   Legends- 1.Peter Pan   Grand Legends- 1.Kitty Pechet   Junior Women- 1.Courtney Sutherland   Senior Women- 1.Mary Walton   Menehune Longboard- 1.Gavin Smith  2.Lukas Burger  3.Clara Burger   Men’s Longboard- 1.Mike Akers   Senior Longboard- 1.Ron Belanger  2.Scott Sutherland  3.Jose Galvez   Legends Longboard- 1.Peter Pan   Junior Women Longboard- 1.Courtney Sutherland   Senior Women Longboard- 1.Mary Walton  2.Kitty Pechet   Menehune Bodyboard- 1.Gavin Smith   Open Bodyboard- 1.Pat Redmond  2.Chance Hurley  3.Peter Pan   Open- 1.James Pilkington  2.Ron Belanger  3.Jose Galvez  4.Scott Sutherland

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By Peter Pan

Only one year has passed since the 1^st New England SUP (Standup Paddleboard) Championship was held at the Narragansett Town Beach in Rhode Island. Since that time the sport of standup paddle boarding has exploded across the country. With this great increase in popularity the performance level of competitors has risen dramatically.

SUP enthusiasts were surprised to find out that the contest site had been changed from the Narragansett Town Beach to 2^nd Beach in Middletown, Rhode Island. “The town beach has been a perfect venue for both surfing and sup contests,” said ESA District Co-Director Ron Belanger. “The Narragansett Parks and Recreation Department won’t allow any type of surfing competition on weekends during the summer season, so we had to change beaches this year. So far it has worked out well and we have had surf for every event here in Middletown.”

There were close contests in 3 out of the 5 categories. The Junior Men’s Final featured a tough battle between last year’s winner Matt Nota of Narragansett and Newport SUP ace Nate Farrar. Nate started out strong with two solid waist high lefts that shut down on the inside shore pound. Matt negotiated through the outside rip and nailed down two thigh high rights that held up for several cutbacks into the inside section. The ability to squeeze in a few maneuvers made the difference as Nota took his second straight SUP New England Junior title.

The Boys Final showcased the hot dogging style of Andrew Nota, who has transferred his long board surfing moves to the SUP. Nota managed to do quite a balancing act in the increasingly choppy surf, as he pulled off a solid head stand and tip ride on his second wave. “It was really tough to find the right spot on these bumpy faces,” said Nota. “The wind has just been picking up all day and sometimes it is quite a challenge to keep you balance on these boards.”

Middletown’s Liam O’Regan picked off the set wave of the day, but unfortunately well after the final horn to end the heat had sounded. Previously, he had found one big right slide that he worked into the beach with a series of strong cutbacks. That one ride was not quite enough to catch the hot dogging Nota, who notched the win.

Veteran New England female standup paddle board rider Chris Bennichon of Quincy, Massachusetts let herself drift into a big rip on the edge of the contest area, which allowed her to repeatedly pick off outstanding right peaks that backed off and held up for some nice high point rides. Carol Hesson, also of Quincy, pinned down one good left slide that gave her the second place trophy over last year’s Women’s Open winner, Mary Walton of Wakefield, Rhode Island.

Narragansett’s Peter Pan captured the Men’s Open title with two thigh high left “channel choppers” that held up into the inside shore break. Kate Nota, also of Narragansett, joined her SUP brothers in taking the Girls Open title in the first heat of the day.

Due to the strong onshore winds that began to whitecap by early afternoon, ESA officials decided to cancel the flat water races. “With all that chop out there, we would have had a tough time getting back against that wind,” said Matt Nota. “It would not have been fun at all.” A vote was taken and no one wanted to battle the now 20-25 knot gusts.

This year’s event was sponsored by the Eastern Surfing Association, Pipeline Clothing, Narragansett Surf and Skate, and the Middletown Parks and Recreation Department. The next ESA rated contest will take place this coming Saturday at the same beach. The contest is on call for Friday night after 6:00 PM on the ESA hotline 401-789-1954.

Core Cup #9 is one photograph in a series of surfing competition photos. The surf was building, the wind howling, the sun bright and the tension mounting. Each surfer danced his special dance in communion with the Atlantic and its elements.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Newport-RI/Newport-Art-Museum/180656033269?ref=ts

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