Wet and Wild with Rockin Fig

Rick Fignetti

It was a big weekend down south at the National ScholasticSurfing

Assn. State Championships held at Church’s point in San Clemente. The

surf was on the small side, 1- to 3-foot, and gusty winds outta the north

west created an upwelling effect cooling down the ocean water temps to a

chilly mid-50 degrees. That didn’t slow down Huntington’s Dwyer Middle

School team who were hot to trot as they capturedthe big-time state

title. The last few years that honor has gone to San Clemente’s Shore

Cliff Middle School. But with outstanding performances by Ian Ekberg

winning the final in the shortboard, Paul Terney second in bodyboarding

and Eric Ramsey fourth in longboards, it was enough to turn the tides at

thisyear’s 2002 State Championships. Dwyer won 100-86.

Sowers Middle School came in eighth, for an honorable mention, as Dana

Clark of Sowers was sixth in gals and Brian Lorhis was sixth in

bodyboarding.

In the High School division, surfin’ home turf, San Clemente High

cleaned up scoring the most points ever in a National Scholastic Surfing

Assn. State meet, a whopping, 172. The nine-man teams, consisted of six

men, one gal, one longboarder, and one bodyboarder. The boys’ final was

won by San Clemente’s Travis Mellem, in fact, five of the six finalist’s

were fromSan Clemente High. On a good note Huntington’s, Eric Trapschuh

made the final and finished up fifth.

So the big battle was for second overall, with San Dieguito just

taking the edge over Huntington Beach High School 97-95 and Carlsbad High

coming in fourth, with 94 points.

There’s getting to be some fierce competition between the top elite

surf teams lately. Edison finished up eighth, while Marina came in 12th.

From our area, in the longboarding final, it was Edison’s Justin

Hugron second and Marina’s Dodger Kremel fourth. In the girls’ division a

high five to Edison’s Mellisa Murphy in first, Huntington’s Ewa

Lewington in second and Edison’s Allison Apodaca who rounded out the top

three. In bodyboarding Edison’s Brian Acosta took sixth.

In the College division, this year’s power-packed Saddleback won first

overall over Mira Costa, 163-142. Mira Costa won the state title last

year, while the defending National Champs, Cal State Long Beach came in

third.

Leading the way for Saddleback, with three in the final, were Mike

Losness winning it, Bron Heussenstam fourth and last year’s national

champ Greg Long sixth. All the top-ranked teams will be invited to the

“National’s” to be held at Salt Creek Beach Park, June 22-23.

Coming up this weekend is the NSSA Explorer Season surf event No. 8,

at El Porto in the South Bay, that’s March 23-24, and I hear there’s a

combo swell on the way. See ya.

* RICK FIGNETTI is a six-time West Coast champion, has announced the

U.S. Open of Surfing the last eight years and has been the KROQ-FM

(106.7) surfologist for the last 15 years where he’s done morning surf

reports. He owns a surf shop on Main Street. You can reach him at (714)

536-1058.