2007 Cold Water Classic recap and results

"The surfing community of the Pacific Northwest should be very proud of itself. The quality of the surfing I saw on the weekend was sensational. The local guys can hold their head up high on the performance side of things. This was my first trip to the region, and having travelled extensively throughout the world I have to say that the “Aloha spirit” was alive and well in Westport. The surfing culture here is pure and the joy of surfing that I witnessed really fits with our company mantra - Life is better when you surf!” GSI brought several well known surfers to participate in the event, including Bonga Perkins (who is currently on the cover of Longboard magazine) and Steve Walden, a successful surfboard shaper/ manufacturer from Ventura, CA.

The event started with a GSI sponsored surfboard dealer heat on Friday, which drew three man teams from six surf shops. The three man teams surfed three boards (a shortboard, a fish, and a longboard). The shop winner was awarded a $2,500 shop credit, which drew spirited competition to start off the surfing weekend. Steepwater Surf (Westport, WA) was the eventual winner of the GSI shop challenge.

On Saturday June 2nd, the first heats started at 8:00 AM at the jetty in Westhaven State Park, Washington. The event concluded at 3 PM on Sunday, June 3rd. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday, 50 heats were run with most being 15 minute heats. Six competitors per heat was the norm on Saturday, with the semi finals and finals on Sunday drawing between two and four competitors per heat. The weather was calm and foggy at times, with nicely shaped waves in the two to six foot range.

On Saturday night, GSI and Quiksilver combined forces to provide an extraordinary surf theme party which attracted over 450 people. The party turnout packed the Westport Convention Center, and featured a Quiksilver raffle, the donation of boards by Mark Kelly from GSI, and several surf movies and movie previews. One of the movies previewed was Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer which will be released by Fox on June 15, 2007. In this movie, the lead character rides a silver surfboard. The Clean Water Classic was selected by Fox to feature a very limited edition silver surfboard similar to the one used by the movie character. On Sunday, this board was given to the winner of the Master’s Shortboard division (Matt Loughren). Matt is the well known owner of a local surf shop in Westport, and the crowd roared appreciatively as Matt stepped up to claim his one of a kind prize.

2007 Clean Water Classic division winners

Pro/Am Shortboard Division (shortboards are less than seven foot four inches)
1st = Noah Cohen (Tofino, BC). Noah also won the Best Wave and Shortboard Highest Scored Wave. Noah received $500 for his win.
2nd = Steve Martin (Westport, WA). $150
3rd = Bastien Lanusse (Tofino, BC). $100

Master’s Shortboard (40 + years of age)
1st = Matt Loughren (Westport, WA)
2nd = Andrew Drake (Seattle, WA)
3rd = Gary Smither (Coos Bay, OR)

Women’s Shortboard
1st = Leah Oke (Port Renfrew, BC). $150
2nd = Rachel Ward (Seaside, OR)
3rd = Katt Dunn

Men’s Longboard
1st = J.P. Canis
2nd = Steve Martin (Westport, WA)
3rd = Andy Cordeiro

Master’s Longboard
1st = Perry Abedor (Dana Point, CA) Perry also won the Longboard Highest Scored Wave
2nd = Andrew Drake (Seattle, WA)
3rd = Gary Smither (Coos Bay, OR)

Women’s Longboard
1st = Rachel Ward (Seaside, OR)
2nd = Yvonne Mendel (Tofino, BC)
3rd = Hannah Nicholls (Depoe Bay, OR)

Junior’s Division (between 12- 17 years old)
1st = CC Unger-Mayor (Tofino, BC)
2nd = Kye Peladeau (Tofino, BC)
3rd = Janek Peladeau (Tofino, BC)

Surf Kayak High Performance
1st = Gary Korb (Port Angeles, WA)
2nd = Jameson Riser (Seattle, WA)
3rd = Kate Howell (Corvallis, OR)

Surf Kayak Novice/ Intermediate
1st = Joe Dietrich
2nd = Jeff Daniels