It seems having Lower Trestles as your home break helps as a training ground for surfers to lay claim to the best in the nation.
The San Clemente Board Riders Club earned its third consecutive US Board Riders National Championship win at Lower Trestles on Saturday, May 18, following a dominating performance to also clinch the coveted SURFER West Coast Board Riders Wheat Cup Championship a day earlier.
The three-day event brought together about 350 surfers from around the state and country to compete at the surf break just south of San Clemente. A pumping south swell filled in just in time, bringing waves in the 4-to 6-foot range on Friday and through the final day, allowing surfers who ranged from former pros, up-and-coming stars to young groms to showcase their talent.
Carlsbad Board Riders on Thursday earned the highest point total to move onto the West Coast Board Riders final day on Friday, but ultimately it was San Clemente, Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz to take the top three spots for a slot into the national showdown on Saturday.
The US Board Riders National Championship presented by A New Earth Project included a battle between the three California towns, as well as Hawaii’s North Shore and Jacksonville, Florida competing for the national Board Riders title – which comes with a huge perpetual trophy and bragging rights.
The concept of board rider clubs isn’t new, with Australia having community surf clubs for decades. Though there’s been surf clubs through the years across California, but the bigger Board Riders concept was born eight years ago by Huntington Beach friends Casey Wheat, Ziggy Williams and Chris Moreno, who started with clubs in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach.
Then, surf clubs started forming around the country, now with 50 from New Jersey to Texas and beyond. Each club from the coastal towns touts hundreds of members, creating comradery among the community in and out of the water.
The format of the contest is a unique team element, with four surfers per team surfing one-hour heats. Each surfer gets three waves maximum, with only their top-wave score counting. There’s one designated “double whammy” surfer who gets to double one of their scores, but only if they put their hands over their heads within 15 seconds of finishing their ride.
On the final day, the heats were cut to 30 minutes and teams were made up of two surfers.
San Clemente earned a total 162.93 for the top spot, with North Shore coming up in second spot with a total score of 140.93. Santa Cruz’s score at the end of the day was 137.36, followed by Huntington Beach at 122.27 and Florida with 121.54.
“It was absolutely insane,” said Don Meek, board chair for the US Board Riders.
San Clemente’s team was stacked with pro surfers including World Tour alumni Kolohe Andino, Tanner and Pat Gudauskas, Nate Yeomans, Shane Beschen and Matt Archbold.
“It’s the best surfing event going on,” said Andino in an event recap.
San Clemente’s two trophies will head to the retail store Severson Originals for a week before rotating to various club partners’ businesses and landing at the Rip Curl North America Headquarters for summer.
While San Clemente dominated yet again, North Shore’s team, which is a first-year club, came in second spot after compiling a team just six weeks ahead of the event.
“They came and surfed incredibly well,” Meek said. “The vibe on the beach was amazing, the surf was great.”
Much work has gone into building the Board Riders, now with more than 50 clubs and growing each year, so that it’s now on solid ground, Meek said.
“Everyone is super excited and the feedback is great,” he said. “Surfing is always such an individual thing, now you’re part of a team.”
The Board Rider club movement brings together surfers that span generations, with parents and their kids getting to ride for their surf town pride. The teams don’t just come together to compete, but also do community work such as beach clean ups and helping kids from inner cities learn to surf.
It’s not just the generational continuity within each coastal community, with generations of surfers getting to know one another in and out of the water, but also a national connection where a surfer from the East Coast can come out and be hosted by a West Coast club, or vice versa, Meeks added.
“It has become a national community of people who all believe in the same thing,” Meek said. “Now, you’re part of the club, part of the program and you will be treated really well.”
For full results, go to: usbrc.org.
