Volume 3 Issue 7 – Swell Lines

Volume 3, Issue 7

a. World Bodysurfing Championships Weekend

b. WBC Profiles

c. Team Kaha Nalu Hawaii in SoCal

d. WBC GIFs

e. Visions of the Month: WBC Edition

September, 2016May, 2020

Swell Lines Magazine

Oceanside Pier- Saturday Aug. 20th 6am:
Local buoys read 6ft. at 16 seconds from the SSW. The beach on both sides of the Pier quickly filled with tents and bodysurf fins as an international contingent prepared to kickoff the 40th Annual World Bodysurfing Championships.

Spencer Ford doing a Pier lap in the current.

Competitors ranged from 12 to 75 years old and from California, New York, Hawaii, Brazil, Australia, France and Britain. They discussed strategies and the inevitable, dreaded current. Solid south swells tend to create strong longshore currents at open beachbreaks like Oceanside. The contest weekend certainly had plenty. Competitors on the south side started their heats 200-400 yards down the beach, expecting the strong drift. Some heats saw numerous competitors wash through the Pier. But the surf remained good to very good throughout the entire weekend.

With Team Kaha Nalu Hawaii making the trip, the unexpected appearance of Mike Stewart, first time contestants from around the world and California’s best…the overall level of bodysurfing was extraordinarily high at the 2016 WBC.

On Saturday night, Swell Lines hosted an event at the nearby Spring Hill Marriott. Tim Burnham screened his fantastic documentary “Dirty Old Wedge” to the delight of the crowd. They laughed, gasped, cried and sat on the edge of their seats. We also planned to honor Viper Surf Fin inventor, Fred Simpson, for his contributions to bodysurfing and the World Bodysurfing Contest.

After the movie, we called a panel of seminal bodysurf figures to the front for a question and answer session. Including Fred Simpson, Mark Cunningham, Mike Stewart, Tim Burnham, JT Nickelson, and Teddy Bandaruk. For us here at Swell Lines Inc, the opportunity to bring Fred, Mark, Mike and an international crew of bodysurfers together to celebrate bodysurfing and the Ocean was a dream come true.

Somebody asked Mark about bodysurfing Teahupoo. “Eh there’s just too much water moving for it to be a great bodysurfing wave.” Mike sharply interrupted, “It’s a perfect bodysurf wave. So much potential.” We all see the Ocean a but different, but certainly Mike’s perspective is especially unique.

Next, Scott Hubbell honored Fred for his years of dedication to the WBC with a beautiful ceramic bowl lined with breaking waves. Tim Burnham gave Fred a one of kind, gold plated Viper Fin plaque. Then an older gentleman rushed to the stage, took the microphone in an impromptu moment of honor. He introduced himself as a friend and former coworker of Fred’s at Xerox. He told the story of Fred’s revolutionary Wedge bodysurfing style. Apparently, in the late 60’s, Fred was rushing through the Xerox offices, slipped on the floor, his necktie then caught in a filing cabinet, one of his hands reached out to break his fall and his other hand formed the now classic chicken wing from his hip. “The Fred” was born.

Men’s Age Group Winners:
12-14 Alexander Makshanoff
15-17 Dylan Biggerstaff
18-24 Cole Margo
25-34 Alexander Vicente
35-44 Matt Solomon
45-54 Mike Stewart
55-64 Mark Cunningham
65+ Jim Isaac

Women's Grand Final — Women’s Grand Final

Women’s Age Group Winners:
12-17 Lauren Padilla
18-29 Makena Magro
30-44 Scotti Shafer
45+ Briguette Wiedemeyer

Men’s Grand Champion: Mike Stewart

Women’s Grand Champion: Makena Magro Photo: Philip Kitamura

ar8a3505 — Mike Stewart and his son, Makena Magro and Fred Simpson.

Men’s Grand Champion
Mike Stewart
Women’s Grand Champion
Makena Magro
Team Champion (7th straight)
Pine Street

*Special thanks to Tim Cassinelli, Scott Hubbell and their crews for an excellent contest!

Matt Solomon Photo: Philip Kitamura

Angela Oschmann

Mike Stewart Photo: Philip Kitamura

Eric Joyce

September, 2016March, 2017

Swell Lines Magazine

WBC 2016: The People

Papa Joe, the man in the green cap, can be seen swimming the peaks of Oceanside all year long.

Mike Stewart led a deep contingent of Hawaiian bodysurfers at this year’s contest.

Shayne McIntyre is a family man, world traveler and helluva bodysurfer. His positive energy is contagious.

As the contest cranks to life, director/bodysurfer Tim Burnham hollers at competitors in the surf.

Bill “Froggy” Schlidge is a champion for bodysurfing. He loves the sport and works hard to pass down his knowledge and passion to the next generation.

Ernie Ford of Ojai has been trekking down to Oceanside for many years bringing a rack of talented bodysurfers from the South Jetty.

Meredith Rose is a solid bodysurfer with stoke overflowing.

Jeff is always keeping an eye on things. Here he is with fellow charger Chris Kalima looking over the heat sheets.

Tom Hunter is always ready with your cap and the call.

France sent some of it’s best to Oceanside this year. Joël Badina led the way.

Mark Cunningham is always a pleasure to have running about the place. This year he was serenaded by Fred Simpson and Mike Stewart for his birthday song.

Wedge pioneer and Viper Surfing Fins creator, Fred Simpson returns year after year to support bodysurfing ohana.

A young man runs up to his friend to wish him luck before his heat.

Scott Hubbell has been the man behind the curtain for the last 15 years of World Bodysurfing Championships.

Rabbit is a humble and styled wave rider. His creativity on the wave helped him capture his age division title and put him in the running for Grand Champion.

Scotti Schafer (Right) rode several waves to the beach in her age group final. She then ran south on the beach to get back in the water for the next set. This gutsy strategy earned her the age division win in a talented grouping.

Contest director extraordinaire Tim Casinelli.

Hawaiian youth Kanealii Wilcox and Tayzha

Mike and his son Kaimana enjoyed their Oceanside premiere as Mike took down the big win.

September, 2016March, 2017

Swell Lines Magazine

Team Kaha Nalu Hawaii in SoCal

When we first heard that Team Kaha Nalu Hawaii was traveling to California in late August for the World Bodysurfing Championship, we immediately crossed our fingers for swell. We hoped that for all competitors traveling to Oceanside. We wanted to show off our home break.

After a slow start to August, a bump showed up on the long range forecast and sure enough the weekend of the contest saw one of the best swells of the summer.

Here is their perspective on the contest and their time in Southern California.

Team Kaha Nalu founder Sean Enoka:
“This year, the World Bodysurfing Championships really changed my outlook about the whole thing. There is always talk about it being more of a swim contest, and that the waves aren’t good or whatever. But this year there was highly challenging but very good surf, and by the time it narrowed down to the finals it was very clear that the talent level was world class, and ALL of the competitors in the finals were killers…and are in shape.

I think that this year the name World Championships fit the bill because people showed up from all over the world. France was in. Brazil was in. Australia in. California and truly bodysurfers from all over the world. I sat and watched some of the finals on Sunday and it was super impressive how hard everyone was working to get the victory. This year was awesome and I’ll definitely be back in years to come.

We just got lucky with swell and hopefully we can get blessed the next time. On a personal trip, I was disappointed that I didn’t make it out of the first round, but the current + cold + beach start and 15min heats did me in. But I got a chance to surf the North side of the pier and figure it out a little.

But for the contest itself, I think that all of the organizers and volunteers were awesome and it was a great contest. But I would change a couple of things like having the judges view from the beach, water starts from designated buoy markers, electronic scoring, and some other production stuff but mainly where you start and what the judges can see. I watched Kai’s heat start right as some sets were rolling in and by the time some of the guys made it out, there was like 9 mins left in the heat! I think the judges are really overloaded and view from the wrong angle. They can’t see anything once you pass them or if you are riding away. Plus, they have to write and look away for that split second that someone could be doing something incredible. Of course bodysurfing isn’t the NFL with replay, but I think that the number of competitors and world title designation justifies a bit of an upgrade. The back to back heat starts and early starts at 6:30am are just necessary in order to process that many people and it goes like clockwork right on time.

We were so lucky to arrive just at the same time as a decent Southern hemi swell. Thursday Wedge was about 2-4 and fun sized with the side wave working and then Friday got a little bigger and the main peak was working. It was great to all be together with the Wedge Crew and also the Frenchmen. That wave is definitely one of the best in the world for bodysurfing.

Very much contestable conditions. — Oside: very much contestable conditions.

Team Kaha Nalu teamrider Kanealii Wilcox:
The contest was amazing! Things that really stood out to me include how many people it draws annually from all over the world and how efficient it runs with 370 competitors in 2 days. The bodysurf community never falls short of top notch camaraderie with everyone sharing the stoke.

We scored fun Wedge and as long as the Wedge boys are out, its going to be a blast. Whether its trading waves or trading laughs, you can always count on them for a good time. Also, those guys know how to host guests!

Best part of the whole trip for me was going as a group and experiencing such a great time together and to bring those memories home to reminisce about later!

Team Kaha Nalu teamrider Keali’i Punley:
The WBC was a great experience and a blessing to be a part of. Coming from Hawaii, we are not used to used to cold water. To be honest, I had a difficult time breathing and getting used to a full wetsuit. So I had to adapt and adjust. Fighting the strong current in just a 15 minute heat was hard but we managed. But we know our ability and what we can do on wave. When we got on set waves we ripped them with style. I learned a lot during my first time at the World Bodysurfing Championship. It was great uniting with bodysurfers from all over the world at one location and seeing different styles and techniques.

We had a blast during our Wedge session thanks to our fellow Wedge Crew members. Many of them watched us rip from the beach, “giving us an opportunity” to catch as many waves as possible.