07 ESKA Circuit Event 1: OBX presented by Kitty Hawk Kites, Report and Results
Andy Gates dropping in (click for larger)
I say this every time, but I LOVE any time we hold an event on the Outer Banks. There is just something about the place that feels like a true destination.
We were glad to once again have Kitty Hawk Kites host a great event for the ESKA this past weekend at 1st Street in Kill Devil Hills. The forecast was originally for gale force winds and cold temps, but we were pleasantly surprised to have sunny skies and low breeze for the day. The surf was a bit unpredictable, with many random peaks, but through the day the size was between waist and shoulder with a few head high waves mixed in. All in all pretty good conditions for a contest. The best rides occurred when competitors caught an outside wave, managed to maintain speed during the "uphill" mid section, and caught the inside for a chance at an end move in the shore break. Ross Fulcher led a class in wave selection as he had these long rides all day.
We had a great day of competition, followed by a few hours of free surfing and dinner at Tortuga's Lie.
Ross Fulcher
There were many good rides in all of the classes, pretty impressive for the first contest of the season. The day belonged to Ross Fulcher, in one of his best contest showings ever, as he surfed consistently to win four classes! Men's IC, Men's HP, Master's IC, and Master's HP. Congrats to Ross for a good day of surfing.
We were glad to welcome a new face to the competition, Stewart Diesel-Reynolds from Virginia, who competed in the Waveski division.
Antnee Bell had good rides all day (Click for larger)
At the end of the day we held a heat entitled SUPER DEATH MATCH EXTRAVAGANZA BATTLE ROYALE which featured the top scorers from each of the divisions. A fun heat to watch, in the end Russ Buskirk triumphed as the representative for the Master's IC class.
This contest held particular significance for me, as it was my first time back in the surf after months of physical therapy trying to rehab my shoulder injury. I was so happy to be surfing with my friends again, I've missed it (though I was REALLY out of practice!) Thanks to everyone who asked me about it and had supportive words to say, I appreciate it. (And thank you to Katherine and Jen at Hendersonville Sports Medicine for helping me get better these past few months)
Huge thanks to Doug Banjak and Kitty Hawk Kites for doing a good job on this event again, and thank you to the judges and Jo for tabulating.
Here are some results and pics. -Joeyu
Men HP:
1st Ross Fulcher
2nd Anthony Bell
3rd Russ Buskirk
4th Joey Hall
Men IC:
1st Ross Fulcher
2nd Anthony Bell
3rd Joey Hall
4th Russ Buskirk
Men K-1
1st Jason Gull
2nd Andy Gates
Men HP Consolation Final:
1st (5th overall) - Andy Gates
2nd (6th overall) - Gordon Rock
3rd (7th overall) - Jason Gull
4th (8th overall) - Eugene Link
Waveski:
1st Stewart Diesel-Reynolds
2nd Gordon Rock
3rd Jason Gull
Masters IC:
1st Ross Fulcher
2nd Russ Buskirk
3rd Pete Titus
Masters HP:
1st Ross Fulcher
2nd Pete Titus
3rd Russ Buskirk
Andy Gates, bottom turn and cutback to pocket (click for larger)
Ross went to the podium MANY times
Jason Gull of DC was stoked to win the Men's K-1
Here's me making a lame attempt to use my shoulder as an excuse....
Paula Rock, fresh from her appearance in the DEATH MATCH wins an MTI lifejacket
We're not so sure about Russ's mental state these days....but at least he's documenting the whole proccess....
(photos by A Gates and J Hall)
