Source: Guahan Napu
(Barrigada, Guam –– Sunday, October 12, 2014) For the first time in four years since the 2010 Surf the Basin II competition, organizers of the annual surfing and body-boarding contest at Hagatna Boat Basin were able to stage the event on schedule without delaying to a holdover date. The competition on Oct. 11 attracted 46 contestants to battle on the waves in four gender-neutral categories – long board surfing, short board surfing, junior surfing and body-boarding.
Left to right: Gregg Ikehara, GNI vice president; Ken Concepcion, GNI treasurer; Addison Moyer (behind Ken Concepcion), 4th place; Joeito Santiago, 1st place; Robby Alexander, 3rd place; Monster Energy Drink promotions staff; and Kenny Pier, 2nd place.
“The passage of both Typhoons Phanfone and Vongfong created some hard-to- forecast wave conditions. We had forecasts changing everyday in the early half of the week leading up to the contest. But when Typhoon Vongfong slowed down, wave directions shifted from west to west north-west. We made the call to proceed with the contest only 3 days prior to Saturday because of a more favorable forecast,” said Willi Byerly, president, Guahan Napu Inc. and contest director. “We had an encouraging show of female entrants and juniors. Unfortunately there were insufficient number of women to have a female-only surfing or body-boarding division. Nonetheless, all our sponsors and competitors were elated that the event went forward as scheduled.”
The morning heats were held in glassy three to four-foot waves with the occasional five-foot sets in some of the heats; however, after a rain squall at noon, the glassy conditions dissipated and waves were choppier with side-shore winds. The finals came down to the patience, skills and experience of the contestants for picking the right wave.
Junior surfing:
1st place: Jared Brandon Gogue
2nd place: Napu Taimanglo
3rd place: Michael Murphy
4th place: Misaki Cramer
Long board surfing:
1st place: Joeito Santiago
2nd place: Kenny Pier
3rd place: Robby Alexander
4th place: Addison Moyer
Body boarding:
1st place: Brian Cruz
2nd place: B.J. Rolinski
3rd place: John Barber
4th place: Carl Dela Cruz
Short board surfing:
1st place: Joeito Santiago
2nd place: Shane Pier
3rd place: Jared Brandon Gogue
4th place: Napu Taimanglo
Monster Energy Drink Surf the Basin VI was also funded in part by Guam Visitors Bureau and Tumon Bay Lobster and Grill. In-kind contributions for prizes were provided by Da Kine, Lotus Surf Shop, DNA EVO, Primo Surf, Fokai Industries, PROA Restaurant and Jamaican Grill.
Byerly said the next competition will be Rick’s Reef Classic VIII in February or March 2015. For more information and photos, follow Guahan Napu on Facebook.
