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OREGON BIG-WAVE CONTEST GOES OFF
Garrett MacNamara and Kealii Mamala win Nelscott Reef Tow Classic in gigantic surf
By:
Will Henry
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December 9, 2006
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An international surf contest in Oregon?
When one thinks of this forested, fog-shrouded coastline, it usually conjures images of frigid water temperatures, incessant rain, shark attacks, and hostile locals. In other words, about as far from Oahu's North Shore as you can get, figuratively speaking.
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The Second Annual Nelscott Reef Tow Classic ran in perfect conditions on Friday, December 8 in Lincoln City, Oregon, hosting a crew of some of the world's top tow-surfing talent. Competitors from California, Oregon, Hawaii, and Canada battled it out in groomed 20- to 30-foot surf, on a reef that sits nearly a mile from shore. The contest format requires both team members to surf and drive the PWC in the event, trading off between heats, with the top two scoring rides being counted for each rider in the team's bid to make the final. The Nelscott Reef Tow Classic is the brainchild of Oregon surfer John Forse, who first surfed the reef in 1995 after watching it break for years. His initial effort to ride the big-wave spot involved taking an underpowered zodiac out through a nearby rivermouth, where he timed the sets and managed to penetrate a vicious shorebreak, finally anchoring near the break and paddle-surfing it solo. The difficulties in paddle-surfing Nelscott, however, proved nearly insurmountable, and John realized quickly that the wave was perfectly set up for tow-in surfing. "The only thing scary about the place is the fact that you have to launch from the beach. Getting out through 20-foot, shifting beachbreak bombs is a challenge in itself."
--Keith Malloy
And the waves did not disappoint. "It's like butter out there," said Santa Cruz big-wave pioneer Richard Schmidt, referring to the perfect glassy conditions and wide-open, maneuverable faces. "The only thing scary about the place is the fact that you have to launch from the beach," added Keith Malloy, who made the trek up from Southern California to surf the reef for the first time. "Getting out through 20-foot, shifting beachbreak bombs is a challenge in itself," he added. The final heat was held in dwindling light under a brilliant orange sunset. Inconsistent sets provided a challenge for competitors, but when the big waves poured through, the action was intense. Nelscott is a perfect peak, providing both lefts and rights, and often there were two or three riders up and riding at a single time. "It's like a ballet," commented one local spectator who was witnessing the contest for the first time. In the end, Hawaiians Garrett MacNamara and Kealii Mamala took home the first place trophy, but all of the contestants left with a huge amount of surf stoke. John Forse presented the awards that evening, and reminisced about his long-held desire to see the waves at Nelscott surfed by the world's top surfers. For the second year in a row, he got his wish. RESULTS 1. Garrett McNamara/Kealii Mamala 2. Brad Gerlach/Mike Parsons 3. Adam Replogle/Alistair Craft 4. Raph Bruhwiler/Keith Malloy 5. Greg Long/Rusty Long MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |
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