The 2025 Cape Kiwanda Longboard Classic
Words By Jeff Mollencop | Photos By Alexandra Pallas, Chris Liedel, Bowen Childs & Kyle Valla
“How would you describe the Cape Kiwanda Longboard Classic” is a question I get asked during interviews ahead of each year’s contest. The simple answer is to say that it’s a local surf contest put on by a dedicated group of volunteers. The truth is that the contest is something more than that. It has its own soul. It has a life that we and the organizers before us can’t take credit for. I would like to think we had something to do with it, but the reality is the Cape Kiwanda Longboard Classic has become something far beyond anything anyone ever imagined.
What I mean by the contest having its own soul is that our team comes together each year to run the contest, that’s our only goal. Our hope is that people are going to sign up and have a good time competing. What happens, however, is it turns into a celebration of community, of comradery between peers, and people supporting one another despite it being a competition. We can’t take credit for this. It’s the competitors that make that happen. They are the ones that give it soul.
Maybe Robbie Ledbetter said it best in our 25th anniversary video, “The contest is for the love of surfing” and that’s the reason his parents started it. From there it just kept building on itself. Or maybe it’s the fact that ancient Hawaiians invented surfing simply as a fun pastime. The intent of surfing is enjoyment, and maybe a pinch of all this adds to the flavor of the contest. Humans created competition to find out who has the highest skill level at something. It’s hard to judge who is having the most fun surfing, but it seems everyone at the contest is competing for that!
My job for the past 15 years of being a part of the contest is to handle the behind-the-scenes organization. I don’t always get a chance to engage in the “fun” aspects of the event. People have always been extremely kind in showing appreciation for our efforts and sharing their positive feelings about the weekend. That alone keeps me motivated. Lisa Baker, who has been instrumental in running the contest for the past few years, also would spend her time working and not being able to fully enjoy the festivities. This year, however, she worked with the Beach Crew handing out jerseys and running the heats from the middle of the action. After the awards ceremony, she came up to me and said, “I get it now, I understand why people love the contest so much”. She witnessed firsthand everyone supporting one another, people rooting for their fellow competitors, and people treating this more like a gathering than a competition. Lisa finished by saying, “As long as we keep doing the contest, I want to be on the beach in the middle of things. It is just so cool.”
Two of the biggest reasons for the success of the contest have been our announcers, Tyler Cunningham and Mattie Starr. They tirelessly bring excitement, appreciation, and importance to each heat and every surfer from start to finish. I have received numerous emails and notes of compliments about them, and they have become an essential part of the event. When talking with Tyler after the contest and asking if he can do this again next year, his answer summed up what we are all thinking, “I cannot not do the contest each year. It represents everything that’s good about surfing. In a world that seems to be getting more negative, it’s a weekend full of positivity. It’s our chance to help usher PNW surfing and the next generation of surfers in a positive and community-based direction”.
A very special thank you to the judges this year, who put in an 11 hour day on Saturday because we were racing to get in as many heats as possible before an approaching storm. Also, thanks to all of our volunteers, we couldn’t do this without you! Finally, our sincere appreciation to our sponsors, in particular our presenting sponsors: Pelican Brewing and Moment Surf Company. We would also like to thank our premiere sponsors: Headlands Coastal Lodge and Spa, Inn at Cape Kiwanda, Kiwanda Coastal Properties, Harts Camp, Pro Photo Supply, Canon, and Nehalem Bay Hardwood Floors.
