Words by Brody Winger, with help from his dad Gordon
I was really excited for this summer to finally start, because I knew it meant I would get more days surfing and get to compete in the Surfrider Foundation’s Otter Rock and Roll youth contest. A couple weeks before the contest my dad and I stopped in to Moment Surf Company and picked me up a new Quiksilver hooded 5/4 wetsuit and it has made a big difference in keeping me warm, letting me stay out longer and ride more waves. Last year was my first time entering a surf contest and I had tons of fun with my friends Marley and Avery. We all wanted to come back this year to compete, cleanup the beach and eat pizza!
We surfed a couple sessions the day before the event to get some fun waves and learn the break. The next morning we all woke up and had a big breakfast to get ready for a long day at the beach. I waxed up my 7’2” Russo egg and put my wetsuit on before we left the house since I was in Heat #1 with my friend Marley.
Lucky for us it was a morning high tide and the waves were peeling really nice off of an outer sandbar all the way to the sand. We went to a quick competitors meeting and then had to get out in the water for the start of our heat. I surf in the Child with Parent category, so my dad can help me get in position and avoid big set waves sometimes. The 20-minute heat went by super fast, but I caught a bunch of rights and 1 left. I tried a couple cross-steps and hang fives and ended up making one on the inside. Our heat was super fun and the waves were perfect!!
At the end of our heat we paddled in and watched the next heat for a little bit. Then went to have a snack. My friend, Avery, was in Heat #3 so we helped her and her dad get ready and we came down to watch her surf. She caught a sick wave all the way from the outside and rode it all the way to the beach making a bunch of steep drops when it reformed a couple times and the judges gave her a Perfect 10!! That was awesome to watch.
I surfed my Round #2 heat right before lunch and it was super fun. I focused more on riding my waves smooth all the way to the inside in this heat and tried to stay right in the pocket and make a clean kick out at the end. We found some great waves and I had a blast. After that heat it was lunchtime and they had more pizza then I’ve ever seen. We ate pizza and then everyone grabbed a trash bag and started to hunt for garbage on the beach as part of the beach cleanup.
When the awards ceremony started they announced my division first. Avery got 3 rd Place and then I was so surprised when they called out my name for First Place. I won a bag full of cool stuff and a mini cruiser skateboard. I had such a great time and I can’t wait for next year.
