12th Annual Gathering of the Tribes to be held at Church Beach

DOHENY LONGBOARD SURFING ASSOCIATION SPONSORS LARGEST WEST COAST LONGBOARD COMPETITION ON RECORD

12th Annual Gathering of the Tribes Longboard Surf Festival begins January 5^th – 6^th, 2008.

SAN ONOFRE, Calif. – Jan 2, 2008 –The Doheny Longboard Surfing Association is set to rack up another in a long line of firsts when the classic 12-year-old “Gathering of the Tribes” longboard event sets off the Coalition of Surfing Clubs 2008 competitive season. The event will offer a mix of spectacular competitive longboarding, a variety beach activities and support of several worthwhile charities.

Held over the first weekend of the New Year the Gathering of the Tribes contest features two competitive surfing areas at Church Beach in San Onofre, Calif. The event will be judged simultaneously by two separate judging stations. This configuration enables more than 350 contestants from more than 18 Longboard Coalition Teams to be able to battle their way to the finals which will be held in the afternoon on Sunday January 6^th, 2008. The number of competitors makes this event the largest 2 day longboard event on the west coast.

In 2007 more than 350 competitors and their families enjoyed the rural sitting of Church Beach, home to one of the premier point breaks in California. The surfing showcased a combination of traditional longboard styles along with newer more progressive moves. This event sets the tone for the coming year of club competitions. “We are excited again this year to host the beginning of the 2008 club series and are looking forward to this years competition” said Denny Michael, board member of the Doheny club.

The Coalition of Surfing Clubs (CSC) is an international organization that represents the interests of surfing clubs throughout California and the world. It acts as a united voice to address issues related to coastal water quality, beach access, development, and legislative policy. The Coalition represents more than 10,000 surfers of all ages and exists for the betterment of the citizenship of the surfer, to improve clean water locally and globally and to promote the sport of surfing.

The Doheny Longboard Surfing Association is an organization comprised of individuals dedicated to the enjoyment of board surfing in a clean and natural environment. In relation to that philosophy, the DLSA will act as a support group to other organizations with similar views and objectives. For additional information contact Denny Michael at dlsa10@hotmail.com

Land Yacht

Somewhere in Baja

There seems to be more trouble brewing down in Baja recently. This latest post via Surfline is among the many that they (and others) have been posting recently. I am not sure what the answer is, but it is distrubing to say the least.
http://www.surfline.com/surfnews/surfwire.cfm?id=12401

It's Coming...

Hawaiian Surf Forecast for O`ahu

FZHW50 PHFO 210500
SRFHFO

SURF ZONE FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HONOLULU HI
700 PM HST TUE NOV 20 2007

OAHU-
700 PM HST TUE NOV 20 2007

HIGH SURF ADVISORY FOR NORTH FACING SHORES EFFECTIVE TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT

Surf along east facing shores will decrease to heights of 5 to 7 feet through Wednesday. Surf heights will be largest along north- facing beaches and reefs.

Surf along north facing shores will be 6 to 10 feet through tonight, increasing to 12 to 16 feet Wednesday.

Surf along west facing shores will be 2 to 4 feet through tonight, increasing to 6 to 8 feet Wednesday.

Surf along south facing shores will be 3 feet or less through Wednesday.

More on the Dale Velzy Surf Classic

Dale Velzy Classic and Luau: Summary and results from the OC Register

Huge thanks to Denny Michael from the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association for sending over this summary of the Dale Velzy Classic held last weekend:

It was a great sunny day with good surf as the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association ran its 18th annual Dale Velzy Classic at Doheny State Beach on Saturday.

The event boasted surfers ranging in age from eight to over 70. A great crowd of supporters framed the beach as each round of surfers began their respective heats.

The event, held over a nine hour period from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., was filled with great surfing. Newly minted 70-year old Mickey Munoz won his first “70 and up” division riding a sponge board! This was just two weeks after his now legendary birthday party was held at the very same beach. With typical Munoz aplomb, he surfed better than ever.
However, some of the most incredible surfing of the day was the junior men and women age groups. They really ripped the two-to-three foot surf with flawless precision. Some of the crowds were so appreciative of their advanced surfing that during the hotly contested semis and finals, they were standing on the beach applauding their exceptional skills.

The Velzy family were in attendance during the luau and very appreciative of the event held in Dale’s honor. Polynesian dancers and a live band capped the fun-filled day of classic longboarding, tandem surfing and paddleboard racing.

Proceeds from the event are used to support the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association’s many charities.

The Doheny Longboard Surfing Association is an organization comprised of individuals dedicated to the enjoyment of board surfing in a clean and natural environment.

18th Annual Dale Velzy Classic & Luau Results:

Menehune Girls Junior Women
1st - Kirra Kehoe HBLC 1st - Marissa Barry DLSA
2nd - Becca Dunn DLSA 2nd - Lauren Nagn DLSA
3rd - Jesica Gale DLSA 3rd - Rachel Barry LBSC
4th - Page Edwards DLSA 4th - Danica Elberts DLSA
5th - Rachael Calkins DLSA
6th - Marisa Graham OLSC

Women Tandem
1st - Katie Calkins DLSA 1st - Mark & Debbie Gale DLSA
2nd - Cheryl McGregor DLSA 2nd - Clay & Kristen Huntington DLSA
3rd - Tracy Edwards DLSA 3rd - Mark Calkins & Sean Edwards DLSA
4th - Rachael Dunn DLSA 4th - Jans Baltgalvis& Cathy LBSC
5th - Rita Bandrick DLSA 5th - Kelly French & Emily Rule DLSA
6th - Jeanette Francis LBSC

Menehune Boys Junior Men
1st - Mason Klink DLSA 1st - Cole Robbins MSA
2nd - Dakota Faircloth LBSC 2nd - Alex Calkins DLSA
3rd - Eli Gillis DLSA 3rd - Max Dexter DLSA
4th - Brock Thomson 4th - Jarred Mell BC
5th - Bennett Jones 5th - Colin Emery DLSA
6th - Shon Thompson LBSC 6th - Bret Robbins MSA

Mens Senior Men
1st - Tyler Warren DLSA 1st - Mark Stewart LBSC
2nd - Buck Barry DLSA 2nd - Ryan Mota LBSC
3rd - Mike Siordia LBSC 3rd - Scott Sap DLSA
4th - Dustin Martnick TI 4th - Troy Sugg
5th - Clint Clemmens DLSA 5th - Erwin Cabala
6th - Shane Jones 6th - Shon Esparza LBSC

Master Grand Master
1st - Rubio Smith DLSA 1st - Mark Calkins DLSA
2nd - Pat Hines 2nd - Steve Stirrett DLSA
3rd - John Coshland DLSA 3rd - Bobby Knox DLSA
4th - Sam Gold LBSC 4th - Chuck McElvain DLSA
5th - Steve Tote LBSC 5th - Denny Michael DLSA
6th - Kio Son MSA 6th - Matt Albers NBSC

Legends Extreme Legends
1st - Sal Avila DLSA 1st - Mickey Munoz DLSA
2nd - Mike Dawson LBSC 2nd - George Carr MSA
3rd - Mike Swenson DLSA 3rd - Gary Stellar MSA
4th - Dick Whitehead DLSA 4th - Frayne Higgason MSA
5th - Bill Spurgeon NBSA 5th - Bill Bragg NBSA
6th - Bill Gray DLSA 6th - Russ Elwell

Paddle Race Junior Men Time
1st - Cole Robins & Alex Calkins 4:34 Tied for 1st overall
3rd - Shane Jones 4:43 2nd overall

Paddle Race Men Time
1st - Rubio Smith 4:56 4th overall
2nd - Jans Baltgalvis 4:57 5th overall
3rd - Mark Stewart 5:03 6th overall

Paddle Race Master Time
1st - Mark Calkins 4:48 3rd overall
2nd - Lance Erickson 5:04 7th overall
3rd - Ed (Dip) McMillen 5:29 8th overall

Paddle Race Women Time
1st - Kira Kehoe 5:53 9th overall
2nd - Jasmyn Morrow 6:49 10th overall

Club Finish
1st - Doheny Longboard Surfing Association
2nd - Long Beach Surfing Club
3rd - Malibu Surfing Association
4th - Newport Beach Surfing Association
5th - Huntington Beach Longboard Crew
6th - Blackies Classic
7th - Oceanside Longboard Surfing Club

Meanwhile down at the Ranch...

Mean while down at the Ranch....2

Photo: Denny Michael

Midget Smith Medical Fund

Midget Smith's Medical Fund

Well-known shaper, ASP judge & local surfing icon Midget Smith was recently diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Midget beat the disease 22 years ago & has been unable to obtain medical insurance since. With his ongoing treatments the medical bills are stacking up. Midget has touched the lives of many in & out of the water and this is our chance to give a little something back.

For those of you who don’t know who Midget Smith is he played a major part in the San Clemente progressive surfing movement. Midget was one of the heavy hitters that frequented the Pier back in the 70’s & 80’s. He has been shaping for over 30 years and for many of today’s top pros along the way. Andy Irons, Occy, Luke Egan, Martin Potter, Dane Kealoha, Ben Bourgeois, Shane Beschen, Chris and Pat Drummy & Travis Mellem are just a few on Midgets list of pro customs. Midget has also served as head judge for the ASP North America, Bud Tour, ASP World Longboard Tour, X Games, and National Surf League. Midget’s work as a judge is respected worldwide, and in his hometown of San Clemente he has long been revered as a surfing legend and mentor to many. Please give what you can so Midget can use his energy to beat his cancer without having to worry about his mounting medical bills.

For more information go to: http://www.active.com/donate/wsamidget

The Ride Home

Sunset at Old Mans

Coastal Scenery

Dewey Weber Classic

Dewey Weber Longboard Classic to hit Doheny this weekend
September 27th, 2007 · Post a Comment · posted by lconnelly

In the latest proof that longboarding is making a strong comeback, a competition starting Friday will showcase classic surfing skills on the soft waves of Doheny State Beach.
The three-day Dewey Weber Longboard Classic will feature raffle drawings, prizes, and of course, surfing.

It kicks off at 3:30 p.m. for competitors 12 and under, with all ages competing during the rest of the weekend. A Saturday night dinner and beach party will kick off at 5:30 p.m., and an awards ceremony will be held Sunday afternoon.
Charley Waite surfs last year's contest. Photo by Jim Coshand
Dewey Weber started manufacturing surfboards in the ’60s, and at the time was one of the largest in the world.

Weber has had such an impact on the surfing world that Surfing Magazine dubbed him the “father of Modern Surfing.”

The Dewey Weber Classic started in 1981 at Manhattan Beach Pier, when hundreds of surfers showed up to pay tribute to the classic style of surfing. The event continued until 1986, but faded out because of the difficulty of holding a surf contest.

It was resurrected in 2001 by Weber’s son, Shea, at the “Boneyard” surf break near the jetty at Doheny.
For Shea Weber, who runs the family store in San Clemente, the contest is an extension of what he gets to do on a daily basis.
Mike Scordia hangs ten at Doheny. Photo by Jim Coshand
“He was such an amazing guy, and such an awesome dad,” he said. “Even on my worst day, I feel like the luckiest person on the planet. We like to share our stoke and our philosophy with everybody, and it’s just a great way to do it.”

Longboarders will be traveling from as far as Japan, and this year’s contest is dedicated to Shu Oikawa, a team rider from Japan who passed away earlier this year from cancer.

Weber was born in 1938 and died in 1993. He was not only the typical Southern California surfer, but also a great wrestler and a national yo-yo champion, according to the Dewey Weber website.

He was one of the first Hermosa Beach surfers to build a foam board.

While the rest of the world saw Dewey Weber as a surfing icon, Shea, 36, described his father as “a big kid trapped in a man’s body.”

“He wasn’t the type of person that tooted his own horn, or boastful. People thought he was a surfing god. I never knew it as a kid. I just knew him as a really great dad,” Shea said. “He never was the kind of guy who tried to gain advantage because he was a famous surfer.”

dewey-weber1.jpgHe was a man with great energy, a very charismatic surfer who people were drawn to, Shea Weber said.

Longboards took a backseat in the ’60s after shortboards started hitting the scene. In the early ’80s, the longer boards started making a comeback. In the past few years, the number of longboard competitions along the coast has seen an increase.

“Because of his passion for the longboard style and attitude, Dewey decided to reunite the top competitive surfers from the heyday of longboard surfing,” said Denny Michael, board member for Doheny Longboard Surfing Association.

“It’s fantastic for us,” Michael said of the contest being held at Doheny. “The guys and girls are doing incredible things at this contest. Some of this stuff, you just go ‘oh my God,’ what are they doing?”

DID YOU KNOW: Dewey Weber was known has a hotdogger (a ’60s term) because he was very innovative deweymalibu.jpgwith his moves. Dewey was doing things on boards that others at the time could not even figure out. Extremely quick on his feet and always in motion, he could walk from one end of a board to another in very little time - this earned him the nick name “little man on wheels”- Denny Michael

CONTEST COST:
Entry fee is $95 for ages 13 and over, $85 for 12 and under. The fees include the contest entry, two lunch tickets and one Saturday night dinner.

Type of moves you’ll see:
The traditional ‘hanging ten’ which has the toes hanging over the nose of the board, and newer moves such as the “hanging heels,” where surfers turn around backwards and hand their heels over the nose.

18th Annual Dale Velzy Results

18th Annual Dale Velzy Surf Classic and Luau Draws Crowds

Dana Point, Calif., September 17, 2007 - It was a great sunny day with good surf as the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association ran its 18th annual Dale Velzy Classic at Doheny State Beach on September 15, 2007. The event boasted surfers ranging in age from eight to over 70.
A great crowd of supporters framed the beach as each round of surfers began their respective heats. The event held over a nine hour period from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. was filled with great surfing. Newly minted 70-year old Mickey Munoz won his first “70 and up” division riding a sponge board! This was just two weeks after his now legendary birthday party was held at the very same beach. With typical Munoz aplomb, he surfed better than ever.
Some of the most incredible surfing of the day however, was the junior men and women age groups. They really ripped the two to three foot surf with flawless precision. Some of the crowds were so appreciative of their advanced surfing that during the hotly contested semis and finals they were standing on the beach applauding their exceptional skills.
The Velzy family were in attendance during the luau and very appreciative of the event held in Dale’s honor. Polynesian dancers and a live band capped the fun-filled day of classic longboarding, tandem surfing and paddle board racing. Proceeds from the event are used to support the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association’s many charities.
The Doheny Longboard Surfing Association is an organization comprised of individuals dedicated to the enjoyment of board surfing in a clean and natural environment. In relation to that philosophy, the DLSA will act as a support group to other organizations with similar views and objectives. PR contact: Denny Michael



18th Annual Dale Velzy Classic & Luau
Dale Velzy Classic Results 2007

Menehune Girls Junior Women
1st - Kirra Kehoe HBLC 1st - Marissa Barry DLSA
2nd - Becca Dunn DLSA 2nd - Lauren Nagn DLSA
3rd - Jesica Gale DLSA 3rd - Rachel Barry LBSC
4th - Page Edwards DLSA 4th - Danica Elberts DLSA
5th - Rachael Calkins DLSA
6th - Marisa Graham OLSC

Women Tandem
1st - Katie Calkins DLSA 1st - Mark & Debbie Gale DLSA
2nd - Cheryl McGregor DLSA 2nd - Clay & Kristen Huntington DLSA
3rd - Tracy Edwards DLSA 3rd - Mark Calkins & Sean Edwards DLSA
4th - Rachael Dunn DLSA 4th - Jans Baltgalvis& Cathy LBSC
5th - Rita Bandrick DLSA 5th - Kelly French & Emily Rule DLSA
6th - Jeanette Francis LBSC

Menehune Boys Junior Men
1st - Mason Klink DLSA 1st - Cole Robbins MSA
2nd - Dakota Faircloth LBSC 2nd - Alex Calkins DLSA
3rd - Eli Gillis DLSA 3rd - Max Dexter DLSA
4th - Brock Thomson 4th - Jarred Mell BC
5th - Bennett Jones 5th - Colin Emery DLSA
6th - Shon Thompson LBSC 6th - Bret Robbins MSA

Mens Senior Men
1st - Tyler Warren DLSA 1st - Mark Stewart LBSC
2nd - Buck Barry DLSA 2nd - Ryan Mota LBSC
3rd - Mike Siordia LBSC 3rd - Scott Sap DLSA
4th - Dustin Martnick TI 4th - Troy Sugg
5th - Clint Clemmens DLSA 5th - Erwin Cabala
6th - Shane Jones 6th - Shon Esparza LBSC

Master Grand Master
1st - Rubio Smith DLSA 1st - Mark Calkins DLSA
2nd - Pat Hines 2nd - Steve Stirrett DLSA
3rd - John Coshland DLSA 3rd - Bobby Knox DLSA
4th - Sam Gold LBSC 4th - Chuck McElvain DLSA
5th - Steve Tote LBSC 5th - Denny Michael DLSA
6th - Kio Son MSA 6th - Matt Albers NBSC

Legends Extreme Legends
1st - Sal Avila DLSA 1st - Mickey Munoz DLSA
2nd - Mike Dawson LBSC 2nd - George Carr MSA
3rd - Mike Swenson DLSA 3rd - Gary Stellar MSA
4th - Dick Whitehead DLSA 4th - Frayne Higgason MSA
5th - Bill Spurgeon NBSA 5th - Bill Bragg NBSA
6th - Bill Gray DLSA 6th - Russ Elwell

Paddle Race Junior Men Time
1st - Cole Robins & Alex Calkins 4:34 Tied for 1st overall
3rd - Shane Jones 4:43 2nd overall

- more -
Paddle Race Men Time
1st - Rubio Smith 4:56 4th overall
2nd - Jans Baltgalvis 4:57 5th overall
3rd - Mark Stewart 5:03 6th overall

Paddle Race Master Time
1st - Mark Calkins 4:48 3rd overall
2nd - Lance Erickson 5:04 7th overall
3rd - Ed (Dip) McMillen 5:29 8th overall

Paddle Race Women Time
1st - Kira Kehoe 5:53 9th overall
2nd - Jasmyn Morrow 6:49 10th overall

Club Finish
1st - Doheny Longboard Surfing Association
2nd - Long Beach Surfing Club
3rd - Malibu Surfing Association
4th - Newport Beach Surfing Association
5th - Huntington Beach Longboard Crew
6th - Blackies Classic
7th - Oceanside Longboard Surfing Club

Dale Velzy Surf Classic and Luau this September 15th, 2007

This is one of the funnest family style events of the summer. The Doheny Longboard Surfing Associations 18th annual running of the Dale Velzy Classic is a great way to spend a day surfing in friendly competition and have a wonderful luau in the evening. For more information on the event simply visit www.dohosurf.org

Les "Birdman" Williams - RIP

http://sanonofresurfingclub.org/blog/

Time Machine

A south of the border time portal!!!

Report from Steamers

Had an opportunity to surf Santa Cruz a couple of weeks ago. It was nice and glassy over the time we visited. Steamers, The Hook and Pleasure Point were all great and the line-up vibe was well behaved with an EZ rotation. If you like Mexican food - try the Palomar in downtown SC.

Which Way?

When the waves are good - sometimes you just do not know which way to go!

Rock Dance

Nothing like a low tide shuffle to start the engines in the morning.

Nice Ride

This is a 9.8 Gary Larsen shaped Hobie Uncle Buck (Bucky Barry) noserider model. Rides nice and smooth.

9.8 by 23 by 3 1/16

Looking forward to surfing this. Moonlight Glass is doing the glass work.

Doing it right...

And so it begins!

Smoke Signals

Dukes B-day Boards