Cityscape roundup

Small, consistent surf set the stage for the Huntington Beach

longboarders to dominate the Seventh annual Surfer Joe’s Summer Longboard

Classic last Saturday at Sunset Beach.

Tournament host Joseph van der Linden said 200 to 300 spectators

turned out for the competition, but van der Linden doesn’t think of the

event as a “competition.”

“It’s really about camaraderie, having fun and enjoying a good day at

the beach,” van der Linden said.

Van der Linden started the event because he said there “wasn’t

anything in Sunset as far as a contest, and people wanted to get together

and have something to do over the summer. It’s also a chance for

businesses to represent themselves down here.”

Three of the top six finishers in the mens’ Masters division (40 and

older) are from Huntington Beach: Steve Thomas (1st), Steve Tate (4th),

and Terry Carmadilla (5th). Greg Ervin from Huntington Beach won first

place in the professional division.

Surfers were divided into four divisions: professionals, women’, mens’

masters (40 and older), and mens’ amateur (40 and younger). First-

through sixth-place finishers in all divisions received trophies. The

professional division purse was $1,500, with $1,000 going to Ervin, $350

to Tim Whalen and $150 to Cody Faircloth.

The top six finishers of all the divisions except the pros received

their choice of prizes ranging from restaurant and Huntington Longboards

gift certificates to Black Fly sunglasses, wetsuits and T-shirts.

Van der Linden said 24 surfers and 12 sponsors were at the event when

it began seven years ago. He said this year’s event had 70 to 80

contestants.