Press Release by Jeff and Kathy Phillips, Images and web-site by Art Baltrotsky...
NEW COMPETITION SEASON BEGINS FOR AREA SURFERS
OCEAN CITY, MD The Maryland District of the Eastern Surfing Association began qualifying events for the 2005 Championship season with two contests held in May in Ocean City, MD. Part of the 2004 Summer Surf Series, nearly 100 surfer athletes from Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania participated in two surfing competitions held May 22 at 8th Street and May 29 at 59th Street in Ocean City, MD.
According to retiring ESA District Director Jeff Phillips, as he watched the awards ceremony on the deck of Cloudbreak Surf Shop after the 1st annual Cloudbreak Surf-Sk8 Jam this past Saturday, “I’ve never seen such a large number of eager and talented kids in our youngest age divisions.” Over half of the competitors in the first two ESA surf contests were under the age of eighteen. Standouts in the under 14 surfing divisions were Dillon Harrington, 11, of Ocean City, Roy Harrell,14, of Ocean View, DE, and Avery Sieg, 10, of Berlin, MD.
Not to be outdone by the youngsters, however, adult divisions also saw a number of skilled performances. Chincoteague perennial favorites Hunter Merritt, Gatey Dawkins, Robbie Mears and Kevin Daisey continued to dominate in the Mens shortboard divisions Challenging them was Bishopville resident Clifton Rogers, who is returning after four years at Virginia Wesleyan College. Rogers performances displayed some of the competitive skills he honed in the Virginia Beach area
Results follow for the first two Maryland ESA surfing competitions. The next event on the 2004 Summer Surf Series schedule is the 10th annual Malibu’s Summer Classic to be held July 10-11 at 8th Street in Ocean City, sponsored by Malibu’s Surf Shop. For more information on the Maryland ESA and a contest entry form for upcoming events, please visit www.marylandesa.org
MARYLAND ESA SUMMER SURF SERIES - CONTEST #1 - MAY 22 - 8TH STREET OCEAN CITY
MD
Results are as follows:
Open
Shortboard (all ages)
1.Fletcher Birch
2.Hunter Merritt
3.Art Baltrotsky
4.Gatey Dawkins
5.Clifton Rogers
6.Brian West
Menehune
Shortboard (boys/girls 11 & under)
1. Avery Sieg
2. Anthony Montegue
Boys
Shortboard (12-14)
1.Roy Harrell
2.Joey Boulanger
3. Aviad Sasi
4. Dillon Harrington
Jr.
Women Shortboard (15-17)
1. Jenna Ruppert
2. Hannah Preziosi
Jr.
Men Shortboard (15-17)
1. Ian Tilghman
2.Wyatt Harrison
3.Logan Helmuth
4.Dean Jackson
5.Vince Boulanger
6.J.T. Hazard
Men
Shortboard (18-24)
1.Hunter Merritt
2.Clifton Rogers
3.Ted Smith
4.Gatey Dawkins
5.Brian West
6.Zach Hogan
Masters
Shortboard (25-34)
1.Brian Kohut
2.Keith White
3.Chris Makibbin
4.Jack Thomas
5.Dennis Cappo
6.Dave Musacchio
Sr.
Mens Shortboard (35-44)
1.Chris Vaxmonsky
2.Art Baltrotsky
3.Bill Medford
4.Matt Naylor
5.Ray Wimbrow
Sr.
Womens Shortboard (30+)
1. Bonnie Preziosi
Grandmasters
Shortboard
1.Chris Tilghman
2.Jon Ashton
3.Dave Dalkiewicz
Legends
Shortboard (55-64)
1.Bill Helmuth
2.John Ochs
Menehune
Bodyboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1.Matt Meinhardt
Jr.
Bodyboard (15-17)
1.Taylor Ballard
2.Mike Lawson
3.Logan Helmuth
Mens
Bodyboard (18+)
1.Bryce Hudak
Menehune
Longboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1.Dillon Harrington
2.Avery Sieg
3.Anthony Montague
Jr.
Longboard (15-17)
1.Wyatt Harrison
2.Ian Tilghman
3.J.T. Hazard
4.Logan Helmuth
5.Mike Lawson
6.Waldon Remington
Mens
Longboard (18-29)
1.Ted Smith
2.Chris Makibbin
3.Brian West
Masters
Longboard (30-39)
1.Bill Medford
Womens
Longboard (under 29)
1.Jenna Ruppert
2. Hannah Preziosi
Sr.
Longboard (40-49)
1.Chris Vaxmonsky
2.Art Baltrotsky
3.Chris Tilghman
Legends
Longboard (50+)
1.Jon Ashton
2.John Ochs
3.Bill Helmuth
4. George Smith
MARYLAND
ESA SUMMER SURF SERIES - CLOUDBREAK SURF SK8 JAM - MAY 29, 59TH STREET OCEAN
CITY
MARYLAND ESA CONTEST #3 5/29/04
Results are as follows:
Cloud
Break Surf/Skate division
1. Vince Boulanger
Open
Shortboard (all ages)
1. Gatey Dawkins
2. Clifton Rogers
3. Hunter Meritt
4. Robby Mears
5. Chris Vaxmonsky
6. Logan Helmuth
Menehune
Shortboard (boys/girls 11 & under)
1. Brady Dashiell
2. Spencer Ashton
3. Avery Sieg
4. Caleb Buchler
5. Brad Flora
6. Anthony Montague
Boys
Shortboard (12-14)
1. Jake Buchler
2. Chase Remington
3. Aviad Sasi
4. Chris Dashiell
5. Joey Boulanger
6. Will Heuring
Jr.
Men Shortboard (15-17)
1. Wyatt Harrison
2. Ian Tilghman
3. Mike Lawson
4. Dean Jackson
5. Waldon Remington
6. J.T. Hazard
Men
Shortboard (18-24)
1. Hunter Meritt
2. Baptiste Buchler
3. Robbie Mears
4. Kevin Daisey
5. Gaty Dawkins
6. Adam Antes
Masters
Shortboard (25-34)
1. Brian Kohut
2. Kieth White
3. Chris Makibbin
4. Dennis Cappo
5. Jack Thomas
Sr.
Mens Shortboard (35-44)
1. Art Baltrotsky
2. Chris Vaxmonsky
3. Matt Naylor
4. Bill Medford
5. Craig Garfield
6. Ray Wimbrow
Grandmasters
Shortboard
1.Jon Ashton
2. Chris Tilghman
3. Dave Dalkiewicz
4. Bruce Kruger
Legends
Shortboard (55-64)
1. Jeff Phillips
2. Charlie Birch
3. Bill Helmuth
4. John Ochs
Jr.
Women Shortboard (15-17)
1. Hannah Preziosi
2. Jenna Rupert
Women
Shortboard (18-29)
1. Jenn Abrams
Sr.
Womens Shortboard (30+)
1. Bonnie Preziosi
Menehune
Longboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1. Jake Buchler
2. Avery Sieg
3. Dillon Harrington
4. Chase Remington
5. Nick Hogan
6. Will Heuring
7. Anthony Montague
Jr.
Longboard (15-17)
1. Wyatt Harrison
2. Ian Tilghman
3. Dean Jackson
4. Mike Lawson
5. Logan Helmuth
6. Taylor Ballard
Mens
Longboard (18-29)
1. Chris Makibbin
2. Baptiste Buchler
3. Robbie Mears
Masters
Longboard (30-39)
1. Bill Medford
Sr. Longboard (40-49)
1. Chris Vaxmonsky
2. Chris Tilghman
3. Art Baltrotsky
Legends
Longboard (50+)
1. Jon Ashton
2. Bill Helmuth
3. George Smith
4. Charlie Birch
5. John Ochs
Womens
Longboard (under 29)
1. Hannah Preziosi
Menehune
Bodyboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1. Jake Buchler
2. Will Heuring
3. Ryan Mariner
4. Caleb Buchler
5. Matt Meinhardt
6. Brad Flora
Jr.
Bodyboard (15-17)
1. Taylor ballard
2. Mike Lawson
Mens
Bodyboard (18+)
1. Bruce Hudak
2. Baptiste Buchler
***end****
PHOTO
CAPTIONS:
Please give photo credit: Art Baltrotsky / www.TumblingMonkeys.com
MD_ESA_5_22_04_1.JPG - Roy Harrell carves into first place in the Boys division during the first contest of the Eastern Surfing Association's Maryland District 2004 competition season on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 8th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_22_04_2.JPG - Logan Helmuth, center, splashes J.T. Hazard while Jr. Longboard competitors (from left) Wyatt Harrison, Mike Lawson and Ian Tilghman look on as they wait for the start of the Junior Longboard final during the first contest of the Eastern Surfing Association's Maryland District 2004 competition season on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 8th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_22_04_3.JPG - Toby Gilbert gets covered up in a Junior Mens division heat during the first contest of the Eastern Surfing Association's Maryland District 2004 competition season on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 8th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_22_04_4.JPG - Ian Tilghman flies into first place of the Jr. Mens division during the first contest of the Eastern Surfing Association's Maryland District 2004 competition season on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 8th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_22_04_5.JPG - Logan Helmuth puts five over the nose in the Junior Longboard final during the first contest of the Eastern Surfing Association's Maryland District 2004 competition season on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 8th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_29_04_022.JPG - Jeff Phillips' powerful cutbacks clinched a first place finish in the Legends division of the Cloud Break Surf Jam on Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 59th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_29_04_179.JPG - Dillon Harrington, front, and Nick Hogan run to start the Menehune longboard final during the Cloud Break Surf Jam on Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 59th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_29_04_223.JPG - The surf remained very contestable throughout the day for the Cloud Break Surf Jam on Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 59th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_29_04_249.JPG - Surfboard shaper Jon Ashton dominated the legends longboard division as well as the grandmasters division with two first place finishes at the Cloud Break Surf Jam on Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 59th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_29_04_261.JPG - Gatey Dawkins fluid maneuvers gave him a first place finish in the Open division of the Cloud Break Surf Jam on Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 59th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
MD_ESA_5_29_04_266.JPG - Clifton Rogers snaps into second place in the Open division of the Cloud Break Surf Jam on Saturday, May 29, 2004 at 59th Street in Ocean City, Md. Photo by Art Baltrotsky 410-641-3329 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA), a non-profit, IRS tax-exempt corporation,
is the largest amateur surfing organization in the world. It is dedicated
to the sport of amateur surfing, to the operation of a program of amateur
competition for surfers of all ages and abilities, and to the establishment
and preservation of free access to a clean shoreline and ocean environment.
The association’s activities are organized in a total of twenty-eight
districts, which extend along nearly 2,000 miles of coastline, stretching
from Maine through the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama and also around the
Great Lakes.
For more information about the Eastern Surfing Association contact:
Art Baltrotsky
Maryland ESA Director
Tumbling Monkeys Studio
314 N. Main St., Berlin, MD 21811
410-641-3329
art@tumblingmonkeys.com