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237 COMPETITORS SURFED 11TH ANNUAL MALIBU'S CLASSIC FOR $3,500 IN PRIZES

237 competitors traveled to 8th Street in Ocean City, Md. from throughout the entire Delmarva Peninsula, as well as the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan area, Virginia, Pennsylvania and as far away as Florida to compete in the 11th Annual Malibu's Classic. Surfers competed for more than $3,500 in prizes during the Eastern Surfing Association's two-day event on Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17.

Zach Hogan, 19, of Ocean Pines, Md. out surfed all of his competition and just squeaked by the second place finisher Ian Tilghman, 17, of Ocean City, Md. to take first place in the highly competitive Open Shortboard division. Hogan's prize was a new surfboard of his choice from the huge selection at Malibu's Surf Shop. It only took Hogan a few minutes to emerge from Malibu's with a brand new Ezera tri-fin and a huge smile on his face. There was also a free raffle for breakfast with Planet Reef's pro surfer Rob Machado that was open to anyone 17 and under. Malibu's Surf Shop owner Lee Gerachis pulled the winning ticket after the event and it went to C.J. Mitchell, 13, of Berlin, Md. Mitchell and a friend were able to hang out with the Planet Reef crew during their Ocean City tour on Wednesday, July 20.

The Saltwater Cowgirl Wahine Contest held on June 18 at North Side Indian River Inlet for women and girls divisions contributed to the high number of female competitor's for the Malibu's Classic. 36 female competitors, a Delmarva ESA record, competed in the event adding many new faces to the contest site. The huge increase in the 14 and under ages divisions over the past couple of years has also shifted the entire make-up of the local ESA membership and the contests have now become fun family events for all ages.

A week-long flat spell broke with small knee to waist high surf on Saturday for the 14 and under age divisions and slightly bigger surf lasted for a full day of double-beached competitions on Sunday for all of the junior and adult divisions. The new 3- buoy system and 50 yard buffer zone allowed surfers to compete without leashes that would have restricted them in the smaller conditions. This was the first summertime ESA event that took advantage of the Ocean City Mayor and City Council's waiving of the Town's leash ordinance. With the help of the Ocean City Beach Patrol's extra staff, the contest ran flawlessly.

The next scheduled event for the Delmarva district of the ESA is the Surfer Girl and Guy Beginner Beach Fest on July 30 at 72nd Street in Ocean City, Md. This is a special event with lots of prizes for surfers who have never placed in the top 3 of their divisions or who have never competed before.For More information about future ESA events or the Delmarva District of the Eastern Surfing Association please visit www.DelmarvaESA.org or call the contest info line at 410-213-1374.

11th Annual Malibu's Classic ESA contest results are:

Raffle winner - breakfast with Planet Reef's pro surfer Rob Machado:
C.J. Mitchell, 13, of Berlin, Md.

Open Shortboard (all ages)
1. Zach Hogan
2. Ian Tilghman
3. Robby Mears
4. Waldon Remington
5. Eric Kurzbard
6. Vince Boulanger

Girls Shortboard (14 & under)
1. Jasset Umbel
2. Courtney Haldeman
3. Liz Burton
4. Jenna Landon
5. Rachel Harrell
6. Martha Plack

Menehune Shortboard (11& under)
1. Avery Sieg
2. Brady Dashiell
3. Brad Flora
4. Jasset Umbel
5. Jake Walsh
6. Anthony Montague

Boys Shortboard (12-14)
1. Joey Boulanger
2. Kyle Harman
3. Chase Remington
4. Jake Buchler
5. Cory Brown
6. Chris Dashiell

Jr. Women Shortboard (15-17)
1. Molly Chamberlain
2. Jenna Ruppert
3. Kaitlyn Curran
4. Hannah Preziosi
5. Makenzie White
6. Alex Boyce

Jr. Men Shortboard (15-17)
1. Vince Boulanger
2. Ian Tilghman
3. Roy Harrell
4. Toby Gilbert
5. Justin Weismiller
6. Waldon Remington

Men Shortboard (18-24)
1. Ted Smith
2. Robby Mears
3. Zach Hogan
4. Mike Lawson
5. Clifton Rogers
6. Gatey Dawkins

Women Shortbaord (18-29)
1. Jenn Abrams
2. Ali Faucher
3. Brandi Zerkel
4. Lindsay Maakestad
5. Carmel Pazourek

Masters Shortboard (25-34)
1. Fletcher Birch
2. Chris Makibbin
3. Drex Harrington
4. Johnathan Griffith
5. Jack Thomas
6. Pat Merkle

Sr. Mens Shortboard (35-44)
1. Eric Kurzbard
2. Art Baltrotsky
3. Craig Garfield
4. Matt Naylor
5. Dane Clazey

Sr. Womens Shortboard (30+)
1. Bonnie Preziosi

Grandmasters Shortboard (45-54)
1. Chris Tilghman
2. Jon Ashton
3. Roger Wooleyhan
4. Bruce Kruger

Legends Shortboard (55-64)
1. John Ochs
2. Bill Helmuth

Menehune Bodyboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1. Jake Buchler
2. Matt Meinhardt
3. Matt Landon
4. Austin Gerachis
5. Brad Flora
6. Roland Gerachis

Open Bodyboard (all ages)
1. Mike Lawson
2. Bryce Hudak
3. Jerry Meiklejohn
4. Ty Wilkerson
5. Nick Leonard
6. Matt Landon

Menehune Longboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1. Jake Buchler
2. Brady Dashiell
3. Spencer Ashton
4. Avery Seig
5. Chris Dashiell
6. Joey Boulanger

Jr. Longboard (15-17)
1. Logan Helmuth
2. Ian Tilghman
3. Justin Weismiller
4. Toby Gilbert
5. Nick Hogan
6. Dane Wooleyhan

Mens Longboard (18-34)
1. Pat Merkle
2. Ted Smith
3. Brian Kohut
4. Chris Makibbin
5. J.T. Hazard
6. Brian West

Womens Longboard (29 & under)
1. Jenna Ruppert
2. Hannah Preziosi
3. Lindsay Maakestad
4. Ali Ambrose
5. Cammie Pazourek
6. Chelsea Remines

Sr. Womens Longboard (30+)
1. Bonnie Preziosi
2. Pat Gentry

Masters Longboard (35-49)
1. Eric Kurzbard
2. Art Baltrotsky
3. Craig Garfield
4. Chris Tilghman
5. Jeff Jester

Legends Longboard (50+)
1. Jon Ashton
2. Bill Helmuth
3. Charlie Birch
4. John Ochs
5. Roger Wooleyhan
6. George Smith

For more information about the Eastern Surfing Association contact:
Art Baltrotsky
Maryland District ESA Director
P.O. Box 207 Ocean City, MD 21843
410-641-3329
delmarva@surfesa.org
The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA), founded in 1967, a non-profit, IRS tax-exempt corporation, is the largest amateur surfing organization in the world with more than 7,000 members. 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 public access to a clean shoreline and ocean environment. The association's activities are organized in a total of twenty-six 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. The ESA is now expanding to include a Puerto Rican district and possibly other Caribbean districts. The Delmarva District currently has more than 400 active members and is operated by a non-paid, all volunteer staff. For more information on the Delmarva District of the Eastern Surfing Association please visit www.DelmarvaESA.org or call the contest info line at 410-213-1374.