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Boulanger and Buchler win big for Delmarva at 2006 Eastern Surfing Championships
Buxton, NC – Eight of the top surfers from the Eastern Surfing Association’s Delmarva district traveled to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to compete for east coast titles and scored with eleven awards during the 2006 ESA Eastern Surfing Championships, September 17-23, 2006. With the wave conditions constantly changing between shoulder high, sloppy and closing-out to over-head and near perfect, the Outer Banks delivered consistent surf for the 39th annual “Easterns”.
From the Menehune (ages under 12) to the Grand Legends (ages 65 and over), the best east coast surfers descended upon the small town of Buxton, NC for a chance to surf some of the best waves the east coast has to offer and prove themselves before a panel of judges to decide who will hold the year’s title in their age division. The week long event invited the most talented surfers from every state on the east coast, Puerto Rico and even those who surf on the Great Lakes, in Michigan and Illinois!
Among the finalists, standout Vince Boulanger, of Ocean City, MD had the most amazing performance of the entire event. As an unknown to most, Boulanger worked his way through man-on-man double elimination finals, knocking out many seasoned competitors to take second place in the Junior Men division. Winners in the Junior Men division often become the highest paid professional surfers in the world. Boulanger was one of the few honorable surfers chosen for the ESA Allstar Team, the best of the best. Boulanger was so thorough in his performance, that he was also given the Dick and Howie Lyon Sportsmanship Award.
Another award, which is only given to one junior competitor, is the Iron-Man Award, received for the second year in a row by Jake Buchler of Frankford, DE. Buchler had to surf in at least three divisions and place higher cumulatively than any other competitor attempting the same feat in order to win the award. Buchler placed 1st in Menehune Bodyboard and 6th in Open Bodyboard. He also placed well in the Boys Shortboard and Menehune Longboard divisions.
Also winning east coast titles from the Delmarva district were: Joey Boulanger of Ocean City, MD - 7th place Boys; Brady Dashiell of Salisbury, MD - 5th place Menehune; Caleb Buchler of Frankford DE - 3rd place Menehune Bodyboard; Matt Landon of Ocean Pines, MD - 5rd place Menehune Bodyboard; Bill Helmuth of Ocean Pines, MD - 3rd place Legends and Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD - 6th place Womens Longboard.
In order to qualify for the “Easterns”, Delmarva surfers had to first surf throughout the year in local events to accumulate points in their divisions. The surfers with the most points in each division earned a slot to compete in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Surfing Championships, which was held in Folly Beach, SC last spring. Only the top placing competitors from the regional event were awarded a slot to the ESA Eastern Surfing Championships and compete against the winners of the two other ESA regional events to determine who are the best surfers out of more than 7,000 members.
The next Delmarva ESA event will be the K-Coast Open at 35th Street in Ocean City, Md. on October 14. Come and watch top athletes from the entire east coast compete for huge prizes in this annual fundraiser for the Ocean City volunteer firefighters. For more information about the Delmarva District of the Eastern Surfing Association visit www.DelmarvaESA.org or call 410-641-3329.
2006 ESA Eastern Surfing Championships Delmarva district finalists:
Vince Boulanger of Ocean City, MD - 2nd Place Jr. Mens, Dick and Howie Lyon Sportsmanship Award, 2007 ESA All-Star
Jake Buchler of Frankford, DE - 1st Place Menehune Bodyboard, 6th Place Open Bodyboard, Jr. Iron Man Award
Brady Dashiell of Salisbury, MD - 4th Place Menehune
Joey Boulanger of Ocean City, MD - 7th Place Boys
Caleb Buchler of Frankford, DE - 3rd Place Menehune Bodyboard
Matt Landon of Ocean Pines, MD - 5th Place Menehune Bodyboard
Bill Helmuth of Ocean Pines, MD - 3rd Place Legends
Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD - 6th Place Womens Longboard
For more information about the Eastern Surfing Association contact:
Art Baltrotsky
Delmarva District ESA Director
http://www.DelmarvaESA.org
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 Delmarva District currently has more than 350 active members and is operated by a non-paid, all volunteer staff. Visit the Delmarva ESA on-line at www.DelmarvaESA.org.