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Release by White Whale Productions
Harrell takes Quiet Storm Wahine Surf-Off
Lydic has big day as well
TOWER ROAD, Del. – Rachel Harrell won the Open Shortboard award, but Leslie Lydic took home the biggest prize at the Quiet Storm Wahine Surf-off at Tower Road State Park, Del.
The all-female contest drew 69 competitors who surfed in 21 heats on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lydic, of Ocean View, Del., not only took first in Ladies Shortboard, Open Longboard and Open Bodyboard, she took home the 8 foot long Walden Wahine Longboard at the surf competition.
“I was stunned when they called my name, it was surreal,” she said. “It's a beautiful board.”
All the competitors were automatically entered into the raffle for the hot pink, with flowers, longboard that stood sentinel over the contest for most of the sun-soaked day.
Lydic, who was using an old B.B. Bombers/Ashton surfboard that she borrowed for the contest, desperately needed a new board, which she hopes will help spur a return to Eastern Surfing Association competitions.
The 34-year-old teacher and mother of two toddlers had not surfed a contest since high school in Chincoteague, Va., where her father, Tommy Reed, taught her to ride waves. Lydic said she had planned to compete for the past few years but something (like pregnancy, or work) always came up.
“I said this year I'm going to do it,” she said.
And she timed it right. As her mother babysat the 9-month-old and 2-year-old, Lydic found her groove in the small, but clean surf near Dewey Beach, Del.
“I guess I got the right wave at the right time,” she said. “I'm happy I came out, it really paid off. I had a great day.”
It's turning out to be a great year for the Lydics. Earlier this summer Leslie's husband Garrett was named Delaware Teacher of the Year.
Now she hopes good fortune continues to shine on her family this weekend for the Maryland State Surfing Championships in Ocean City, where she expects to find decent waves, but only if she can find a decent babysitter.
At age 13, Harrell could probably rake in some good money as a babysitter if she wasn't too busy winning surf competitions. At the Wahine Surf-off, the Ocean View, Del., resident earned her first Open title.
“I was really surprised [to win],” she said. “I was expecting to be third.”
Harrell had some help in the Open final from her father, accomplished surfer Roy Harrell, when she borrowed his shortboard and took his advice to wait for the sets outside.
“The other girls had trouble getting into the small waves, but my dad's board is a little bigger and it helped me catch some waves,” she said. “I was able to turn his board as easily as mine and I caught the longer waves outside.”
Winners in other age divisions were Mackenzie White, of Berlin, Jr. Women's Shortboard; Jasset Umbel, of Melbourne Beach, Fla., Girl's Shortboard; Danielle Ariano, of Lewes, Del., Women's Shortboard; Kate Bassett, of Berlin, Md., Women's Longboard; Bonnie Preziosi, of Berlin, Md., Ladies Longboard; and Megan McCulloh, of Cockeysville, Md., Beginner Girls.
In the wacky “Guys Dressed as Girls” special division, Art Baltrotsky, of Berlin, Md., managed to out-dress or out-surf Craig Garfield of Ocean City, Md. and Dave "Big Wave Dave" Fishell of Fenwick Island, Del. and 4 other ESA members that were dressed to win.
Quiet Storm Surf Shops in Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, Del. sponsored the 2nd Annual event and gave each contestant a Roxy beach bag, wallet and competitor's tee-shirt. They also awarded gift certiificates for winners of every division and the new Walden Wahine surfboard that was raffled off at the end of the event. Quiet Storm Surf Shops also plans to host the 2007 Delaware State Surfing Championships as well as the 2007 Wahine Surf-off. Visit www.DelmarvaESA.org for more information on the Delmarva District of the Eastern Surfing Association or call the toll-free contest info line at 1-888-632-4742.
2006 Quiet Storm Wahine
Surf-Off results:
Beginner Girls (14 & under)
1. Megan McCulloh of Cockeysville, MD
2. Tierney Loeser of Dagsboro, DE
3. Sophia Moore of Millsboro, DE
Girls Shortboard (14 & under)
1. Jasset Umbel of Melbourne Beach, FL
2. Rachel Harrell of Ocean View, DE
3. Jenna Landon of Newark, MD
4. Emily Ruppert of Indialantic, FL
Jr. Women Shortboard (15-17)
1. Mackenzie White of Berlin, MD
2. Kaitlyn Curran of Berlin, MD
3. Charlotte Deck of Ocean City, MD
4. Elizabeth Butterly of Milford, DE
5. Carly Linthicum of Salisbury, MD
6. Sydney Tooze of Rehoboth Beach, DE
Women Shortboard (18-29)
1. Danielle Ariano of Lewes, DE
2. Chelsea Remines of Berlin, MD
3. Brandi Zirckel of Berlin, MD
4. Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD
5. Sloane Doud of Rehoboth Beach, DE
6. Stacy Sklar of Bishopville, MD
Ladies Shortboard (30 & over)
1. Leslie Lydic of Ocean View, DE
2. Bonnie Preziosi of Berlin, MD
Womens Longboard (29 & under)
1. Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD
2. Brandi Zirckel of Berlin, MD
3. Jasset Umbel of Melbourne Beach, FL
4. Chelsea Remines of Berlin, MD
5. Emily Ruppert of Indialantic, FL
6. Sloane Doud of Rehoboth Beach, DE
Ladies Longboard (30 & over)
1. Bonnie Preziosi of Berlin, MD
2. Leslie Lydic of Ocean View, DE
3. Misti Schneider of Ocean City, MD
4. Pat Gentry of Preston, MD
Open Womens Shortboard (all ages)
1. Rachel Harrell of Ocean View, DE
2. Danielle Ariano of Lewes, DE
3. Jasset Umbel of Melbourne Beach, FL
4. Kaitlyn Curran of Berlin, MD
5. Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD
6. Leslie Lydic of Ocean View, DE
Open Womens Longboard (all ages)
1. Leslie Lydic of Ocean View, DE
2. Rachel Harrell of Ocean View, DE
3. Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD
4. Misti Schneider of Ocean City, MD
5. Brandi Zirckel of Berlin, MD
6. Chelsea Remines of Berlin, MD
Open Womens Bodyboard (all ages)
1. Leslie Lydic of Ocean View, DE
2. Emily Ruppert of Indialantic, FL
3. Mackenzie White of Berlin, MD
4. Kate Bassett of Berlin, MD
Guys dressed as Girls (special division)
1. Art Baltrotsky of Berlin, MD
2. Craig Garfield of Ocean City, MD
3. Dave (Big Wave Dave) Fishell of Fenwick Island, DE
4. Richard Coning of Lewes, DE
5. Matt Reuther of Lewes, DE
6. Dan Director of Rehoboth Beach, DE
7. Jamie Hopkins of Indialantic, FL
Winner of the 8' Walden Wahine Longboard
Leslie Lydic of Ocean View, DE
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.