South Surf 98

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 2 March, 2006 : - - March 1, 2006 South Beach, Miami, Florida, USA - Jah blessed us with Surf on a Monday for our second annual 'Dirty South' surf contest Feb 27, 2006. The dirty shined through at 6:15 am with head high to slightly overheard dirty on shore barrels & waves. An underlining swell with hard NE winds, ment local knowledge was a plus.

It showed & it also hurt. By the end of the day the swell had disappeared & all that was left was the weak knee-waist high wind swell that was generated from the NE winds. It was a JAH blessed day all in all. The competition kicked off at 8am with the Jr Mens, who scored the best waves of the day for the second year in a row.

Jah Surf starts the contest with the leading amateur divisions: Jr Mens, Mens & Masters to give them the chance to enter & surf with the Pros. The winner from each of these divisions gets an automatic entry into the pro contest. It was won by WCT contender #439 out of Tequesta Florida, Jensen Calloway. You'll see that Jensen had a great day because he placed in three divisions. The locals came up short in the Jr Mens this year.

The mens wasn't as competitve as last year but was won by a top finisher from last year Keahi Kam. He advanced to the Pros but got knocked out early. The second place finisher ended up wining his first heat in the pro & getting an equal tenth overall, Ft lauderdale pride &njoy Cappy Chesier. Top local finisher was JuanJose Heredia with third place.

The Masters was the most competitve division next to the pros even though last years winner Bryce Cohen was absent. The word was it was as competitive as an East Coast Championship. With last years East Coast Champ only getting third, Spanky Passerelli could only agree; a former South Beach local, too. Spanky was edged out by Will Kimball but it was Rodrigo Miranda getting first & an equal 10th in the Pro. Dennis Devalle used his local knowledge to take first in his first heat & advance to the finals.

His local mentality got the best of him when Spanky Passerelli said 'I'm going.' Devalle replied 'I live here I'm going anyway.' It got D an interference call & he ended up last just like last years 6th place finisher & South Beach local Heryc 'Flako.' The womens, Longboard & Senior Mens were on that same level of competition. These divisions were definitely not washed up or lacking in talent.

Things got close in the womens as returning local Amy Cobb knocks out the competition by beating N. Palm Beach district winner Alexis Lautzker & former, semi-pro Annie Tworoger, originally from the Ft Lauderdale area. Last years winner April Tambor got 4th. Now the longboard saw two pros battling it out Roray Kam & Rolando William. Rolando lost to eventual Senior Mens winner Roray Kam.

Last years longboard champ Rob Mahar got third & second in Seniors. Phil Harris got 4th in both. Malaka was the top local finisher in longboard while the soldier of the contest Jim Tolliver got third in Seniors & top local finishers were Carlos Delomo, who has been living in Wollywood, Ca forever still claims South Beach as home & former Ocean Avenue rider Bobby Whelan.

Speaking of Ocean Avenue, the original shop opened in the 1960's right across the street as Fox & former local boy & owner of Ocean Avenue came because he had never seen a surf contest at South Beach. Thanks for the support Bruce Walker. The biggest spectacle, competition & anticipation was for the pro division. It didn't let us down even though the waves did, but that's South Beach for you. The competition was thick.

The roster was like a who's who of Florida surfers on the WCT: second only to Gabe Kling on the WCT was Ryan Helm #65 overall, Eric Taylor #102, Wesley De Souza #206, Justin Jones #319, Scott Posner #393, Dave Begley #430, Jensen Calloway #439 & Ryan Heavyside #449. Upsets & surprises are always the case.

Last years third place finisher Justin Ellingham & fourth place finisher for last year & local favorite Ron Kendl both got an equal 7th place. Semi Finalists Scott Posner & Wesley De Souza were out done by local Favorite Dave Begley & Jr Mens champion Jensen Calloway. The final saw pretty tight & closely scored surfing between Dave "O", Jensen & Justin Jones.

In fact it was so close Dave-O's last wave gave him a 1/2 a point to take him to 3rd place over JJ but he needed like a full point more to beat Jensen for second. Ryan Helm was surfing on a creative, vacuum packed, no stringer, uniquely designed surfboard that was definitely working for him. He solidly won all his heats & the contest. One competitor said it looked like he was surfing 'with a motor & no fins.' Ryan replied 'That's the idea. We are trying to perfect this new shape for small waves.'

The No Fear winner takes all air show & contest had four competitors drop out because the waves were so bad. So the 'Dirty South' No Fear air contest ended up with one heat of 7. Ryan Helm came out with only 1minute into the heat & busts a clean little frontside air. Jensen Calloway got the most speed of anyone on any wave in that heat.

Jensen went for a backside shove it air & justbout landed it before he fell back face first. Ryan Heavyside busted 3 of them & landed 2 of them without staying with the wave. If any of these would have been fully landed they would have been winners but it was the first wave of the contest that proved to be the winner.So Ryan Helm goes home the "BIG" winner with $1000 & 2 brand new surfboards courtesy of Viking Surfboards, No Fear & Jah Surf. For obvious reasons, Helm is Jah Surf's top rider.

If there were an iron man award it would go to Flagler Beach's Jimmy Blumenfeld who surfed 3 heats in a matter of an hour & a half. Big Up. The after party & awards show was at Sofi Lounge 423 Wshington Av South Beach. The reggae vibes of LANCE-O & Mello-d provided a nice laiback atmosphere. Everyone was burnt, worn out & tired.

The cold beers I'm sure went down well. It was a good time by all thanks again. Jah Surf will do it again next year. Special thanks to the Miami Beach Lifeguards, Jim Tolliver, Rob Mahar, Mike Krute, the Viking Surfboards crew, Quiksilver, Mama, all the sponsors & the whole Jah Surf staff.