Surfing the Creek
BY RYAH ARTHUR
After two heated battles with two really good teams, San Clemente and Newport Beach, Laguna Beach High School’s surf team stands 0-2. Not to be worried though. They can win, and I predict they will shortly. The team has potential. They just need to make the next jump to a higher competitive level.
When two surf teams come together for a contest, boys compete on longboards, shortboard and bodyboards, while girls surf on long- and short-boards.
The assistant coach of the surf team, Alisa Carins, informed me that Taylor Pitz has been holding it down in both the girls longboard and shortboard, winning both of the heats against San Clemente. Congrats Taylor. Keep it going!
Carins informed me the most improvement is in boys’ shortboard and bodyboard. Boys shortboard has always been the most competitive of the five categories. Porter Hogan was the only one from Laguna in boys shortboard to win his heat last Tuesday against San Clemente. Congrats on the win, brother. Now just fire up the rest of the boys and get them to start winning.
I surf with all of you on the team, and I know you surf well enough to win. Just have fun and get pissed at the same time. Go out there and want to win and have fun doing it. You all have the skills to win. Don’t get flustered. Just relax, have fun, and surf. The wins will come.
Next up on the schedule for the surf team is Dana Hills this past Tuesday at Salt Creek. Dana has always been our main rival, because the teams share the same beach to practice at because the surf in Laguna is usually too small. The Dana team doesn’t really like that, and it definitely gets heated when these two teams clash. This is going to be a big meet because it either puts us at 0-3 or 1-2. LBHS definitely needs a win. Once they get one, the confidence level will be raised and then it’s game on.
Fire it up boys and girls! Lets get the first win of the season.
In other surf news around own, the world premier of “Lost Prophets” showed at Seven Degrees last Friday. Local pro surfer Hans Hagen starred in the movie as well as co-produced it along with the filmmaker Nathan Apffel. The movie starred nine pro surfers from around the globe and showcased their surfing in perfect Indonesian barrels to small rights in central-Cal. It was narrated by legendary surf and bodyboard pioneer Tom Morey and had a killer soundtrack.
Hans said he has never worked so hard in his life and I saw why. The movie was epic.
If you didn’t get a chance to see the movie at the premiere, it should be for sale in the local surf shops within a couple weeks. Go pick it up if you get a chance and if you see Hans around town or in the water, let him know how you liked the movie.
