Surf contests are generally filled with good looking people who attract other good looking people who come down to the beach and get half naked—sounds perfect! Last weekend (and yes, I am sick to my stomach for missing this event) was the 6th Annual Phi Beta Phi Surf Classic. If you didn’t know, Phi Beta Phi is a sorority filled to the gills with hot college girls. The thought of going to a college surf comp in PB is kind of gross, but the fact that the contest was run by 100 or so super hot sorority sisters from UCSD makes me wish I would have gone.

Results For 6th Pi Beta Phi Surf Classic Presented By Monster

Greek open:
1. Robert Northrop (Sigma Chi @ UCSB)
2. Nick Kunzer (Phi Gamma Delta @ UCSD)
3. Chris David (Pi Kappa Alpha @ UCSD)

Women’s Open:
1. Chelsea Rauhut
2. Sarah Storey
3. Alyssa Lent

Reef Tag Team Challenge:
1. Reef Team

Men’s Open:
1. Leigh Sedley
2. Sean Maceron
3. Layn Harrison
4. Ricky Whitlock
5. Andrew Matthews
6. Critter Baugh

Despite the cloudy weather and small waves, but fun waves We had 93 participants this year come out to surf. We also had 84 people involved in the Greek Volleyball tournament, plus about 900 people in attendance throughout the day.

In addition to the normal surf heats, we added in a special time set aside for Patrick Ivison, who is part of Life Rolls On, to show off his determination and skills.

This event brought down college students from UCSD, USD, and SDSU as well as local community colleges, both to surf and hang out. Throughout the day we had a BBQ and raffle loaded with great prizes from the following sponsors: Monster Energy Drinks, Reef, Dragon Alliance, Rip Curl, Isle Surfboards, Spicy Clothing, 9 Fish Surfboards, Iron Cross Surfboards, Sanuk, Quiksilver, Simple Shoes, Gotcha, VERB TV, FUEL TV, GFH Boards, Gotcha, Super Brand Surfboards, Blue Jeans & Bikinis, KIN Lounge @ downtown San Diego Hyatt, Liberty Skis, Sweenie, LG Phones, Volcom, Slippery Wetsuits, Tap Room, Swell.com, Valspar and many other local surfshops, restaurants, and retailers.

With the help of our Monster, Reef, and our other great sponsors, the UCSD Pi Phi chapter with its 100 members, was able to successfully put on this event for the 6th year in a row. As this event grows we are able to raise a great deal of money for First Book, a nonprofit organization which provides books to low-income families across the United States.

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ASP World Qualifying Series surfers the world over are setting their sights on the pristine seaside town of Ballito on the KwaZulu -Natal North Coast, as the countdown begins for the illustrious R1.4 Million Mr Price Pro Ballito.

The 6-Star ASP WQS event kicks off from 26 June – July 5, 2009, marking the critical halfway mark on the WQS tour and will see some 150 competitors from as far a field as Brasil, Hawaii, the USA, Australia, Spain, Reunion, and France leave nothing to chance as they compete for critical ASP ratings points.

Former ASP World Tour campaigner Daniel Ross (Aus) leads the field as the highest rated surfer in the event. Winning the 6 Star Prime in Margaret River (Aus), as well as securing a quarterfinal finish at the Quiksilver Pro in Durban, Ross has rocketed to an incredible World No. 2 on the WQS ratings, his consistency making him a top contender for this years’ Mr Price Pro Ballito crown.

“It’s been an unreal start to the year for me,” Ross commented from Australia this week. “Winning the Drug Aware Pro (Margaret River) was a big personal achievement as it is classed as one of the best events outside the ASP World Tour and to back it up with more good results at the next two 6 Star Prime events, has put me in a great position.”

“The Mr Price Pro has such a long history and has been won by so many great surfers, guys like Jeff Hackman (Haw), Mark Richards (Aus), Tom Carroll (Aus) and Shaun Tomson (Zaf), so to win and be put alongside a list of names like that would feel incredible.”

With an affinity for reeling right-hand point breaks similar to the fast, hollow set-ups offered by the two mobile Mr Price Pro Ballito event venues, Surfers and Salmon Bay, Ross is set to be a standout at the upcoming event.

“I’ve yet to surf in Ballito but I did a trip with Jordy (Smith) last week and he was saying that the waves in Ballito can be really fun and are better than the waves at New Pier at this time of year, ” Ross said.

Another surfer hoping to make his mark in Ballito will be WQS No. 5 Jadson Andre (Bra). The young Brasilian stamped his authority on the Durban surf when he won the Quiksilver Pro Durban recently and will be looking to emulate his success on the South Coast, with a solid result on the North Coast at this event.

Local favourites WQS No. 13 Travis Logie (Durban) and WQS No. 15 Brandon Jackson (Durban North) will hold the country’s hopes in the balance as they battle the worlds finest as the highest rated South Africans at this event.

Logie, an elite ASP World Tour competitor for four years from 2005 to 2008 and arguably the most consistent finisher at the Mr Price Pro, reaching two finals over the course of his career, is back on the WQS this year where he is campaigning for a 2010 World Tour berth.

The opportunity to earn precious WQS ratings points at home makes the Mr Price Pro Ballito pivotal to his 2010 bid.

“The Mr Price Pro Ballito is a huge event for me and like any 6 Star being at home there is added incentive to do well,” said Logie. “After finishing with a second place last year I think it’s time for a win.”

Brandon Jackson (Durban) is a former two-time winner of the Mr Price Pro Junior and is currently campaigning for a second year on the WQS where he has made impressive ground this season.

“I’ve bounced back after a bad year in 2008 and have worked hard in the off-season training with my mom and surfing with Travis (Logie). Although Ballito is not my home break, I’ve been surfing there my whole life, I know it well and it’s a good opportunity for me to get a result before they reseed the WQS.”

Other standouts in this year’s line-up include WQS No. 6 Brett Simpson (USA), WQS No. 11 and former ASP World Tour campaigner Luke Munro (Aus), WQS No. 12 Blake Thornton (Aus) and WQS No. 14 Gony Zubizarreta (ESP), all of whom are expected to put on an impressive show.

Patrick Gudauskas (USA) who narrowly missed qualifying for the elite ASP World Tour at the end of 2008 is the top seed for the event. Placing equal third here event last year, Gudauskas will be looking to make the most of his Round of 96 seeding as he focuses on moving up the ratings ladder from his current WQS No. 27 position.

Joining Gudauskas in the Round of 96 will be prolific junior surfer Yadin Nicol (Aus) who is the second seed for the event, WQS No. 6 Dion Atkinson (Aus), former South African now Australian resident Shaun Gossman, Leigh Sedley (Aus) and recent wildcard runner-up at the ASP World Tour Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Adam Robertson (Aus).

Brasil are sending their best in Wiggolly Dantas as well as former ASP World Tour surfers Raoni Monteiro, Leonardo Neves, Rodrigo Dornelles and Yuri Sodre to name but a few.

TJ Barron and Dustin Cuizon are the only Hawaiian surfers seeded directly into the Round of 96 where they will be hoping to be joined by the likes of the younger surfers in Mason Ho (Hawaii) son of Hawaii heavyweight and former pro surfer Michael Ho, and John John Florence both of whom will surf from the first round.

The South African WQS field sees Warwick Wright (Durban), Damien Fahrenfort (Durban) and Antonio Bortolleto (Durban) seeded into the Round of 96 while young up-and-comers Rudy Palmboom (Bluff), Dave Richards (Cape Town) and former Mr Price Pro Champion Ricky Basnett (Bluff) (2006) will have to make their way from the Round of 144, as will former ASP World Tour campaigner Royden Bryson (East London).

Local Pro Surf Tour talents such as recently crowned South African Champion Gavin Roberts (South Coast), Simon Nicholson (Durban), Frankie Obherholzer (South Coast) and Keegan Nel (East London) are other local talents not to be overlooked.

The 6-Star Mr Price Pro Ballito holds a prize money purse of R1.1 Million in the Men’s division with the winner taking home R 164 000.

All the action will be broadcast live on the webcast on www.mrpricepro.com.

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The SIMA Environmental Fund raised more than $50,000 at the fifth annual Waterman’s Weekend Underwriting Party on Friday, June 5. More than 100 surf industry executives and friends attended the underwriting party, held at the oceanfront Cyprus Shore Community Park. The money raised from the evening will help underwrite the costs for the upcoming 2009 Waterman’s Weekend to be held August 6-7, which will benefit 18 ocean-related environmental organizations.

“The SIMA Environmental Fund is excited to be going into our 20th year for Waterman’s Ball,” said Paul Naudé, SIMA Environmental Fund president. “This year’s economic climate has presented many challenges, but through a combined industry effort we are determined to maintain our support of 18 proven ocean-related environmental organizations, and look forward to achieving our fundraising goal of more than $400,000 raised at Waterman’s Weekend this year. The success of this Underwriting Party was a tremendous step toward meeting this goal. We know the very deserving event beneficiaries much appreciate the support of all the event underwriters.”

Throughout the night, guests tasted gourmet appetizers from San Clemente’s own Vine restaurant, and an array of drinks, with island lager donated by Primo Beer. Attendees mingled amongst blue-linen tables decorated with orchids and acoustic musician Rachel McGoye provided relaxing music as the sun set on the ocean. Many guests took advantage of the raffle tickets available, with a trip to the North Shore of Hawaii, tickets for the 2009-2010 Lakers vs. Magic grudge match, and a Stand Up Paddle Board plus Ritz-Carlton Spa package as the prizes. Raffle tickets can be purchased at http://www.sima.com/watermans.aspx. Guests were also given the opportunity to underwrite several components for the upcoming Waterman’s Ball. Centerpieces, wine, cocktails, D.J., VIP Reception, and more were all generously underwritten.

“We are proud to see the significance of Waterman’s Weekend continue to grow in ocean-related environmental circles,” said Naudé. “The surf industry and the surfing lifestyle’s very survival depends upon a healthy ocean and preservation of surf breaks. Surfers automatically become stewards of the ocean, as every time they paddle out they are engrossed in the environment around them. Surfers realize the work our beneficiaries are doing greatly affects our surf lifestyles, and in turn, we are glad the SIMA Environmental Fund serves as an avenue for surfers to support these groups.”

The Waterman’s Weekend begins Thursday, August 6, with the Waterman’s Classic Golf Tournament at the Monarch Beach Golf Links, and culminates on Friday, August 7, with the 20th Annual Waterman’s Ball and Auction. SIMA is excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Waterman’s Ball by returning the event to the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, Calif. This year’s honorees include Waterman of the Year Rob Machado, Environmentalist of the Year Dave Rastovich, and Lifetime Achievement Award for the late Dick Baker.

Waterman’s Weekend Underwriting Party event photos are now available upon request from Mandy Johnson, SIMA Communications Coordinator, by calling 949. 366.1164 x 7 or by e-mailing mandy@sima.com. Individual tickets for the Waterman’s Ball are scheduled to go on sale in July. For more information about the Waterman’s Weekend, visit http://www.sima.com/watermans.aspx.

The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organization that serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relations efforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research. In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund. In the past 19 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $5 million for the environmental groups seeking for protect the world’s oceans, beaches and waves. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established in 2006 to award grants to various surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people. Please visit www.sima.com for more information.

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