By: Alex Wilson
This morning dawned crisply in Santa Cruz for the opening rounds of the O'Neill Cold Water Classic presented by Jeep, the final stop of the Macy's California Trifecta Surf Series. With some fun looking, but wobbly, chest-to-head lines peeling off the rocks at Steamer's Lane, contest organizers wore relieved smiles this morning. Because of last year's cancellation due to a lack of swell, the ripable runners coming off the point were a more than welcome sight.
Due to its respectable 4-star WQS status, the Cold Water Classic saw tons of talent in the water this morning, and in the first heat of the contest, Heat 1 of Round 1, Rob Machado and Mike Parsons went head to head with Machado advancing in 1st trailed by Parsons who came in a close 2nd.
Heat 3 of Round 1 saw a flurry of activity with only about 3 minutes left, as a good series of set waves came through the Lane. Capitalizing on the swell, local grom Nat Young briefly looked likely to advance but was shut down by Dede Suryana and Santa Cruz mainstay Peter Mel, who advanced in 1st and 2nd respectively on a pair of late rides they nabbed on the outside.
Mason Ho was in control of the top slot throughout Heat 4. Working a pair of waves for a for a 5.83 and a 6.9, Ho comfortably claimed the driver's seat for a full 20 minute as the other competitors battled for the 2nd place slot. That position was eventually claimed by Dylan Slater who posted a heat high of 6.93 to advance in 2nd.
Local Josh Loya turned in the most lively performance of the morning, racking up a 7.37 and an 8.37 to nab 1 st in his heat, Heat 5. Loya's 8 point ride, a score that firmly cemented him in the top slot, was a scorcher. Taking of with only minutes remaining, he wrapped a huge cutback to set himself up on the inside for a clean punt over the inside section.
Heat 6 saw another pair of local boys advance. Noi Kaulukakui stuck a nice forehand air enroot to his 2nd place finish, while Jimmy Herrick hooked his way into 1 st on his backhand.
Pat O'Connell and Flea Virostko both advanced from Heat 7, while Heat 8 saw the legendary Matt Archbold lay into a few racy waves on his forehand to advance behind Jeremy Sommerville.
Higher tides kept things relatively slow for the opening heats of the 2 nd Round and the competitors that advanced were those that managed to either find the rare set wave that snuck through or made the most of the equally rare solid insider along the cliff walls.
Rob Machado handily took down the win in his heat, Heat 1, by capitalizing on the insiders, while Heat 4 saw Bryan Jennings find outside sets to take the top slot.
Heat 5 opened with a flurry of wave action, and Australian Jarrah Tutton took full advantage of those sets to put together a fast and sweeping forehand attack on the running walls he found. It was a performance that would propel him into the next round in 1st with Dede Suryana making the turn behind him.
Local surfer John “Bud” Freitas was on fire in Heat 6, throwing down an 8.67 and an 8.5 on a series of big forehand gaffs that earned him a 1 st place birth into the 3 rd Round. “It was insane,” he said of posting the highest combined heat score in the contest so far. “I got some good ones and my board was working well out there, so now I just have to keep it going.”
Alternate Hank Mills handily won Heat 7, but the battle for the 2 nd place slot was an interesting one, as Santa Cruz grom Nick Lamb barely scraped through. Sticking a big 180 air reverse in the opening moments the heat, Lamb was left sitting on a 7.07, for almost the full remaining 20 minutes with absolutely no backup wave to ensure his advance. Finally, with less than 2 minutes left, and needing just a 0.60, Lamb found his wave, bumping Mason Ho down into 3rd to make the turn into the next round.
Heat 9 saw Josh Loya continue the blistering pace he set this morning, and he advanced in 1 st anchored by an 8.33 that he posted on one of the intermitent set waves that rolled through during that 20-minute period.
Inaugural Cold Water Classic champ, Anthony Ruffo, made it through Heat 11 after nabbing a long running right in the final few minutes. Needing a 5.17, Ruffo posted a 6.5 with a series of huge backhand gaffs that allowed him to advance behind heat leader Travis Molina, who occupied the top slot throughout on the merits of a solid and powerful carving attack.
In Heat 12, Noi Kaulukakui hooked a big forehand snap under the lip to score a little cover-up that earned a 6.17, a score that solidly anchored his advance into the next round.
With all four competitors locking into a bunch of quality rides, Heat 13 was extremely closely contested. In the end, Santa Cruz surfer Joe Hutson and Hawaiian Kahea Hart made it through in 1st and 2nd, while retired WCT stalwart Pat O'Connell fell early from the advancing ranks in just the 2nd Round.
Heat 14 was another tight one, and it was won by Darryl “Flea” Virostko, while Heat 15 was owned by Nick Rozsa. Stitching things up early with a blistering forehand attack that earned an 8.83 and a 7.77, Rozsa proved untouchable and easily advanced into the next round.
The final match up of the day, Heat 16, was a classic. After sitting for almost 10 minutes without taking a wave, Matt Archbold opened his account looking fast, powerful and dynamic, earning an 8.0 and a 6.9 to jump into the lead. Archie would remain in 1st for the remainder despite a strong push by Tony Mikus, who claimed 2nd. Local character Shawn “Barney” Barron unfortunately failed to advance.
After a day of solid waves at the Lane, the opening rounds of the O'Neill Coldwater Classic came to an end as good lines continued to roll in off the point. With a scheduled 8am start tomorrow, contest organizers will reconvene tomorrow to make a decision about whether to remain at the main contest sight, or to instead move the venue to Waddell Creek based on the behavior of the swell.
