Bruin surf club hoping to wipe out competition
Amid the hustle and bustle of one of the largest metropolitan
areas in the nation, several members of the UCLA community find
both respite and friendly competition as participants in the UCLA
surf club.
Though the club has existed for a year at UCLA, the competitive
team aspect was added only this year. The team competes in the
National Scholastic Surfing Association’s collegiate season in the
southwest division, against teams from all over Southern
California, among them UCSB, UCSD and the dreaded rival, USC.
"We kicked USC’s butt last time," surf club president Andrea
Okura said.
That "last time" would be a contest at Oceanside Pier on Nov. 6,
where UCLA placed 10th among 16 teams. A bright spot for the Bruins
was junior Mike Mancuso, the lone bodyboarder on the squad, who won
the bodyboarding division of the event. It could be said that
Mancuso, a native San Diegan, had the home field advantage in the
contest, since meets are held up and down the Southern California
coastline with no official host team.
The format for competition in surfing differs greatly from that
of most other sports. Surfers compete in heats, which usually begin
about 6 a.m. and are fifteen minutes long. Heats are judged by NSSA
judges and points are awarded based on the number of waves scored
and the quality of the ride, with each individual heat receiving a
score from a half point to ten points. After the preliminary heat,
the highest scorers in the round advance to the quarterfinal heat
and so on to the finals.
"We’re trying to promote surfing. It’s not a big sport here.
It’s been really hard, actually, since we get minimal funding from
the school. There are a lot of guys that surf here, but it’s been
really hard to find them," Okura said.
The problem the club had with funding has been alleviated
considerably through the efforts of local sponsors.
"We have a shaper who sponsors us who actually is going to coach
the team. His name is Oscar Stevenson and he shapes for Island Surf
in Santa Monica. He also shapes boards for us at a discount," Okura
said.
The club is also sponsored by the Huntington based Wind and
Sea.
To keep team unity strong, the club tries to surf together at
least once a week. In addition, many members practice daily or
several times a week at different beaches, including Huntington,
County Line, Topanga and El Porto in Manhattan Beach. The club also
takes a trip to Mexico once a quarter, usually to San Miguel or La
Fonda. Okura is also trying to organize a trip to Jalama (near
Santa Barbara) later this quarter. Also in the works is a summer
trip to the home of surfing, Hawaii.
Until now, the team has consisted of six male surfers and two
female surfers, with Mancuso the only bodyboarder. For those
interested, tryouts for the team will be held Sunday at 8 a.m. at
El Porto. The next contest of the NSSA season will be Feb. 5 at the
jetty in Ventura Harbor. Anyone interested in joining the club,
trying out for the team or attending contests as a spectator can
contact Okura at (310) 209-0947.