ESA’s Northeast Regional Surfing Championship begins Friday in Belmar, New Jersey
ESA All-Star Cole Deveney surfing at the 2018 Northeast Regional. Photo: MEZ/ESM
The Eastern Surfing Association will hold its 2019 Northeast Regional Surfing Championship presented by Surfer Dudes this weekend across from Eastern Lines Surf Shop at 16th Avenue in Belmar, New Jersey. The third, and final, qualifying event for ESA’s Easterns® Surfing Championship, will begin Friday and run through Sunday afternoon.
ESA surfers from Maine through New Jersey and the Great Lakes will be competing with hopes of being named “Northeast Champion” of their age divisions. They have qualified to surf in this regional event by earning points in their local ESA district events throughout last year’s season.
Surfline, ESA’s official surf forecasting website, shows contestable surf throughout the weekend, with the swell possibly increasing into Saturday. The ocean water temperatures are still in the low 50s, but that doesn’t phase the northern ESA surfers.
“Belmar is a great central location to hold this event as it always produces waves for the contest,” said Joe Grottola, ESA’s Northeast Competition Director. “Our Northeast Regional competitors are used to surfing in cold water and unpredictable weather, which is typical in the spring.”
The ESA has introduced four-man priority heats in the later rounds of several divisions due to its partnership with the WSL. The organization is preparing its competitors for the next level of surfing competition, which is entering the WSL QS and Junior Pro events.
“The ESA is where every East Coast surfer learns the basics of competitive surfing,” said Michelle Sommers, ESA’s executive director. “Working with the WSL to qualify our top surfers for ESA-sponsored slots in the WSL events is what enables the ESA to remain one of the strongest amateur surfing organizations in the world.”
Jason Motes, ESA All-Star Coach, will be on the beach all weekend to support and offer coaching assistance to the ESA All-Stars who are competing from the Northeast Region. He will also be watching for up-and-coming young surfers who may want to join the ESA All-Star Team one day, and invites parents and kids to introduce themselves.
Northeast surfers know how to handle any condition that Mother Nature throws their way during a surf contest, especially in the spring. Photo: MEZ/ESM
“I’ve seen so much talent already at the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Regionals,” said Motes. “I cannot wait to see what the Northeast youth brings to the event.”
Rip Curl, who is an ESA All-Star Team sponsor, has provided discounts to enable all ESA All-Stars to have the warmest, most-comfortable wetsuits and accessories while surfing in their heats.
John Ross Productions will be producing a live webcast beginning Friday morning at 7am at www.surfesa.org. NPI Productions will be posting daily recap videos, along with an exciting highlight video upon completion of the event. All-Good Sunscreen will be on the beach offering chemical-free and reef-friendly sunscreen, while Carve Designs, Surfer Dudes, Nixon, OluKai, Sticky Bumps, Chums and Surfco will provide prizes and giveaways to many of the finalists and spectators.
Local businesses are coming out in full force to support the ESA’s annual event. Don’s Pizza King will be providing a pizza lunch on the beach for Friday and Saturday afternoons. Additional food sponsors include Fins Tropicali Cuisine, Playa Bowls, Coffee Surf, E Street Bagels and Hank Sauce.