OCEAN CITY- The Ocean City Surf Club’s 17th Annual O.C. Surf Fest last week was a huge success with a weekend-long festival on contests, parties and a reunion of sorts for many of the sport’s local legends.
The annual event got underway last Friday with a kick-off party and legends induction at Barn 34, just a few blocks from the weekend’s contest site at the Castle in the Sand. On Saturday, the festivities continued with the “Anything Goes” team challenge, featuring teams of surfers from all over the area.
For the record, first-place in the Anything Goes team challenge went to Malibu’s, followed by Carolina Beach Longboard Club in second and Archen Oysters in third. Rounding out the standings in Saturday’s Anything Goes team challenge were Barn 34/Ish in fourth, K-Surf Rats in fifth, K-Coast in sixth and the Sea Niles in seventh. The Stoke Award went to the Surf Rats, while the Sea Niles took home the Most Weathered Award.
On Sunday, the festivities got a little more serious with the Walk Da Plank Pro surf contest, again on the beach in front of the Castle in the Sand. Some of the best longboard riders on the east coast participated in the pro contest on Sunday. Taking the top prize and a check for $1,500 was Tony Silvagni, Saxon Wilson was second and earned $1,000 along with a $250 award for the high wave score.
Rounding out the standings for the pro contest on Sunday were Kevin DeWald, Evan Micele, Pat Nichols, Steve McLean, Roland Gerachis and Brier Haycox. Throughout the weekend, the Ocean City Surf Club continued its public outreach efforts with other events.
For example, the club also hosted a “Surf Into Integrity” exhibition. Students who graduated from the popular program in the last three years paddled out with Ocean City Surf Club members too show spectators how they are learning to surf and applying the life lessons they learned in the classroom.
