THE OLD IN-OUT The 2009 WRV Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Is Moving Ahead Like Clockwork
Along The Graveyard Of The Atlantic... Let's Hope Hurricane Season Doesn’t Dish
Out A Bit Of The Old Ultraviolence By Matt Pruett
When Aaron Cormican shot the pilings of Kitty Hawk Pier and stepped off on the
sand in 2002 to claim his first of what would become many professional surfing victories
for the New Smyrna Beach, FL, wunderkind, the crowd that had gathered for the
inaugural Foster’s/ Wave Riding Vehicles Outer Banks Pro erupted in approval
— not only at Gorkin’s bizarre, four-day-long aerial onslaught in
head-high glass en route to a $5000 payday at the WQS 3-star, but the unlikely
fact that the Outer Banks, historically regarded as the epicenter of East Coast
soul, finally had its very own pro event. Over the next six years, the Outer
Banks Pro thrived (or suffered from) many subsequent incarnations: 2003,
canceled after Hurricane Isabel turned the Kitty Hawk Pier along with most of
the Outer Banks into pocket lint; 2004, downgraded to a 2-star with a
Californian (Chris Ward) upstaging the locals; 2005, moved two towns south to
Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head with a Hawaiian (Jesse Merle-Jones) upstaging the
Californians who had upstaged the locals; 2006, canceled again, this time due
to permit woes and the emotional departure of contest founder and former ESA Executive
Director Kathy Phillips; 2007, lost ASP sanctioning, but at least an East
Coaster won this time (Jeremy Johnston); 2008, transformed into the invite-only,
waiting-period-dependent WRV Battle Of The Banks, pitting Virginia Beach’s best
against the locals and serving up what were arguably the heaviest conditions
ever challenged in an East Coast surfing competition.
But, like the sands in an hourglass, time had its way with the Banks, East
Coast competition, and pro surfing in general — all of which have
since shifted to occupy different places on the time-space continuum. Now, the Outer
Banks Pro is back, non-sanctioned, sharing bedspace with presenting sponsor
Hurley, offering a $10,000-$15,000 prize purse, and serving as a qualifier for
the 2nd Annual Battle Of The Banks — the main event of which
will once again enjoy an ideal mid-October waiting period somewhere on the
island as the invite list remains clamped at 24 of the area’s toughest barrel
brawlers (VB gets 12, OB gets 12). However, the overall field will be expanded
to include 40 total contestants, as eight surfers from each county will have
the opportunity to qualify for the Battle Of The Banks simply by out-placing
rival area surfers in the Outer Banks Pro, excluding the already invited
surfers.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The 2009 WRV Outer Banks Pro presented by
Hurley is still (or rather, once again) its own show — going down September 18th-20th at Comfort Inn South
in Nags Head, just south of Jennette’s Pier and resuscitating what has
traditionally been an up-down, in-out professional surfing scene in the
Graveyard of the Atlantic. Here’s your bone-up...
THE OLD IN-OUT
The 2009 WRV Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Is Moving Ahead Like Clockwork
Along The Graveyard Of The Atlantic... Let's Hope Hurricane Season Doesn’t Dish
Out A Bit Of The Old Ultraviolence
BILL OF SALE Surf Expo Comes To Town Early With Lower-Than-Usual
Attendance Rumors And Category 4 Hurricane Bill Zooming In. Will You Blow Town To
Bro Down Or Sit Tight And Get Right?
