New Jersey’s New Breed Rushes Grudge Match Trials By Jon Coen
TURF: Smith
Optics Garden State Grudge Match Trials; Meters, Seaside Park, NJ; Monday, August
9th, 2010.
ENERGY: Not flat,
but not really Cloupe-esque. This event, run by Smith Optics Northeast rep Rob
Cloupe, was, as always, held on call. But this year, the call settled on a waning
swell from the very ragged Tropical Storm Colin. It was two- to four-foot and glassy
in the morning, with typical East Coast shit wind in the afternoon.
FIRST TIME AT FIGHT CLUB: Sean Herman. If you haven’t heard of him, you weren’t
following his most enjoyable video blogs on EasternSurf.com.
Could be that he’s still a little unknown because he’s hard to pin down: he’s a
native of Mendham, NJ, but has been on Holyoke Ave. in Beach Haven every summer
of his life. He’s currently finishing up a degree at the University of North
Carolina Wilmington, and just did six months abroad at the University of
Newcastle in Australia. He’s not really a local anywhere, but he impresses
everywhere, including at the Grudge Trials. There are rumors floating around
that he might get an alternate slot. And he’ll kick your ass in the hockey
rink.
SLIDE: The story
this year was the mostly fresh faces at the Trials. There are always the
perennial “bubble” boys; they’re better than 99.9% of the surfers in New Jersey,
but unable to crack the Dirty Dozen. Some of them have been Round One
casualties at past Grudge Matches, while some are looking for a shot. A lot of this
year’s Grudge Trials came down to wave selection. 2nd-place finisher Sean
Santiago had it. But will he have it in October when Casino Pier is heaving? John Kemenosh
didn’t have it last year, when he tore his Achilles tendon but went on to place
6th in his first surf contest in three years, but in 2010, he managed a qualifying
3rd-place despite paddling into some of the sorriest waves on offer. He was
bottom turning on one-foot lumps and throwing his board around like a seasoned
competitor, though he only surfs two events a year. Ryan Daly, an
original Grudge Match invitee in 2002, was in danger of losing his privileged status,
but proved he ain’t going out like that, making the final and securing his
rightful spot at the table.
THE PAIN: Surfers
like Garret Servis, Royce Weber, Colin McNamara, and Connor Willem all surfed
brilliantly but went down in marginal wave death heats. And although longtime
favorite Kevin Morris wasn’t able to surf the event, the ‘80s generation still
received some love when Justin Citta made the semifinals.
THE MAN: Mikey
Ciaramella, no doubt about it. We’ve been waiting for this. In 2009, the only
thing keeping him back from taking over might have been an uncooperative lip
that pinched him in the early rounds. The kid from Stone Harbor is the complete
package — he looks to Gesler for airs, Gleason for hacks, and Hammer for
barrels and style.
Ciaramella set the
tone early when the tide was perfect and set waves plentiful. He nabbed a long
left for some grown-man backside hacks to earn an 8.0, before finding a right
that he finished with a no-handed air with butter on top for a 6.5. He and Pete
Machotka, who also advanced from the early rounds, had two of the highest heat
totals of the day.
Ciaramella
continued his run by downing the consistently 33rd best surfer in the state,
Dalton Johnson; the ultra-powerful Royce Weber; and the elder Santiago, Ryan. Mikey’s
getting his waves, throwing his tail, and landing his airs. About to start his
junior year at Middle Township, he’s basically got a lock on the am ranks and
is well focused on the bigger pro events this fall.
YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB: “That kid could be a real darkhorse if he doesn’t freak out
and take ten waves a heat.” –Grudge Match Event Director Rob Cloupe on the ambitious John Kemenosh
“I was probably 10
when I first heard about the Grudge Match and winners like Dean, Sam, and Keenan.
I didn’t ever consider that I would be competing against them. I think it’s the
same way that Jordy and Dane grew up watching Kelly. When you actually face off
with them, its such a cool feeling.” –16-year-old Grudge Trials champ
Mikey Ciaramella
“You’re not making
matters easier with all these questions.” –Press-savvy Royce Weber, after being
eliminated in the semifinals
FINAL RESULTS OF THE 2010 SMITH OPTICS GARDEN STATE GRUDGE
MATCH TRIALS: 1. Mikey
Ciaramella, $500
2. Sean Santiago,
$250
3. John Kemenosh,
$150
4. Ryan Daly, $100
All four qualify for the main Grudge Match event; the first
two alternates are Garret Servis and Colin McNamara
South Carolina’s Cam Richards Steals 12th Annual
Tommy Tant Memorial Classic Men’s Pro Title From Florida Vets; Cody Thompson, Amy Nicholl,
Noah Schweizer, And Dan Worley Also Win Big
VQS
HITS THE JACKPOT AT CASINO PIER Jellyfish Surf Series Winners Include Local Boys
Hammer, Schmidt, Vanaman, And Siganos, Along With Florida Girl Emily Ruppert
DUBIOUS RECORD The WRV
Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Offers Locals Genuine Perspective & More
Money Per Square Foot Of Wave Than Any Surf Contest In History
Sweetwater Leaves It Up To The Grom At Oakley Surf Shop Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional Qualifier; “Uncle” Andrew Gesler Drives Heritage Win Home In Northeast
By Matt Pruett and Nick McGregor;
Photos by Matt Lusk
