TURF: 9th Annual Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation Surf For A
Cause Presented
By 102.7 WJSE; Washington Avenue,
Margate, NJ; September 12th, 2009
ENERGY: A little
bit of love from last weekend’s nor’easter was on tap for Saturday, with a
solid three-foot swell and an occasional bigger peak. Like much of South
Jersey, shoaling at low tide often plagues Margate. But as water filled in, the
swell was able to reach the inside bar and throw. Winds also ranged from light
onshore to offshore.
FIRST TIME AT FIGHT CLUB: Josh Wilson. The native Floridian/ former U.S.
Champion and NSSA National titleholder has made a new life for himself in New
Jersey. Who does that? Wilson won the Masters with his usual shredded beef, and
so far the Jersey community is tolerating his infiltration — until he
shows up at someone’s favorite sod bank during striper season, that is. Alek
Parker and Ben Bourgeois also stopped by the afterparty to screen Jerry
Ricciotti’s Spectacular Adventures! and further stoke out the South Jersey community.
SLIDE: The
families came. Kids surfed. Dads rode waves with their kids. It was another
classic day at the beach that also happened to raise $20,500 for the Dean
Randazzo Cancer Foundation. But the highlight of Surf For A Cause didn’t happen
in the water. It happened on the boardwalk, on the dunes, in the judges’
towers, and everywhere else that Dean Randazzo went shaking hands and kissing
babies among the hundreds of gathered supporters. Surf For A Cause is always a
great event, but in past years when Randazzo was in a hospital bed or so tired
he could only make a brief appearance, there was a bit of a black cloud hanging
over the beach. With Doo Doo healthy and his lymph nodes happy, things are
looking great.
There was no pro division at
the Surf For A Cause this year, as the pros wind up donating their winnings
back to the Foundation anyway. Longboarding is always a pretty big deal in
South Jersey, and Greg Fuller, Erich Becker, and Tom O’Brien really cross-stepped things
up a notch. Keeping with the DRCF spirit, Women’s champ Cassidy McClain
dedicated her victory to Moria Dougherty, a 25-year-old Longport surfer who
passed away this summer. Zach Greaser is quietly making a name for himself in
South Jersey, filling in for the graduating amateur Kelly/Bloch/Ciaramella
class, and he aced the Boys division. In the Men’s final, Jacques Beningo had last
year’s Pro winner Ben Graeff comboed until Graeff found a dirty backside barrel
for the repeat win.
THE PAIN:In
his longboard heat, young Shane Matthews was designated as the black jersey,
which in this case was nothing more than a wetsuit. Someone should have let the
judges know, however, as Matthews, who comes from a long line of South Jersey
rippers, went out and killed it but didn’t get judged. It’s hard to advance
when no one’s scoring you.
THE MAN: Let’s
call them “The Men,” aka the Board of Directors of the Dean Randazzo Cancer
Foundation. Sure,
some of them may have “Esquire” next to their names, and they help raise
hundreds of thousands of dollars for uninsured cancer patients, but some of ‘em
rip, too. Board President Adam Walcoff’s big floater gave Wilson a run for his
money in Masters (had there been any money). Vice President Dan Cellucci made
the Masters finals, as well. “I’m so
impressed with how professionally this thing was run this year,” Dean said.
“Adam, (Nick) Bricker, and all those guys put so much time and effort into it.”
YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB:
“My neard (neck beard)
was in full effect. Some people deemed it to be my psych-out weapon.” –Men’s
Champ Ben Graeff, who has participated in Surf For A Cause since before he had
body hair
“I’m really starting to feel
better and get back to real training. There have been all these little setbacks
— I hurt my knee, I had pneumonia — but this is the best I’ve felt
since being re-diagnosed in 2006.” –Dean Randazzo, New Jersey’s icon of
perseverance
FINAL RESULTS OF THE 9th ANNUAL DEAN RANDAZZO CANCER
FOUNDATION SURF FOR A CAUSE
SUPERGROMS 1. Mike Vanaman
2. Greg Osborne
3. Vincent Giunta
4. Patrick Taylor
5. Beau Bruneau
6. Nick Giunta
BOYS 1. Zach Greiser
2. Jake Kreiser
3. Doug Brown
4. Matt Fineran
5. Sean Bowman
6. Max Simon
GIRLS/WOMEN 1. Cassidy McClain
2. Maddy Peterson
3. Lily Swift
4. Anna Mae Peterson
5. Eryn Ollila
MEN 1. Ben Graeff
2. Jacques Beningo
3. Shane Matthews
4. Nick Rutkowski
5. Alex DePhillipo
6. Kyle Abel
MASTERS 1. Josh Wilson
2. Adam Walcoff
3. Jacques Beningo
4. Justin Casey
5. Dan Ginsberg
6. Dan Cellucci
GRANDMASTERS 1. Tom O’Brien
2. Frank Levin
3. AJ Wolf
4. Paul Pallitto
5. Jim Bowdler
6. Craig Norberg
LONGBOARD 1. Greg Fuller
2. Erich Becker
3. Tom O’Brien
4. Chris Lisi
5. Jake Kreiser
6.
Jimmy Hyde
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
