Jellyfish Surf Series Winners Include Local Boys
Hammer, Schmidt, Vanaman, And Siganos,
Along With Florida Girl Emily Ruppert By Tyler
Brennan Vaughan
TURF: Volcom’s Totally
Crustaceous VQS Jellyfish Surf Series; Casino Pier, Seaside Heights, NJ; October
3rd, 2011.
ENERGY: Pure fun! Like Volcom’s
recent marketing campaign, the atmosphere at this year’s Jellyfish Surf Series
event was all about good times, brah. With free lunch, free entry, tons of
giveaways, and cash prizes in four divisions, everyone was stoked. Competitors
and spectators alike were greeted by a bright blue sky full of dreamy,
billowing clouds and a green sea full of clean, consistent, rippable head-high
waves. Winds were light and variable from the south/southwest, staying offshore
for most of the afternoon. Conditions for mid-morning heats got a little wonky
with a rushing high tide, but as the tide went out there were plenty of
opportunities for competitors to bash, whack, tear or bust their way through to
the next round.
Long Branch native Gerard Faccone joined with
Volcom tour grinders Daniel Terry and RJ Dunzelman to put on the event and
these guys killed it. Terry was on the mic from sunrise to sunset, playing sick
tunes and keeping everyone entertained. He even razzed beach groms into
building him a desperately needed sand berm in front of the announcing and
judging tents to keep out the tide. Dunzelman was putting in work all day, too.
He kept bellies full with free burritos from Chipotle and groms stoked with
Volcom’s own interpretation of a sack race; something involving balancing
pickles drowned in mayonnaise on your head while getting flour pelted at your
face by your buds! And Gerard was the event’s renaissance man, keeping things
running smoothly, employing awesome girlfriend Kim as head tabulator and even
swimming out into the lineup to get some water footy with a GoPro. Water temps were in the
high 60s and a 3/2mm was plenty to keep shredders schralping all day. The warm
afternoon sun had Jerseyites enjoying a fall day at the beach, but as the sun
went down so did the temperatures.
FIRST TIME
AT FIGHT CLUB: Like so many Jersey contests, this might not have been
his first time competing in the Jellyfish event, but Michael Vanaman was surfing beyond his years. Most kids his
age are catching their first waves, and this young’un is on his way to compete
in the VQS National Championships in Newport, CA, after winning the Squids
division. Effort duly noted, Michael.
SLIDE: This event gave room
for everyone to get down, with divisions for Girls, Squids (10 and under),
Groms (14 and under), Juniors (15-17), and Pro-Am. The girls were going so vert
and surfing so well that even Sam Hammer took notice and complimented them on
their showing. To the Squids it was a full-on XXL event and they charged out
there, making drops and completing maneuvers in challenging conditions. The Groms
and Juniors were also ripping and took advantage of waves that demanded rail
surfing and committed turns.
As far as the Pro-Am goes, this was a stacked event
and Jersey’s finest came out to do battle at Casino Pier. With the heavyweight
Grudge Match looming on everyone’s minds and scheduled to take place at the
very same beach this month, the Jellyfish Surf Series served as a golden
opportunity to size up competitors, feel out the playing field, and show your
goods. Despite a few tide-troubled and walled moments, the surf was rippable
and no one was making heats without performing.
After a whole day of progressive surfing, we were
left with Maryland’s Vince Boulanger, who was fresh off a victory at the Belmar
Pro, muscling in on an otherwise all-Jersey final, which took place as dusk was
approaching. There were head-high nuggets coming in throughout the heat, and despite
his recent tear, Boulanger couldn’t put it together in the final. Mike Gleason
was looking exceedingly dangerous throughout the event, generating mach speed
and detonating hydro-explosive bombs on lips. However, he didn’t get the waves
needed to threaten victory and fell on a big alley-oop. Grudge prediction for
Gleason? Dangerous, like a cornered, fire-breathing bull.
Clay Pollioni was surfing strong all day, savagely
attacking lips and completing rides. He didn’t get the set waves needed for a
title finish but was definitely on it. Grudge prediction for Pollioni? Going
for it, Apache warfare style. Ian Bloch was surfing progressively, busting fins
and throwing out reverses and laybacks. Grudge prediction for Bloch? Realistic potential. And then there were
two. Ocean City’s Rob Kelly surfed impressively in the final, taking an
unwavering approach and applying surgical hacks to lips. Rob seems to be a
clear-headed competitor, knowing his strengths and relying on them to get the
job done. Grudge prediction for Raw Rob? Serious contender.
But in the end, Hammer utilized his veteran
polished technique to take the heat. Sam had the speed and experience to fit
three moves into his winning waves, where Rob only fit in two. And no, these
weren’t “three to the beach” type moves; these were ripping, high-speed, rail-to-rail,
fully committed, Hammer-style moves. Grudge prediction for Sam? Dominate and
maintain.
THE PAIN: We
feel your pain, judges! With a panel consisting of local lifers Tyler Thompson,
Cory Hutting, Jon Smyth, and Nick Laviola, who normally don’t even let their
real jobs get in the way of a full day of head-high surf, it was a miracle the
boys stayed dry and didn’t call mutiny to head out to and get some waves of
their own. A
lot of talented surfers also went down early this year. Jamie Moran was laying
down some serious hacks, but he fell short of a finals showing along with
contenders Zack Humphreys, Andrew Gesler, and Matt Keenan. PJ Raia’s surfing
was progressive and inspired, as well, standing out in stacked heats all day before
PJ went down in the semis. He looks determined, and quite possibly ready, to
stick it to his elders though.
THE MAN: Pat Schmidt emerged as the Juniors champion and winner of
the Electric Volt Thrower Move of the Day” for a frontside slob air reverse
done in the final But Sam Hammer came up on top in the big dogs division,
graciously doing what he does best — and even playing along when he got
iced for his birthday. Don’t doubt, though, that Sam hasn’t made the already
hungry crew of attackers around him even hungrier. A few guys have the talent
to beat Sam come Grudge time, and this win could serve as motivation to knock
him off the winner’s pedestal.
YOU DO
NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB: Surf dude: “Aw, cute
dog! What’s her name?” Surfcat (AKA Pat Emery): “Him.”
FINAL RESULTS OF THE VOLCOM TOTALLY CRUSTACEOUS VQS JELLYFISH SURF SERIES:
PRO-AM 1. Sam Hammer, $1,500
2. Rob Kelly
3. Ian Bloch
4. Clay Pollioni
5. Vince Boulanger
6. Mike Gleason
SQUIDS 1. Michael Vanaman
2. Kyle Tester
3. Logan Kamen
4. Keaton Forthey
5. Carter Vanderslice
GIRLS 1. Emily Ruppert, $250
2. Jessica Kwiecinski
3. Maddie Peterson
4. Cassidy McClain
5. Kali Park
6. Casey Kwiecinski
GROMS 1. Perry Siganos, $250
2. Andrew Rose
3. Cooper Forthey
4. Patrick McCardon
5. Patrick Taylor
6. Evan Conboy
JUNIORS 1. Pat Schmidt, $250
2. James Mitchell
3. Alexander Brooks
4. Joe Tuso
5. Scott Kirkpatrick
6. John Porter
ELECTRIC
VOLT THROWER MOVE OF THE DAY Pat Schmidt, $100
: ADVERTISMENT :
: ADVERTISMENT :
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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
