Written by Chris Gallagher

COLLEGE TEAM SEASON EVENT #2 – SOUTH MISSION BEACH, SAN DIEGO
NOV 8-9, 2008

What a difference a day makes! The West Coast College Team
Season event #2 went off this weekend at San Fernando Street, in South
Mission Beach, San Diego. Saturday the weather was perfect with high 80’s
temperatures, no wind, and the waves were a fun 1-3 feet and sheet glass.
The college competitors were definitely treated to summer like conditions.
However, Sunday was a different day. The waves were building out of the NW
and were huge 8-10 foot faces.  The water was stormy with 25-30 mph winds,
and a fierce North to South current. Regardless of the challenges the
competitors, coaches, and staff faced they still came out and got the job
done.  In the college team division, CSU San Marcos won event #2 by
convincing numbers.  They placed four team members in the finals.

During Saturday’s glassy ripable waves, contestants displayed
some highlight performances. Max Mcllwee of Saddleback College posted an
average wave score of 7.67 for speeding down the line and boosting a huge
standard frontside air and landing it cleanly. In the very next heat Shane
Valiere tried to out ramp Max and earned an 8.0 on a similar move. On a
slightly bigger wave Shane also launched a standard fronside air, landed in
the flats sideways and managed to straighten it out for his second launch.
The highest score on day one was by event #1 winner Marty Weinstein (UCSD
A). Marty patiently waited for a set wave and cracked two beautiful vertical
backside off-the-lips earning a 9.0 average wave score. Some other
highlights witnessed on the second day of the event were performed by the
girls. Rachel Harris (UCSB B) surfed well, beating last event winner Lipoa
Kahaleuahi (UCSB A) in the semi-finals. Lipoa however was not to be denied.
Using her Hawaiian skills she was the only College Womens competitor to
reach the outside and take-off on some bombs.  In the College Womens final,
Lipoa won her second event in a row posting an 8.0 on a dynamic turn,
displaying speed and power on her best wave of the event.  Lipoa remains
undefeated in the College Womens competition.

Chris Smith (CSUSM A) who made the longboard final in event #1 ended up
winning event #2. Only catching two waves, Chris earned a 7.0 on a left
hander where he had a couple of “Occy” like gouges to the beach.   Runner
up, former National Champ Christian Clark gave Chris a run for his money by
getting a couple of good waves as well.

During the College Mens final, Hunter Lysaught Captain of Point Loma A team
dominated throughout the heat and took a decisive win. Hunter posted an 8.5
on his first wave of the heat with two top to bottom backside hits out the
back on a huge set wave. On his second wave he scored an 8.0 doing almost
the exact same thing!. Sean Murphy of CSU San Marcos placed second and
pulled closer with his second scoring wave of 6.5, but Hunter was not to be
denied at the final buzzer.

Great job everybody and we’ll see you in Ventura December 6th and 7th ,
bring a jacket or two. J
 

RESULTS

COLLEGE TEAM PTS

1. CSUSM-A 157

2. PT LOMA-A 127.5

3. UCSD-A 122

4. SDSU-A 114

5. UCSB-A 88

6. Mira Costa-Red 85.5

7. Saddleback-A 62

8. UCSB-B 61

9. Mira Costa-White 57

10. Mira Costa-Blue 56

11. Saddleback-B 54

12. USD 50

13. LMU 46

14. CSUSM-B 42

15. UCSD-B 34

16. CPSLO-A 33

17. Point Loma-B 30

=18. UCSB-C 28

UCLA 28

20. CSULB-A 27

21. Pepperdine 23

22. Golden West 21.5

23. UCI 20

24. Clairmont College 10.5

25. SDSU-B

26. CSULB-B

27. CSULB-C

28. CPSLO-B