Local Surfers Score Well in Puerto Rico

BERLIN- The Ocean City surfing community was well represented at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Surfing Championships in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico last weekend with four local surfers qualifying for the Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) 'Beast of the East' championships in Hatteras next fall.

Over 450 surfers from up and down the east coast from Delaware to Puerto Rico and everywhere in between competed in the Mid-Atlantic Regionals in Aguadilla last weekend and the local surfers from the ESA-Delmarva District certainly made their presence felt. The Puerto Rico surfers dominated the competition on their home turf for the most part, but the local contingent made a great showing.

The top six finishers in each category advanced to the ESA championships in Hatteras next September 20-26, and a handful of locals will be there. In the Girls Division, Emily Ruppert finished third in the regional event and is headed for Hatteras in the fall. Another local, Kelsey Willison, finished 5^th in the Womens' Division and also advanced. Chris Makibbin took 5^th in the Men's Longboard, while Matt Landon took third in the Open Body Board competition and both advanced.

Beyond the group that placed in the top six in their respective divisions, the local surfing community was well represented in the event in Puerto Rico last weekend. Tyler Clazy competed in the Menehunes Division and placed 13^th. Five local surfers, Dallas Harrington, Noah Conboy, Seth Conboy, Robert Fernendez and Brad Flora all competed in the Boys Division with varying results.

In the Junior Men's Division, local Dillon Harrington finished 23^rd. Three local surfers competed in the Men's Open Division and placed in the competition including Travis Knight (10), Roy Harrel (17) and David Fernendez (21). In the Masters Division, Chris Makibbin placed 11^th, while David Clazy placed 17^th in the Senior Men's Division. Keith White also competed in the latter division.

In the Grand Masters Division, featuring surfers 65 and older, local Bryant Hungerford came in first. Rachel Harrel finished 7^th in the Junior Women Division while Daniel Ariano came in 11^th in the Ladies Division. In the Menehune Longboard Division, Robert Fernendez finished 18^th while Tyler Clazy came in 20^th.

Makibbin also finished 5^th in the Men's Longboard Division, while another local, Craig Garfield, finished 7^th in the Masters Longboard. Chelsea Remines finished 7^th in the Women's Longboard while Bill Thomson competed in the Legends Longboard Division. Five locals, Makibbin, Dillon Harrington, Roy Harrel, Gatey Dawkins and Travis Knight competed in the Open Shortboard Division with Knight turning in the best finish at 16^th.