Surf Week 2015 takes over Long Beach

Professional surfer Leif Engstrom won the open surfing contest on July 15, part of the sixth annual Surf Week, presented by NYSEA.

Courtesy Dawn Shmaruk

Finalists Alexander Fawess, far left, Balaram Stack, TJ Gumiela and Leif Engstrom dominated the competition on July 15 to kick off NY Surf Week.

Courtesy Dawn Shmaruk

TJ Gumiela took second in the open surfing competition on July 15.

Courtesy Dawn Shmaruk

Anthony Brippele, of Long Beach, competed in the skateboarding contest.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

Kealii Mamala in the open surf competition.

Courtesy Dawn Shmaruk

Surfers headed out for the memorial paddle-out. Each year Surf Week is dedicated to the memory of the late George “Geeza” Geiser.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

Girls’ surfing contest finalists Summer Ejnes, far left, Dakota Ejnes, Brooke Baldassare and winner Alexa Muss.

Courtesy Will Skudin

Devin Laurie

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

Logan Kamen finished second in the kids’ surfing event.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

Local skater Frank Magee caught some air.

Donovan Berthoud/Herald

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Despite a rainy start, the sixth annual NY Surf Week took over the National Boulevard beach earlier this month for five days jam-packed with surfing, skating and art events. In fact, event organizer Will Skudin said the rainy weather might have blessed the competition with some better-than-average waves for July.

Surf Week, presented by NYSEA, ran from July 15 to 19 and featured professional surfing and skating contests, concerts and children’s events. Skudin said that the event honors his late friend and local surfer George “Geeza” Geiser. Each year Surf Week features a memorial “paddle-out” for Geiser.

This year’s event — sponsored by Hurley, Right Eyewear, Earth Missions, Speaqua Sound Co., Wave Riding Vehicle Surfboards and Skudin Surf — featured a “vending village” on the boardwalk between National and Edwards boulevards, offering food and products from the sponsors.

Rainy weather for the July 15 open surfing contest not only brought excellent conditions, Skudin said, but ensured that everyone at the beach was a surfing devotee. “The rain comes with the waves, so the event actually got off to a great start,” he said. “Anybody that was down there was there to surf, compete or watch the competition. It was cool to see that everybody there was really into it.”

Twenty-four competitors, including professionals, took part. Skudin said that the event’s four finalists — Leif Engstrom, TJ Gumiela, Alex Fawess and Balaram Stack — stood out from their peers. “All four of those guys were surfing really fast and really progressive,” he said. “Leif stuck to his guns — he was the guy to beat. Everybody had to raise the bar this year.”

Though the semifinal and final heats were close, Engstrom, who had won the contest the previous two years, took home the title once again. Gumiela took second, and Fawess and Stack tied for third.

“That day the waves were actually great,” Gumiela said. “It might have been rainy, but that doesn’t really matter for a surfer. And the waves actually got bigger right before the finals. We really lucked out.”