SURFING BODY GLOVE CLASSIC : Beschen Takes High Road to Victory

San Clemente’s Shane Beschen was “just paddling along having some fun” when he came upon the wave of the day.

Beschen already was having a pretty good ride when he slashed back into the wave and suddenly went airborne.

When he landed, a moment later, Beschen was on his way to winning the $35,000 Body Glove Memorial Classic on Monday at Imperial Beach Pier.

“I didn’t even know I was going to do it until I was in the air,” Beschen, 19, said. “That kind of thing is always in your mind. But the best ones just happen.”

After it happened, San Clemente’s Mike Parsons, who finished second, knew he was in trouble.

“I saw the aerial Shane made, and I was really pushing it,” Parsons said. “I knew he was in the lead after that. I always try to be conscious of what the competition’s doing so I know what I have to do.”

Parsons came back with a couple good rides of his own, but none as show stopping as Beschen’s.

“The aerial he pulled was the difference,” Parsons said. “I thought I had some pretty good waves. I thought I was pretty consistent.”

But so was Beschen. After his air show, which came about midway through the 30-minute final, he turned in two more solid rides.

“That aerial took a lot of the pressure off,” said Beschen, who won his second title in three years on the U.S. Pro Tour. “I always try to get a few good ones off the bat, so I can relax a little. But until the aerial, I really thought I was behind. Mike was surfing really well.”

Parsons said the conditions--four- to six-foot waves--helped his surfing.

“These were the best waves of the tournament,” he said.

For his troubles, Beschen won $5,650. Parsons earned $3,300. With his victory, Beschen moved into first place in the tour rankings.

Dwayne Maki of Daytona Beach, Fla., the 1990 Bud Pro Surfing champion, finished third and won $2,150. Dino Andino of San Clemente took fourth and collected $1,450.

Ben Severson of Wahiawa, Hawaii, earned $1,350 for winning the Easy Rider Bodyboard title. Mike Stewart of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, finished second.