OP WINTERSURF AT HUNTINGTON BEACH : Parson’s Knee Is Fine in Surf, but Will Be Tested on Slopes

Mike Parson’s left knee was injured while he was free surfing in Mexico six weeks ago, and the defending U.S. champion figured he would be beached for several months.

“I didn’t think I would be back for a long, long time,” he said.

But Parsons returned in fine fashion Saturday, edging defending champion Gary Elkerton of Mooloolaba, Australia, in the surfing finals of the $10,000 Op Wintersurf Pro at the Huntington Beach Pier.

Parsons, of San Clemente, wore a small brace on his left knee to support strained ligaments. He earned $800 for the victory and grabbed the lead in the overall standings of the two-day surfing and snowboarding contest.

Elkerton, Parsons’ Op teammate, finished second, followed by Chuy Reyna of Oceanside and Gary Clisby of Huntington Beach.

The competition continues at 10 a.m. today with the snowboarding obstacle course at Bear Mountain. Scores from both days are added together to determine the overall winner among the 32 snowboarders and surfers participating.

Parsons’ victory punctuated a quick comeback. He underwent rehabilitation and didn’t surf for three weeks after the suffering the injury.

He started surfing again two weeks ago, two days before a contest at Santa Cruz, where he finished second. He pronounced himself fit Saturday, and ready to defend his U.S. championship.

“I’m going for it again, that’s for sure,” he said. “I’m really stoked because I didn’t think I would be back this soon.”

Saturday’s victory leaves Parsons in good shape to win the overall title. The winner takes home $3,000. But because of his knee injury, Parsons, who finished seventh overall last year, hasn’t spent much time training on the slopes.

“I would have to say my snowboarding is a little shaky right now,” he said. “I have to take it easy because of my knee, but I’m going to give it a whirl. I’m not a great snowboarder by any means.”

The injury didn’t appear to slow Parsons in the surfing competition.

He finished second in two of his first three heats to advance to the finals, where his selective strategy gave him consistent scores on the glassy three- to four-foot waves.

Reyna caught two waves in the first 1 minute 30 seconds of the 20-minute heat. Clisby surfed near the pier. Parsons and Elkerton were consistent on a variety of waves throughout the final.

“I wasn’t nervous when Chuy went out there early,” Parsons said. “I knew I still had time.”

Surfing Notes

Kevin Delaney became the first snowboarder in the two-year history of the competition to survive the first round in surfing. Delaney finished last in his second-round heat, but he is one of the favorites to win the snowboarding today and is in decent position to take the overall title. . . . Damian Sanders of Huntington Beach, one of the top snowboarders in the nation, injured his knee during a motocross accident recently and didn’t compete. . . . Surfer Christian Fletcher of San Clemente arrived more than an hour late for the contest and officials refused to let him compete.

Results

Overall standings after surfing competition:

1. Mike Parsons (San Clemente) 2. Gary Elkerton (Mooloolaba, Australia) 3. Chuy Reyna (Oceanside), 4. Gary Clisby (Huntington Beach).