Deffenbaugh Rides High at Surf Event

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon for Jeff Deffenbaugh as the hometown favorite surfed his way to the individual title of the Katin Team Challenge at Huntington Beach.

With waves up to 10 feet courtesy of Hurricane Georgette, Deffenbaugh proved to be the better surfer in the four-man final heat on the south side of the pier.

“It was perfect out there,” Deffenbaugh said. “Right or left, it didn’t matter, either way would give you a great ride. And with 45 minutes to surf, it gave all of us a chance to catch waves and do some surfing. I think this was one of the most competitive heats I’d ever been in.”

Deffenbaugh, Peter Mel of Santa Cruz, Dino Andino of San Clemente and Seth Elmer of Carlsbad displayed great surfing, which had spectators and competitors guessing who had won the heat.

The judges didn’t announce final scores, only what places the surfers finished.

“I know I had some good rides, but so did everybody else. When I was done, I didn’t have any kind of feeling that I had won. It was so close,” Deffenbaugh said.

But while spectacular rides were the order of the day, it was Deffenbaugh who seemed to have a slight upper hand. On his highest scoring ride of the heat, Deffenbaugh pulled some amazing cut backs followed by a barrel ride in the shorebreak that surprised even him.

“That was something that just happened,” Deffenbaugh said. “I was thrown into that wave, and I crouched down and I was looking into this hole. You don’t see that too often in Huntington.”

For Deffenbaugh, it was his third Katin title.

“I love surfing this event. It’s always been good to me. And to be able to do it at home and have so much fun in the process, makes it that much better,” said Deffenbaugh, who received $4,000.

Andino ($2,000) finished second, Elmer ($1,500) third and Mel ($1,300), was fourth.

Elmer, who hasn’t much contest experience, was the one who caught everyone by surprise when he scored a perfect 10 on Saturday.

“I can’t tell you how amped I am today,” Elmer said. “And even if I got my face splattered on one of the pier pylons, it still wouldn’t matter. I made it to the finals and I’m stoked.”

In the team finals, Body Glove pulled out the victory when anchor surfer Keoni Cuccia of Ventura was able to catch his three waves and get back in to cross the finish line before the other three teams’ surfers were able to complete their three rides.

Huntington Beach High defeated defending champion Encinitas San Dieguito Academy to win the high school team finals. Torrey Pines was third and San Clemente was fourth.