Machado Is Perfect in Surfbout Final
Rob Machado, who scored the contest’s only perfect 10 score in the final heat Saturday, rode that wave of momentum to the title in the Body Glove Surfbout XI at Lower Trestles near San Clemente.
Machado, who took control of the impressive surf early in the 30-minute final, won the event for the first time, defeating Shane Beschen and Shea Lopez, both of San Clemente, and Taylor Knox of Carlsbad.
Machado of Cardiff by the Sea finished with 25.90 points. Knox, winner of the recent Big Wave Challenge, was second with 23.70 points, followed by Beschen (17.15) and Lopez (13).
To earn a 10, Machado performed numerous slashing round-robins and lip maneuvers all the way to the shallows. After that, he came on shore, and then ran down the beach about 150 yards and paddled out to catch more waves.
“The waves were great,” Machado said. “I knew I was going to get a good score on that [10-point] wave. But I had no idea. And the other guys who were out there with me . . . this could have gone either way.”
Ian Cairns, contest organizer and executive director of U.S. Surfing and the Clarion Surf Tour, said this is the biggest surf--8- to 10-foot waves--he’s ever seen in the event’s 11-year history.
“As a contest organizer it’s great, but as a surfer, it’s really gnarly to have these bomber sets and surfers of this caliber in the finals,” he said. “This is what we all live for.”
It was an Australian sweep in the women’s final as Serena Brooke won with 24.90 points. Kate Skarratt (21.10) was second followed by Pauline Menczer (21.0) and Megan Abubo (6.75) of Hawaii.
Like Machado, Brooke took advantage of the large surf early in the heat scoring a 9.0, followed by a 8.4 and 7.25. With those scores in tow, it was a catch-up game for the other three finalists the rest of the heat.
Del Mar’s Joel Tudor won the longboarding final. For Tudor, who finished with a 25.25, Saturday’s waves provided the perfect day for him and 9-foot-2 inch “Ole Faithful.”
Tudor worked his magic on the long rights and lefts to perform his patented nose rides. Geoff Moysa of San Clemente was second (21.00), followed by Colin McPhillips of San Juan Capistrano (17.75) and Ted Robinson of Manhattan Beach (16.00).
In bodyboard competition, Brian Wise of San Clemente won with 22.5 points, edging Spencer Skipper of Hawaii (22.25). Brian Press of Palos Verdes was third (21.00) and Larry McGinn of New Jersey was fourth (17.15).