International Surfing Day 2015

An Epic Day for Surfing –

Two Guinness Records for HB   

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

At this year’s International Surfing Day (ISD) in Huntington Beach on June 20th everyone was eager to celebrate surfing and to see history in the making as HB went for two spots in the Guinness World Records book. 

 

The emphasis of this year’s ISD was on BIG – with Huntington Beach staging its Epic Big Board Ride featuring the world’s largest surfboard with the most people riding a surfboard at once. 

The City of Huntington Beach, title sponsor Hurley, and other surfing community leaders joined forces to make this Epic event a reality – with a 42-foot-long board and 66 riders piling on top for the ride of a lifetime.

Epic Big Board Ride Event Coordinator Celeste Hamil told SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel that it took a lot of work to put everything together, saying, “The end result was well worth the effort of a year of planning by an international team of builders, consultants and surf professionals.”

Hamil added, “I am, as the surfers say, ‘totally stoked’ to participate in a once in a lifetime experience that will continue to resonate in a meaningful way for the community, visitors and sponsors for many years to come.” 

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Duke Aipa, one of the surfers chosen to ride on the board, was excited to be a part of this historic event and couldn’t wait to get in the water.

Surfers and spectators alike surrounded the Big Board, anticipating its launch. Then everyone waited as it made its way out past the breakers and was positioned to catch a wave.   

Finally, after all the work, when the Big Board came riding in on a wave – with all those on board standing up – everyone on the beach and on the pier broke out in cheers.

 

It couldn’t have been a better day for surfing…especially since it was on International Surfing Day. 

An annual event to celebrate the sport of surfing and to give something back to the world’s oceans and beaches, ISD was started in 2005 by the Surfrider Foundation and Surfing magazine. Now there are 200-plus events in more than 30 countries.

Surfrider’s Huntington/Seal Beach Chapter and the Newport Beach and Long Beach chapters had booths set up on the sand and hosted a jam-packed day of education, entertainment, and beach cleanup activities.

SurfWriter Girls Sunny and Patti were glad to see such a big turnout.

And over 30 sponsors participated.

Manuel Florence was at the Brewbaker’s booth – showcasing his latest craft sodas and giving out samples of orange cream soda.

Pedego’s electric bikes were on display.

Seth Matson was eager to tell beachgoers about his new environmental organization Drains to Ocean, which will help to keep toxic water runoff from polluting the ocean.

Red Bull had a lounge tent set up that people could duck into to beat the heat.

First-time ISD sponsor Cakez and Cupcakez had a tempting array of treats.

Kind and Cabo Chips had samples

When the sun came out Hubert’s Lemonade hit the spot.

Rubio’s had prizes.

So Cal Kite Surfing gave out information about their kite surfing lessons in Belmont Shore with experienced IKO certified instructors.

And the LA Video Drone team was on hand to provide an aerial view of all the activities up and down the beach.

As usual, Surfrider H/SB Chairperson Tony Soriano was everywhere – setting up booths, coordinating with Celeste Hamil, greeting people, and making sure that Surfrider’s environmental message got out.   

 

By the end of the day thousands of people came out to HB to celebrate ISD-2015, watch the Epic Big Board Ride and remove over 120 lbs. of trash and cigarette butts from the beach.

All in all, it was definitely an epic day for surfing.

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 SurfWriter Girls

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Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.