Think pro surfing is done? Not yet. The Newport Beach Pro and Newport Beach Surf Championships roll through 54th and 56th streets this week with some of the best young talent in surfing and a south swell.

   About 160 surfers from around the world compete in
Newport Beach for a $25,000 prize purse and essential late-season points on the World Qualifying Series. Over the years, the contest has seen a lot of good surfing despite being overshadowed by larger events such as the Boost Mobile Pro.

  Last year’s event was as much an airshow as anything. San Clemente’s Nathan Yeomans gave maybe his best performance yet in beating
Ventura’s Dane Reynolds in the final.

  Former world champ Sunny Garcia, who was named a wild card in the event, should be a force all his own. He surfed several heats as a wild card and special guest at the BMP at Lower Trestles last week and a near solid bet to reach the final on Sunday.

   Also filling out the list of top young pros includes Huntington Beach’s Brett Simpson, Micah Byrne, and Shaun Ward, Nathaniel Curran of Ventura, Hawaii’s Dustin Barca, Florida’s Eric Geiselman and Anthony Petruso of
Malibu.

   Don’t count out former world tour surfer and
Newport local Richie Collins either. His performance against Garcia in an HB Surf Series event earlier this summer showed a veteran still able to start a fire.

   The Oakley Pro Junior features 48 top American and international surfers under 20 years old , including: Geiselman, Corey Arrambide of Ventura, Nick Rozsa of Oxnard, and
Australia’s Brent Dorrington.

  Swell could be good again this year. Wavewatch’s official forecast says a mix of slowly fading, but still fun South-Southwest swell and some local windswell leftover from Monday’s afternoon winds is expected today. Surf will remain in the waist-chest high range with some shoulder high sets. Inconsistent head high waves will continue through the morning.

   Then on Saturday, the pros take the day off. 

   Contained comfortably within the event is the 19th Annual Newport Beach Surf Championships. It’s a day for local amatuers aged 12 and up to surf for bragging rights, but also surf their backyard spot with hardly anyone else in the water. The finals will be held Sunday, along side the pro divisions.
  If you’d like to enter the competition, entry is $30 ($5 more for non locals) and deadline is Thursday. Call 949–644–3151 or go to www.surfingthemag.com/events/nbpro/07/nbpro-entry.pdf  Entry fee includes event t–shirt and lunch on Sunday.

   Amatuer divisions age groups include: Elementary, Middle School, High School, Masters (30 years and older), Legends (40 years and older) and Open Girls. Competitors must be within the division age ranges as of September 18, 2007.

   To watch the webcast go to: www.newportbeachpro.com

– Shawn.

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