Judy Allen

“Oh my God, this is insanity,” she said, checking out the dudes battling it out wearing barely anything. “Speedos are sexy!”

For player Paul Lent, it was just painful.

“It is terrible. It’s really uncomfortable,” he said.

One of the funnest events on Orange County’s coast came back to the beach today on the blacktop of Newport Elementary School, where 24 teams battled it out during the “Shorevival of the Fittest” dodgeball tournament.

Now in its fifth year, the event is getting bigger and better. They go after more than just the trophies for who beats out the other players - but also get props for who has the best creative costume.

“We’re trying to top it each year,” said one of the organizers, Stan Divranos.

There were the dudes in Speedos, of course, but also a lot of other wacky things to laugh at - like the “Magnum P.I.” team, wearing Hawaiian shirts and fake mustaches, and team “Black Out,” sporting tight cut off jean shorts and rockin’ mullets.

But the winners of the Best Costume contest were the Newport Cougars. It was a tough decision, but because they got a guy to dress in a school girl outfit, they took home the win.

For others, it was all about the game. Team Newport Legend came ready with strategy this year: keep calm, and don’t hesitate, said team member Eric Mendeza.

Lauren Machanis, of Newport Beach, gave love to organizer Khari Johnson for pulling together the event.

“He created something amazing for the community,” she said. “He put his heart and soul into the event.”

Spectators lined three chain-linked fences that created the battlegrounds, where the six players from each team hurled blue balls at each other and jumped and weaved to miss being tagged out.

Each year, the teams get more into the competition, challenging the refs’ calls and letting emotions flow during each match.

“It’s competitive, there’s so much invested in this tournament,” Machanis said.

One girl took the game a little too serious, coming after one of her opponents with a closed fist after getting nailed by the ball. Mind you, there’s an Ultimate Fighting team that has been competing for five years - and no one saw them throwing blows!

It didn’t take long for the refs to break up the cat fight, and spectators went nuts. When the game was resumed, the girl got boo’d when she got back on the court.

“I don’t know what came over here,”  said Jackie, the players who was attacked.

“You get the girl’s teams out here, and they start swinging,” said Mike Ryan, of team Green Room. “I think we could market this.”

Congrats to the winners of this year’s Dodgeball on the Beach tournament:

First place: Magnum P.I.

Second place: Young and Hung

Third Place: Woody’s Wharf

Fourth Place: Loose Cannons

Best Outfit: Newport Cougars

Post from: OC Beach Blog

Dodgeball on the Beach

When: Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.

Where: 19th street, Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach

60s surf contest at Doho

When: Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Doheny State Beach, near the river mouth

Arnette All Day Antics Pro Junior hits Newport

When: Saturday, June 6 and Sunday, June 7

Where: 54th and 56th street in Newport Beach

Newport Harbor represents OC at Red Bull Riders Cup

When: June 6 - 7.

Where: Upper Trestles, San Clemente

And if you get the itch to shop, here’s a sample sale this weekend:

Modern Amusement sample sale

When: Friday June 5, 10 a.m to 5 p.m. and Saturday June 6, 9 a.m to 3 p.m.

Where: Modern Amusement Headquarters, 853 West 17th Street, Costa Mesa.

Post from: OC Beach Blog

The infamous Dodgeball on the Beach tourney is going down at 19th street at noon, with more teams than ever battling it out on the blacktop this year.

Twenty four teams - a range of players including local bartenders to some female water polo players - have signed up for the event, which is sounding crazier than any of the past five years the event has been happening. Each team has up to nine players, with six on the court at a time.

This year seems to be more about the fun, rather than the trophies of who places first - although a lot of people are looking to nail reigning champs team Black Out, said organizer Khari Johnson.

Expect some creative teams out there this year - one team called the “Queens Balls are in the Court” may just be showing up in drag. And listen to this ladies, word is one team is wearing Speedos. Team name: Young and Hung. Team Newport Cougars should love that.

This year’s theme is “Shorevival of the Fittest.” The after party is held at Sharkeez near the Newport Pier.

“I think it’s a great event to kick off the summer,” Johnson said. “It’s a day to be a sixth grader all over again.”

If you want a little taste of what it’s all about, click on the video below or check out another video here

Click here to view the embedded video..

When: Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.

Where: 19th street, Balboa Peninsula in Newport Beach

Post from: OC Beach Blog

Click here or on the image to the right to check video of the games.
“They play a lot rougher then when I was in elementary school,” said Theran, letting out an “Oh my God,” as a player got pelted.
Players were drenched in sweat during the sweltering heat, but it didn’t stop them from wailing on the opposing teams during the matches.
“This is the beginning of summer,” said co-organizer Stan Divranos. “It’s the best event  the coast has ever seen.”
Ryan Staples of team District Lounge said his team got killed during the first match, and the competition seemed tougher this year.

“We’re waking up though. We all worked until 4 a.m.,” he said. “Of course, it has to be one of the hottest days of the year.”
There were a few things he picked up on that helped his game – like don’t use sunscreen because it makes the ball slip.
The strategy on team Legends was to select one person on the opposing team, then have everyone throw their balls as hard as they can to get that person out.
“Well, it’s not working that well,” said player Lorin McGregor. The team was sporting Lakers colors as their uniform. “I think we look better than we play. It’s still hanging out with the boys.”
And that’s what Peninsula Pride’s Dodgeball on the Beach is all about, connecting the coastal community. Organizer Khari Johnson started the competition four years ago, enlisting local businesses and neighbors to sign up. There were teams from Blue Beat bar, as well as players from the Sober Living by the Sea.
Chris Ceja, on team “ARB,” was one of the few girls who got out there for the tournament. Ceja was joined by co-workers.
“It was more fun than I thought it would be,” she said. “I knew being a girl, I’d be a target. But I lasted longer than some of the guys.”

Post from: OC Beach Blog

Here’s some top picks on what’s going on along the coast:

1. The annual “Duck-a-thon” in Huntington Beach is being held this weekend, an event that raises money for the Community Care Centers, which provides medical care for those who can’t afford it.
It kicks off Friday night with a wine and cheese sampler at Pier Plaza. The event runs from 6 p.m.  to 8 p.m., and tickets are $50. On Saturday, the festivities continue from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with music, food, booths and crafts. Rubber Duckies are sold the day of the event, with a launch time of 3 p.m. Ducks sold on site. The booths and entertainment will remain through Sunday until about 5 p.m. for the Don Watson Corporate Challenge, held at 3 p.m.
How it works: Rubber ducks are sold, then a huge bulldozer at the Huntington Beach Pier dumps them from the pier. The ducks float to shore with the tides. The first to arrive to shore are awarded prizes.  Click here for more info.

2. Also this weekend, the Doheny Blues Festival is going on down at Doheny State Beach.  It’s a 2-day event with some amazing performers on three stages throughout the weekend. Headliners are Bonnie Raitt and Johnny Lang. There’s a microbrew tasting, international food court, and merchandise booths. Make sure you bring a beach chair or towel to sit on! Tickets are $45, or a weekend pass for $75. Click here for tickets. 

3. If you’re looking to check out a surf competition, head down to Huntington Pier this weekend for the NSSA contest, which is already in full swing. Check out Surf Junkie Jeff’s write up about the event here.

4. Peninsula Pride is putting on the annual Dodgeball on the Beach tournament on Saturday on the blacktop of Newport Elementary off 13th street and West Balboa Blvd. It’s always a fun event that pulls together local businesses and

restaurants to compete. This year’s theme: The War at the Shore. Stop by around noon to watch the action! Check out more details from Zvents.

5. On Sunday, you definitely don’t want to miss a Wheels2Water event at 9 a.m. Sunday at Bolsa Chica State Beach. The non-profit helps get people with disabilities back into the water. It’s a really amazing event, and they can use all the help they can get! The group started in 2004 by Travis Tremble, and they’ve been putting on surfing and scuba events since. Check it out: wheels2water.org
 

More… Also on Sunday, the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club is having its annual Leukemia Cup Regatta. The rules of the race are: don’t hit anything and don’t go faster than 5 mph in the harbor. Races start at noon. For more info, go to www.bcyc.org

- Don’t forget about Surfrider Foundation Newport Beach chapter’s party this Sunday at Chronic Cantina at Triangle Square in Costa Mesa. The fundraiser is a pre-launch party for the world premiere of the film “OUT THERE”, which debuts next Tuesday in Newport.

 About 2,000 people are expected to show up for the all-ages, all-day courtyard event. There will be giveaways and promotions, with an outdoor stage for music and a catwalk for a swimwear fashion show. Among the raffle gifts to be given out are a three-day Newport Beach Surf Camp, a signed Sunny Garcia surfboard, a signed Tony Hawk skate deck, gear & apparel packages from SilverStar, Alpinestars, lost, Oakley and Black Flys.
The party will go on until about midnight, so make sure to let your boss know you’ll be sick on Monday. The address is 1870 Harbor Blvd,  Costa Mesa.

Don’t forget to slather on the sunscreen when you’re out there. Check out this interactive graphic on how to put it on right, and what all those numbers mean.

Post from: OC Beach Blog