Shaper Tim Stamps provided the weird boards challenging the competitor’s versatility for Nixon’s inaugural Weird Surf Contest held at 9th St. Huntington Beach. No strangers to “getting weird” the SPY + Active Ride Shop team easily adapted to win the team division and sweep the podium with SPY’s Torrey Meister and SPY’s surf ambassador Chris “Cha Cha” Abad winning the individual and expression session respectively.
The winning SPY + Active team went home with weird boards, a weird trophy and their weird selves.
(L to R) Jay “Bottle” Thompson, Leigh Sedley, Chris “Cha Cha” Abad, and Torrey Meister
Torrey’s explosive surfing and calm demeanor was a perfect match for the weird board contest.
BK, the man behind the contest, congratulates Weird Expression Session winner Chris “Cha Cha” Abad.
Cha Cha consoles Torrey after beating him in the expression session.
The 7th Annual Active Willabong Surf Team Challenge went off in Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif. with nine talented teams battling it out in clean, rippable 3-foot surf.
The Willabong is a group format surf competition that puts 2 company employees, 2 team riders and 2 Active employees in team heats. Each rider’s top score goes into the cumulative team point total.
SPY guys Mike Losness, Chris Abad, Andrew Valentine, and stand-in Ryan Burch paired up with Active’s Brent Fudagaki and Bill “BK” Keller to round out the lethal SPY + Active team.
Team SPY was pitted against 3-time defending champions Chemistry Surfboards, Brixton, Dragon, Filtrate and other standouts. It was never a question of “who’ll stop the Raen” en route to the finals. As the final seconds of the contest ticked into the history books, the flaring SPY crew proudly paddled in and claimed the coveted Willabong trophy and 365 days of bragging rights.
Despite the irony of the white elephant trophy the victorious SPY + Active team stands proud.
(left to right) Ryan Burch, Chris Abad, Mike Losness, Brent Fudagaki, BK, Andrew Valentine.
Ryan Burch’s self-shaped assymetrical surfboard integrates intricate design elements essential to the SPY team’s victory. It doesn’t hurt that he can surf switch-stance also.
You don’t have to be a mathematician to figure this one out: SPY + Active = winning.
Lower Trestles is known for a long, rippable right as well as a long, arduous walk from the upper parking lot. This year’s attendees of the Hurley Pro were able to focus purely on the waves as the SPYrate RV sailed back and forth between the parking lot and the competition area. Of course, we shared our booty with all that came along for the ride.
Aargh you sure you don’t want a free ride?
Stoked landlubbers enjoy the free ride and our booty of hats and coozies.
Jon Rose’s doppelganger becomes the filling of a sand-wench.
An RV filled with Brazilian women? SPY’s version of a ‘Bom Dia.’
Torrey Meister is a Big Island ripper with big heart for purebred Hawaiian pits—canine and ocean kine. He’s as home relaxing deep in the barrel as he is waging aerial assaults high above the lip, but pay attention ‘cuz he moves as fast as a rumor on the coconut wireless.
Introducing the SPY + SURFRIDER HI. A percent of sales of the Hawaii Dirk will go to the Surfrider Foundation Hawaii chapter. ww2.surfrider.org/oahu. Respect + Protect Your Backyard. The Hawaii Exclusive Dirk represents SPY’s love for the Islands both in and out of the water. Whether throwing tail or shakas support your local Surfrider Chapter.
