Bombs away at Point Mugu Surf Contest

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers DUCK AND COVER—Nobody spent more time in the barrel at Saturday's first Point Mugu Surf Contest than L.A. native Yves Bright, winner of the men's open division. For many it was an eyeopener, the opportunity to visit the notsosecret but difficulttoaccess beach at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu.

For others it was the chance to surf one of the best breaks in California on a day that ended up being nearly flawless—clear blue sky, south swell in the water and winds from the north grooming the waves.

It was for a variety of reasons that, according to the NBVC website, an estimated crowd of 1,200 spectators, including more than 100 competitors in five separate divisions, entered the base for Saturday's inaugural Point Mugu Surf Contest, the first of its kind for the Navy on any of its bases worldwide.

Even some of the local surfers, folks who are in the military or the ones that have friends with access, embraced the public contest as an opportunity to showcase their skills.

KENNY BACKER/Special to the Acorn ABOVE THE CLOUDS—An unidentified surfer gets big air during last weekend's contest at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu. "A lot of people who live in the area signed up for the contest, and they all want to win it pretty bad because it's known as the best wave around," said Yari Vodraska of Camarillo, who competed in the men's open division and has surfed the base for many years.

"It's a pretty tricky wave and a little bit tough to figure out," Vodraska said. "You have to have good local knowledge to know exactly where to go."

In addition to men's open, other divisions included military men, junior men (under 17), women and bodyboard.

Competitors surfed in 20minute heats—final rounds were 15 minutes each—and were scored by a panel of judges. The contest area spanned several hundred yards but shifted throughout the day as the tide went from high in the morning to low in the early afternoon.

It didn't take any local knowledge for Agoura Hills residents Chance and Skylar Lawson to claim first and second place, respectively, in the junior men's division final.

Surfing the spot for the first time, 16-year-old Chance Lawson, who attends Malibu High with his younger brother, won his opening heat before taking the top spot in the final. He said it was the second time he's ever won a surf contest.

"Having never been out here before, I was very excited," Point MuChance Lawson said. "I got some

really good waves. The contest was a lot of fun, and I'm really stoked they put it on."

Skylar Lawson, 14, said he was "amping" to get into the competition following a long morning surf session in the semicrowded non-contest zone to the north.

"It was so fun out there. I was having such a good time before my heat," said Skylar Lawson, whose sponsors include Quicksilver, Roberts Surfboards, Vestal Watches, Arnette and Val Surf.

"A lot of people try to sneak on the base to surf, so I think it was great that the military let us come out and have a contest like this."

Tara Dunlay of Oxnard rode a 9-foot-3 single-fin longboard to first place in the women's division on a day in which few longboards were seen in the water.

"If you could get some speed, you could definitely make it through those barrels," Dunlay said.

"The caliber of surfing out there today was just awesome. The guys were really impressive, and, if anything, they got me stoked and fired me up."

Matt Meyer of Oxnard finished first in the bodyboard division. Jeffrey Easson, who was with the Seabees from 1996-99 and is now stationed at the USS Tarawa in San Diego, claimed the top spot in the military men final.

"We're just really blessed to have waves at this time of year, to have a good south (swell) come through at the end of October," Easson said. "Usually this is really a summertime break."

In addition to his trophy, Easson won a custom-made board from Proctor Surfboards.

Los Angeles resident Yves Bright, a former member of the World Qualifying Tour, took down Ventura's Sean "Purple" Hayes, another professional, in the men's final and won $500 for his efforts.

Newbury Park's John Villela used his local knowledge to earn a sixth-place finish.

"Great competition. Great waves," Bright said. "It's really just a dream to be out here. Honestly, it's such a treat to be able to surf the base. I think it may have been the best day of the summer."

Next year's contest is being planned for Aug. 22.