Laird Myers winning first place in the Boys U14 Division. Photo: McCarthy
Hundreds of surfers from Delaware through South Carolina ventured to Carolina Beach, North Carolina this past weekend for the Eastern Surfing Association’s 2016 Mid-Atlantic Regional Surfing Championship. Surfers were vying for a chance to qualify for ESA’s Easterns® Championships that is held each September.
“I am excited and overwhelmed by the way that the event turned out,” ESA Southern North Carolina’s co-director Amy Rose said. “The Town of Carolina Beach and all of our local sponsors commended the Mid-Atlantic region, and the folks who came for being such great group of people visiting our little island.”
First place adult finalists at the ESA Mid-Atlantic Regionals in Carolina Beach. Photo: McCarthy
Kai Dilling dominated the adults by claiming first in the OluKai Open SUP, Senior Men and Masters Longboard divisions. Jo Pickett took first in both Ladies Shortboard and Longboard divisions. Mark Peer, David Taylor and Chris Moore won the top three spots in the Reflekt Unsinkable Mens Division. Rick Anson claimed the Iron Man Award for surfing in five divisions and making it to the finals in Legends, Legends Longboard and winning Open Bodyboard. Anson surfed all of his heats on ESA-sponsor Liquid Shredder’s boards.
Bree Labiak being chaired up the beach after one of three first place finishes. Photo: Labiak
Northern South Carolina’s Bree Labiak took home the Iron Woman Award for winning first in Girls U14, Girls U16 and Junior Women U18, as well as third in Menehune Longboard and fourth in Junior Womens Longboard U18. Labiak also won the female Hot Wave Award for scoring the highest wave of the event. Her goal is to become the first pro surfer with Cystic Fibrosis.
“I am honored to have won three Championship divisions, and I couldn’t have done it without God on my side,” said Labiak. “All I ever wanted was to get chaired, and I’ve worked hard and will continue to work hard to get to the next level. This is one step in the right direction toward my goal- first pro surfer with Cystic Fibrosis.”
Laird Myers won the GoPro Open Shortboard Division, as well as the Boys U14, and was awarded the Youth Iron Man Award. Simon Hetrick won the Junior Mens Division and ESA All-Star Leah Thompson claimed victory in the Junior Womens Longboard and placed second in Girls U16. Virginia’s Blayr Barton was busy all weekend placing second in the Menehune and Boys U16, and third in the Boys U14.
ESA All-Star Leah Thompson claimed victory in the Junior Womens Longboard. Photo: McCarthy
Results are posted on the event’s webpage at www.surfesa.org/competition/midatlantic, and photos provided by Mickey McCarthy and Jordan Montgomery can be found on the Eastern Surfing Association’s Facebook page. Be sure to watch the Northeast Regionals, ESA’s final qualifying event for The Eastern®, being held May 20-20, 2016 in Belmar New Jersey.
The ESA would like to thank its sponsors who made this a successful event:
- Parkway Subaru
- The Savannah Inn
- Sharkbanz
- Liquid Shredder
- OluKai
- Charlie Graingers
- SeaWitch Café & Tiki Bar
- CB Surf Shop
- Aussie Island Surf Shop
- Hot Wax Surf Shop
- Wake & Bake
- Intracoastal Realty
- Buddy Pelletier Surfing Foundation
- Island Roast Coffee
- Sharky’s
- Fins
- Carolina Brewery
- Jack Mackerel’s
- Frank’s Pizza
- Indo Jax Surf Charities
- Café Del Mar
- CJI
- Saltwater Woodworking
- Landshark
- Massage Envy
- Nectar Sunglasses
- OIB Surf & Java
- Tower 7
- Casa Estrella
- Pop’s Diner
- W2 Painting
- Kate’s Pancake House
- Banxblock
- Reflekt Unsinkable Eyewear
- GoPro
- Pura Vida
- Surfco Hawaii
- Chum’s
- Sun Bum
- Carve Designs
- East Coast Customs Longboard Skateboards
- Rip Curl
- Sticky Bumps
- com
- Leonik Engineering
- Mickey McCarthy Photography
- Jordan Montgomery Photography
- ESM
- Surfer
- John Ross Webcasting
- Town of Carolina Beach
The ESA, which is in its 49th year, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit amateur athletic organization dedicated to the sport of amateur surfing. The organization promotes amateur competition for surfers of all ages and abilities, and is dedicated to the establishment and preservation of free access to a clean shoreline and ocean environment.
Press Contact:
Michelle Sommers, Executive Director
Eastern Surfing Association
302-988-1953