2008 Quiet Storm Maryland States Championship Breaks Flat Spell

After a three week flat spell, the ocean finally came to life again last weekend, just in time for the 2008 Quiet Storm Maryland State Championships which had already been postponed once due to no surf. With the arrival of the swell, over 200 competitors had only a couple of days to get their sea legs back before the start of the contest Saturday morning. Though by that time the swell had dropped somewhat, it was still contestable, and ESA director Chris Makibbin challenged the surfers to use all their skills to make the most of the clean waist to occassional chest high waves, which he said would be a good primer for the Easterns if the customary swell for that event fails to materialize. Distinctive to the Maryland State Championships is the inclusion of several Open divisions in addition to the normal line up, which as the name suggests, are open to all age groups. The winner of these divisions are deemed Maryland State Surfing Champion and are hotly contested. This year, Dale and Kelly Loeser of Quiet Storm Surf Shops located in Ocean City, MD, Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, DE stepped up to sponsor the event. With a $600 surfboard given away, two contest t-shirts per competitor, free Ponzetti's Pizza, distinctive trophies and valuable gift certificates awarded to the top three finishers in each Open division, some clean waves, plus the prestige of winning the title, it was game on for the best surfers in Delmarva.
The Open Men's Division is by far the most highly contested division, and this year was no exception. Matt Meinhardt bested a stacked field of finalists to capture the coveted title of Maryland State Surfing Champion. Fifteen year old Rachel Harrell, who was also the Junior Girl's winner, took on all ages in the Open Women's division to also claim the title of 2008 Maryland State Women's Surfing Champion. In the longboard division, co ESA directors Chris Makibbin and Chris Vaxmonsky took the small Ocean City Inlet rights apart, with Makibbin besting Vaxmonsky to become the Maryland State Longboard Champion. High tide made for some heavy inside sections which suited the bodyboarders just fine, as Matt Landon took top honors in that division, becoming the Maryland State Bodyboard Champion.
With the Easterns fast approaching, there will barely be time to squeeze in one more event beforehand, which is the K Coast/Reef Open - OC Firefighters Benefit, coming up September 6, 7. This is always a popular event, so be sure to get your entry in early. Call the toll-free contest info-line at 1-888-632-4742 for the latest contest update and location. Check out the Eastern Surfing Association Delmarva District's web-site at www.DelmarvaESA.org for more information and to view a schedule of upcoming events.

Results for The 2008 Quiet Storm Maryland State Championships are:

Open Men's Shortboard (all ages)
1. Matt Meinhardt - 2008 Maryland State Surfing Champion
2. Dillon Harrington
3. Mike Lawson
4. Travis Knight
5. Waldon Remington
6. Jamie Crosby

Open Women's Shortboard (all ages)
1. Rachel Harrell - 2008 Maryland State Women's Surfing Champion
2. Daniell Ariano
3. Kelly Powell
4. Kelsey Willison
5. Jenna Landon
6. Tierney Loeser
Open Longboard (all ages)

1. Chris Makibbin - 2008 Maryland State Longboard Champion
2. Chris Vaxmonsky
3. Matt Meinhardt
4. Austin Cook
5. Robert Fernandez
6. Bill Helmuth

Open Bodyboard (all ages)
1. Matt Landon - 2008 Maryland State Bodyboard Champion
2. Josh Mitchell
3. Matt Meinhardt
4. Brady Faby
5. Craig Chatterton
6. Ty Webb

Menehune Shortboard (boys/girls 11 & under)
1. Shane Moore
2. Simon Hetrick
3. Evan Conboy
4. Jack Fager
5. Tyler Clazey
6. Melissa Harrell

Girls Shortboard (14 & under)
1. Tierney Loeser

Boys Shortboard (12-14)
1. Brad Flora
2. Seth Conboy
3. Noah Conboy
4. Dallas Harrington
5. Jimmy Edmunds
6. Ryan Thane

Jr. Men Shortboard (15-17)
1. Austin Deppe
2. Dillon Harrington
3. Corey Brown
4. Matt Meinhardt
5. Austin Gerachis
6. Andrew Stewart

Jr. Women Shortboard (15-17)
1. Rachel Harrell
2. Kelly Powell
3. Jenna Landon
4. Lindsay Meeks

Men Shortboard (18-24)
1. Roy Harrell
2. Travis Knight
3. Mikey Lawson
4. Waldon Remington
5. David Miller
6. Dane Woolyhan

Women Shortboard (18-29)
1. Chelsea Remines
2. Kelcey Bodolus
3. Kaitlyn Curren
4. Kelsey Willison

Masters Shortboard (25-34)
1. Chris Makibbin
2. Jack Thomas
3. Matt Miller

Ladies Shortboard (30+)
1. Danielle Ariano
2. Bonnie Preziosi

Sr. Men Shortboard (35-44)
1. Keith White
2. Chris Vaxmonsky
3. Craig Garfield

Grand Masters (45-54)
1. Doug Brown
2. JD Moore

Legends Shortboard (55-64)
1. Bill Helmuth
2. Bill Thomson

Grand Legends Shortboard (65+)
1. Bryant Hungerford

Menehune Bodyboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1. Matt Meekins
2. Brooks Gilbert
3. Brady Cooling
4. Jake Walsh
5. Carter Michael
6. Griffin McWilliams

Menehune Longboard (boys/girls 14 & under)
1. Robert Fernandez
2. Roland Gerachis
3. Johnny Moore
4. Shane Moore
5. Chase Schmehling
6. Carter Pruitt

Jr. Longboard (15-17)
1. Matt Meinhardt
2. Austin Cook

Men's Longboard (18-34)
1. Chris Makibbin
2. Travis Knight

Women's Longboard (29 & under)
1. Chelsea Remines
2. Rachel Harrell
3. Lindsay Meeks

Ladies Longboard (30+)
1. Bonnie Preziosi

Masters Longboard (35-49)
1. Chris Vaxmonsky
2. Doug Brown
3. Keith White

Legends Longboard (50+)
1. Bill Thomson
2. Bill Helmuth

For more information about the Eastern Surfing Association contact:
Chris Makibbin
Delmarva District ESA Director
http://www.DelmarvaESA.org
P.O. Box 207, Ocean City, MD 21843
delmarva@surfesa.org

The Eastern Surfing Association (ESA), founded in 1967, a non-profit, IRS tax-exempt corporation, is the largest surfing organization in the world with more than 11,000 members. It is dedicated to the sport of surfing, to the operation of a program of competition for surfers of all ages and abilities, and to the establishment and preservation of public access to a clean shoreline and ocean environment. The association's activities are organized in a total of twenty-seven districts, which extend along nearly 2,000 miles of coastline, stretching from Maine through the Gulf Coast of Florida and Alabama and also including the Great Lakes and Puerto Rico. The Delmarva District currently has more than 550 active members and is operated by a non-paid, all volunteer staff. Visit the Delmarva ESA on-line at www.DelmarvaESA.org.