Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival

The 21st Annual Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival (SCKSF) was held March 16th through the 18th of 2007 at the world famous break of Steamer Lane, in surf city Santa Cruz, California. We have been running this event as the symbol of this surf town for the past 20 years. Steamer is the farthest point of land in Santa Cruz that defines the north end of Monterey Bay and is an attractant to almost any swell that the Pacific can throw at California. Its geographic position is slightly bent to the south so that the prevailing northwest swell is polished smooth by the time it reaches the seaweed encrusted reefs that can deliver 20 to 40 footers. Swell is hard wired into Steamer Lane. Adventure Sports Unlimited, the host of this event, and O'Neill Inc., the host of the ASP event, the Cold Water Classic, are the two large venues that get to showpiece Steamer to an international crowd. We both know the fickle nature of swell and the impossible task of predicting a year in advanced so that sponsors, athletes, media, copious quantities of volunteers, circus tents and great weather can meet to produce such a happening as a surf event.

The SCKSF, since the beginning, has been a significant factor in the evolution of this sport. Surf kayak designs and an international who's-who crowd of kayak athletes come together to produce moves never seen before. Surf kayak designers look at this event as a way to showpiece their new creations to the world. Ed Skrzypkowski, of Murky Waters Surf Kayak Designs, says that the festival was more than a promotional," it was the perfect mix of competition and warmth. It has the feeling of a family reunion, with members of the family that you look forward to being with." The surf at Steamer Lane is certainly world renowned and can throw everything at contestants from 35 foot open ocean mounds to 8 foot smooth glassy tubes. However, the reason kayak surf athletes come from all over the planet to play in Santa Cruz is varied and not totally motivated by the swell. Asking one Welsh lad if he preferred a great swell or sunny weather he immediately proclaimed "I prefer sunny weather. We get swell in Wales but never good weather." So the incentives to travel to Surf City Santa Cruz for three days in March is to get the chance to surf Steamer Lane, commune with the world of surf kayaking, and bask in the warm glow of the California sun. Every paddle powered wave magician worth their salt strives to be part of this crowd.

A month before the 2007 SCKSF the US West Team had their final selection process. Our West Coast team was firm and ready to compete. The contestant list was building with an international collection of athletes. Malcolm Pearcey of Mega Kayaks was bringing a contingent of surf kayak notables from the UK to test the US strength. "Air" Chris Harvey, a recent regular Santa Cruz contestant from Britain, brought enough Brits to be a team himself, rented several motor homes and toured the California breaks weeks before the event. Davenport Landing's north point break, 10 miles north of Steamer Lane was a world display of surf kayak talent days preceding the contest. The foreign competition was ready for the west.

As a contest organizer for a surf contest you have to have waves. Here in lies the problem; storms cause waves which means bad weather which puts a kink in the festive nature of the event. What you want is the storm to go by out at sea giving you waves without the tempest that caused them. The weather this weekend was a billboard for "California Dreaming". The swell at Steamer, however, the days before was anything but noteworthy. The locals were languishing in the kelp reminiscent of a social gathering rather than a line-up. The surf seers were throwing their talismans predicting a swell to hit the weekend of the contest. These predictions and a dollar are usually worth a cup of coffee. The images of four type A competitors jiving next to the cliffs for 2 foot waves was running through my mind-not a pretty sight. The Thursday night Opening Celebrations/Party at Adventure Sports Unlimited was high energy with everyone comparing their new boats, hinting of bold moves, watching the last Worlds contest in Costa Rica on Teva's big screen and tipping a brew to the expectations of righteous conditions for the next days competition.

The dawn of the contest the stars were like piercing dots in black plastic foretelling sunny days ahead. Driving along West Cliff Drive to the site on the cliffs over looking the famous Steamer Lane, the Sponsor pavilion tent was in place with the judge's stand, media booth and food venue sitting silent like an expectant sphinx in anticipation of the coming crowds. This contest goes from 7 am to 5 pm, so you will have to run the contest at all tides. We run the competition so that the low happens for the finals in the afternoon. Mornings have high tides, thicker swells, and the chance for hard charging surfers, trying to get everything out of the wave to meet the cliffs. In the shiny expanse of ocean burned by the morning light, significant rollers were flowing-we will have a contest!

The early heats were not without excitement with a smooth glassy swell, competitive juices flowing, and waves that beckoned a final move in the cliffs, provoking swimmers and shattered carbon fiber. Our water safety crews in their Personal Water Craft were competent water men preventing any serious mayhap. The days were classic and the conditions presented a palate of pristine ocean energy that kayak surf athletes could do anything their minds and skills could imagine.

The finals represented a host of California athletes lead by the local favorite and holder of several world championships, Dave Johnston. Not to be outdone, "Air" Chris Harvey was at the contest with his bevy of UK champions. Skills honed with weeks worth of early practice, ready to do damage to the egos of the last World Surf Kayak Team Champions, the US West Team. Chris, in a former SCKSF contest, was notable but was sent home empty of top awards. The stage was set, sun was glowing on green studded sandy cliffs, the surf was going off and the crowd lined the embankments in tank tops and shorts. The spectators were treated to slashing cut backs, flying floaters, cover-ups and airs; when the spray settled in almost every expert category, UK lead the way. Chris Harvey finally took the top prize of the most contested class, the World Cup Men's Expert, and shook hands with his nemesis, Dave "The Wave" Johnston in second. Dave took second in another expert class, the IC, right behind UK athlete Dessie McGlinchey - it wasn't Dave's day. A bright spot for the Californians was the women's World Cup Class; no one could stop Kate Smith. The only sub-note on this US win is that she's imported from Australia.

The Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival is the best kayak surf competition there is and represents where this sport is going. But the essence of kayak surfing and the people in it was typified by the final World Cup heat. Dave and Chris, furiously paddling those small carbon Kevlar surf vehicles the long run to the advantageous point wave in the final seconds, head-to-head, with the 6 foot waves tubing translucent in the setting sun, only to arrive at the ending horn, were seen silhouetted high-fiving each other in salute to the magnificent experience this final was. This ending signified kayak surfing for all of us, for this sport, to quote Ed, is not only a competition but a "family reunion" of wonderful people who appreciate a very special place on the planet.

Sincerely,
Dennis Judson
Festival Host