Getting Stoked: 2011 Otter Rock n' Roll

Rain was pouring like Morton salt and it was one of those coast days where everything is gray: gray sky, gray water, gray sand. The surf was knee to waist high. Despite Mother Nature's less-than-ideal offering, the 18-and-under competitors at the 2011 Otter Rock n' Roll represented the soul of Northwest surfing--staying stoked despite the conditions.

One of the Tucker boys paddles in.

Kids from 3 on up zipped into their wetsuits, more than a few with help from their parents, and surfed all day long. You haven't seen cute until you watch a four year old in a pastel pink full 4/3 wetty get pushed into an ankle high peeler 20 feet off the beach by her dad. You haven't felt inferior until you watch the 16-18 boys division winner Laird Tuel lay the rail into waist high sludge and send the salt spray of your dreams into a crescent arc that would make the moon feel inadequate.

Laird Tuel doing his thing.

Otter Rockin'

Rocking into it's fourth year, the annual kids-only contest is organized by the Newport chapter of the Surfrider Foundation and coincides annually with International Surfing Day (ISD). Here's a historical tidbit from organizer Ken Wilson: "In 2008, a few friends--Sean Johnson, Jason Garding, Charlie Plybon [Surfrider's Oregon Field Manager]--and I put our heads together and came up with a single elimination horseshoe tournament. We had a raffle and charged a $20 entry fee to raise funds for the Newport Surfrider chapter. It was great, we had folks show up with all sorts of food, drink and barbeque. Dan Hasselschwert and Ollie Richardson from Ossie's Surf Shop even paddled out in sea kayaks and caught fresh crab for us! We also had a beach clean up and the surf was outstanding all day long! I can't remember how much money we raised, but I do know that Ollie and his wife Asia won the horseshoe tournament and everyone had a blast that day. The next year Joe Haxel presented his idea for a coed youth surf contest and they nominated me as event coordinator."  That's all it took to get the ball rolling.

Pre-heat instructions.

This year's sponsor list reads like a who's who of local and international surf companies and stoked individuals: Oregon Surf Shop, Ocean Pulse, Ossies Surf Shop, Safari Town Surf Shop, Moment Surf Co., Warm Current, Pura Vida Surf Shop, Dutch Brothers, Cascade Construction, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Envision, Eon, Gerry Lopez Surfboards, Surfing Magazine, Reef, VonZipper, West, Quiksilver, and Rip Curl. Swag was spilling out of the bags given to each and every contestant and division winners Michael Schell (child with parent), Devon Malloy (beginner) Savannah Russo (girls), Sean Malloy (boys 12 and under), Keenan Wenrick (boys 13-15), and Laird Tuel (boys 16-18) walked away with brand new wetsuits. Reef/VonZipper rep Jeffrey McGowan endeared himself to the kids and the crowd by showing up with two tents that helped keep everyone dry and boxes full of extra swag. Special shoutout goes to the judges, Kirk Tice, Jay Sennewald, Nolan West and all the rest of the volunteers helping the heats stay organized and scored (full results).

The judges tent.

Boxes of fresh, hot pizza provided by Surfrider showed up just in time for lunch and music courtesy of MC Buzzy Morales' iPod played everything from My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas to classics from The Beach Boys. I swear there was even some Orange County Supertones ska'ing out of the speakers at one point and transporting me back to middle school. The music was enough to get the Pappalardo family (Olivia, Sophia, and Niko competed in the children with parents division) spinning off the rain drops. Those less inclined to public dancing kept warm at the driftwood bonfire while heats continued throughout the afternoon.

Staying warm.

After the surfing wrapped, the contestants grabbed garbage bags and picked the beach clean competing for prizes awarded for categories like "weirdest," "smallest," and "farthest traveled." Twelve-and-under winner Sean Malloy hauled in a dolphin? fin that looked like it was bit off by a shark, and some curly haired urchin was packing around two rotten seagulls. Neither won an award, because the animal byproducts weren't technically trash, but they certainly upped the gross-out factor. There was loads of other crap though, including several plastic bottles from China that took home "farthest traveled" award. Buzzy Morales stepped away from the mic to judge the trash categories--passionately explaing to the contestants and spectators just how long it takes for trash to break down and reminding everyone to take an extra bag to the beach to haul some out on every trip. I couldn't agree more. 

Getting advice.

With swag in hand, big smiles and a full day of surf to stash in their memories, the kids packed it in, all the volunteers tore down the tents and another Otter Rock n' Roll went into the books. Surf, good vibes, a clean beach and kids getting hooked. I can't wait to bring my daughter (she'll be two) next year. 

Click through for more pics.

--Jens 

Let me know if we got a name wrong, or you can identify someone in the pics.