ECSC News

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Latest update: 5-31-11

SURFING RULES AT THE COASTAL EDGE

EAST COAST SURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Vans Pro and Vans Pro Junior, Longboard, Women’s Divisions Comprise Pro Division;

32 Amateur Divisions Range from Groms to Masters

Virginia Beach, VA (April __, 2011) – There are a great deal of new things happening this year at the 49^th Annual Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) presented by Vans.

First and foremost is the return of the Association of Surfing Professionals – ASP. This year’s Vans Pro Men and Pro Junior will have a 4 Star rating which is $85,000 and $20,000 respective purses. Additionally, two other pro division purses --the Longboard and Women’s -- have also been increased from last year to $5,000 each.

To accommodate the pro contests and numerous amateur divisions, this year’s Coastal Edge ECSC has been expanded to 7 days. Beginning August 22, the surfing events are scheduled to start at 7 a.m., depending on surf conditions. All Pro Surfers for the Men and Junior divisions are on call during this designated “waiting period” so heats may not necessarily be running that day. This will enable contest officials the flexibility to capitalize on the best surf conditions for these divisions.

“Bringing in the ASP will attract a higher level of competitor, including potentially more international surfers to Virginia Beach,” said contest surfing director, Paul West of US Surfing Federation. “The Vans Pro will be broadcast live on the web around the world to hundreds of thousands of spectators.”

Event organizers are anticipating the largest event in the Coastal Edge ECSC’s 49-year history, and likely the largest event in the history of East Coast surfing. However, even with all the “star power” brought in by the major pro divisions, the Coastal Edge ECSC has not forgotten the surf community and what the event is all about.

A taste of other surfing activities at the 2011 Coast Edge ECSC:

The Quiksilver Super Grom. Held on Saturday, Aug. 27 this event is free to all participants age 10 and under and is for beginners only. Parents accompany the young athletes and assist them in catching waves. Every participant receives a Quiksilver or Roxy rash guard and a medal to commemorate their participation. “It’s all about developing self-esteem and self-confidence in these new surfers and introducing them to the sport and having fun,” Paul West explained
Doc Taylor’s and Tautog’s Restaurants Open Shortboard division. Because many of the surfers who have competed in past ECSC over the years – some for as many as 30 years -- are not ASP members, they would have to incur much higher entry fees associated with the ASP event. Enter, Bill Gambrel and his two restaurants who have stepped up and supplied a $5,000 purse for the Open Shortboard division. In the past, this has been the top amateur shortboard division with no age restrictions. Converted to a pro division this year, the $100 entry fee requires no membership fee plus the winner will receive a wildcard slot and ASP membership paid into the Vans Pro $85,000 main event.

In addition, this division will receive an all-out throw down at the restaurant where the athletes will have a chance to cut loose and collect their cash winnings!
Says Bill Gambrel, “We are stoked to have the opportunity to give back to the community and support the grass roots and foundation of the ECSC.”

Life Rolls On Exhibition
The Billabong All-Out Tow-At Exhibition
The “Clash of the Legends”
Product giveaways
Autograph sessions
Friday night musical entertainment – Famous, hardcore surf artist … guess who?

As a vital resource to the athletes, www.surfusa.org is geared toward surfers. All the heats, schedule of events, daily updates, photos, links, and other important information can be found there.

About CE-ECSC

The Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships presented by Vans, Rockstar Energy Drink and Skullcandy is the oldest surf contest in North America and the second longest continuously-run surf contest in the world. Year in and year out, the Coastal Edge ECSC is also one of the largest surf events held globally with more than 800 participants across more than 40 divisions in 2010.

Produced annually by the Virginia Beach Jaycees, the Coastal Edge ECSC beach festival, which will also include skate and BMX demos along with many other beach activities, is open to the public, free of charge. Portions of the proceeds raised at the ECSC benefit the Jaycees many charitable projects such as Camp Virginia Jaycee. For event information, visit www.surfecsc.com.

About Vans Surf

Vans supports and promotes surfing and surfers through a full line of footwear and apparel, events such as the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing™, the ASP 4-Stars Vans Pier Classic at Huntington Beach and Vans Pro at the Coastal Edge East Coast Surfing Championships, the progressive longboard Joel Tudor Duct Tape Invitationals and through sponsorship of many of the world’s top surfers such as Nathan Fletcher, Joel Tudor, Pat, Dane and Tanner Gudauskas, John Florence and Leila Hurst.

For more information on Vans and Vans Surf, please visit vans.com or vanssurf.com.

For more information on Coastal Edge, please visit www.coastaledge.com.

49^th Annual ECSC

There are a great deal of new things happening this year at the 49^th Annual East Coast Surfing Championships presented by Coastal Edge and VANS. First and foremost is the return of the Association of Surfing Professionals – ASP. This year’s VANS Pro Men and Pro Junior will have a 4 Star rating which is $85,000 and $20,000 respective purses. The Longboard and Women have also been increased from last year to $5000 each. With more than 260,000 estimated spectators last year in just 5 days the event this year has been expanded to 7 days. Beginning on August 22 the event will potentially start at 7:00AM. That does not necessarily mean heats will be running that day as it is part of the “waiting period”. All Pro Surfers for the Men and Junior divisions are on call. This will enable the contest organizers to “hedge their bets” a bit on hopefully scoring some good surf for these divisions. By bringing in the ASP it will provide a higher level of competitor as well as increase the viability for international surfers to come to Virginia Beach. The VANS Pro will also be broadcast live around the world to hundreds of thousands of spectators. This will be the biggest ECSC and likely the largest event in the history of surfing for the East Coast.

Even with all the “star power” brought in by big sponsors, the ECSC has not forgotten the community and what ECSC is all about. A great example of that is the Quiksilver Super Grom event. Held on Saturday August 27 this is free to all participants age 10 and under and is for beginners only. The parents go out with the young athletes and assist them in catching waves. Every participant receives a Quiksilver or Roxy rash guard and a really cool medal to commemorate their participation. It is all about developing self-esteem and self-confidence in these new surfers and introducing them to the sport and having fun! On a similar note we went to Bill Gambrell with Doc Taylor’s and Tautog Restaurant at the beach to discuss the impact of having the ASP involved again. As it is sort of a double edged sword. We are excited about having surfers come to Virginia Beach, certainly some of the “stars”, but we also know that many of the surfers that have surfed ECSC for the past 10, 20 or even 30 years are not ASP members. In addition, these surfers that have supported ECSC may not have the $450 to enter and join the ASP event. So, Doc Taylor’s and Tautog’s Restaurants; through Bill Gambrel have stepped up and supplied a $5000 purse for the Open Shortboard division. This division in the past has been the top amateur shortboard division with no restriction to age. This year it has been converted to a pro division where not only is the entry fee only $100 but there is no membership fee required and the winner will receive a wildcard slot and ASP membership paid into the VANS Pro $85,000 main event. In addition, this division will receive an all-out throw down at the restaurant where the athletes will have a chance to cut loose and collect their cash winnings! This is an example of hardcore, grass roots, community support from Bill that we sincerely appreciate. “It is all about remembering who you came to the dance with and where you came from” says Bill Gambrel, “We are stoked to have the opportunity to give back to the community and support the grass roots and foundation of the ECSC”. For many of the surfers including Aaron Cormican and Jeremy Johnston who have surfed the event and WON for the past several years they may not be able to get into the main event, so this gives the average guy a shot at getting into the 4 Star ASP rated VANS Pro and we think that is pretty cool.

Other additions or features this year include: Life Rolls On Exhibition, the Billabong All Out Tow At Exhibition, the “Clash of the Legends” and so much product giveaways, autograph sessions and over 30 surfing divisions, this year is sure to be the biggest and best ever! You will not believe who is coming to play Friday night, it doesn’t get any more core surf artist… guess who? Mark your calendar, the circus is coming to town – August 22-28, 1^st Street Jetty, Virginia Beach, VA.