Weekend Surf Championship Rocks the '80s

Saturday and Sunday's 22nd annual
Quiksilver Newport Beach Surf Championships pay homage to the famed Echo Beach breaks in a big way, with the invitational “Quiksilver Echo Beach
Challenge” pairing groms with top pros; the
“Expression Session” honoring the '80's era of surfing with
prizes for “Best '80's Trick,” “Flashiest Wetsuit” and “Most Colorful
Surfboard”; and a weekend-ending private party at
Blue Beet featuring projections of the documentary Echo Beach, music from '80's cover band Cover Me Badd and beats spun by LA DJs Trouble and Trifle.
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“The Echo Beach movement surfaced nearly 30 years ago, holding its
first competitive event and securing a place in the fabric of surf
history and culture,” Bob McKnight, Quiksilver CEO, explains in a company statement. “We are proud
to host the Quiksilver Newport Beach Surf Championships and Echo Beach
Challenge for a new generation of surfers at this historic surf spot.”

Presented by Jack's Surfboards, the Quiksilver Newport Beach Surf Championships will have heats for master
surfers and amateurs in seven
age divisions, with more than $5,000 in cash and Jack's, Quiksilver, Zinka and Oakley prizes awarded to first- through sixth-place finishers.

During the Echo Beach Challenge, custom
air-brushed twin fin surfboards will line the beach during the contest,
and each competitor must switch from his own boards to a
pre-selected twin fin to earn at least one score during the heat.
That score will be added to their top score and the team's total.

“The original Echo Beach Challenge was super influential on my peer
group of aspiring professional surfers–the top surfers from around the
world came to our home beach and it was our first chance to measure up
with them in a unique competitive format,” says Echo Beach filmmaker Jeff Parker. “The idea of teaming a top pro with an
up-and-comer was a great motivator for everyone to step up their game.”

Parker will join fellow “Original Echo Crew” members John Gothard, Richie Collins, Mark “Smerk” Mangan and Rich Knight in the Expression Session, which will showcase their style and attitude with old school
tricks, flashy wetsuits and tons of new wave colors.

Pros must be invited to surf, but entry forms for amateurs can be sent to the city of Newport Beach's Recreation Services Department in the following divisions: Elementary (11 N under), Middle
School (12-14), High School (15-18), Open Men's (19 N up), Masters
(30 N up), Legends (40 N up), and Open Girls (all ages). The
entry fee for all divisions if you are a Newport Beach resident is $30 and everyone else must tack on another $5. Call the Rec Department by Thursday at 949.644.3151 or go here:

http://blog.quiksilver.com/surf_blog/quiksilver-newport-beach-surf-championships-sept-25-26/

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