By Chloe Newton
Staff Writer
The South Bay is known for its beach culture, which brings forth many young up-and-coming surfers. Costa sophomore Cody Purcell has proved to be one of the best local youth surfers in his age group.
The South Bay Boardriders Club sponsored a contest series called the South Bay Surf Series, or SBSS. Each age division had five heats for contestants to compete in. Purcell won the juniors’ division in the last leg of the series on May 2 at the Manhattan Beach Pier, earning his third win out of the Series’ five total heats.
“I was very excited to win the series,” Purcell said. “I’ve been training very hard over the years and, luckily, my work paid off.”
The contest series was open to all individuals. The age divisions ranged from the under-9-years-old “Micro Grom” division to the over-50 “Legends” division.
“Everyone in my division was very talented and experienced,” Purcell said. “It was great seeing all different ages and all types of people wanting to get out and surf, especially the younger kids, who are just learning how to compete.”
There were a total of five events which took place on Feb. 7, March 14 and 28, April 18 and May 2. They took place at the various surf spots in Manhattan Beach such as the Manhattan Beach Pier, El Porto and 26th Street.
“We were very lucky that the waves were good the days of the contests,” Purcell said. “The condition of the waves is an important factor that affects who does well and who doesn’t. Surfing does require a lot of skill, but it also takes some luck.”
The SBSS is not only a bundle of competitive surfing events, but also a social event. Surf shops and companies set up tents and play music. Competitors receive a free t-shirt and lunch, and local businesses use the event to advertise.
“My favorite thing about the Boardriders Club is being able to hang out with my best friends at the beach all day,” Purcell said. “We are all competitive, but once we are out of the water, we are still friends and like to have a good time in between heats and after the contest.”
Purcell was born and raised in Manhattan Beach and developed a passion for surfing at a very young age. According to Purcell, he started surfing for fun, but his participation in competitions such as the South Bay Surf Series and involvement with the Mira Costa surf team have brought his surfing to a new competitive level.
“Being on the Costa surf team with Cody really helped me bring my own surfing to the next level,” junior Sean Fitzgerald said. “He inspires the entire team to do the best they can, and he is a great guy out of the water, too.”
According to Purcell, he is going to continue competing and surfing for fun at new surf spots throughout the summer. He also hopes to continue improving to prepare for his next competition, the National Scholastic Surfing Association Nationals in June.
“I’m very excited for the next series,” Purcell said. “It doesn’t matter what the condition of the waves are or what the outcome of the competition is; it is always a good time and a great experience for everyone who is out there surfing.”
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