San Clemente, CA
August 8, 2006
Edi McGarry, a San Clemente High School Sophomore, was sick of her generation
being depicted as self-centered airheads on shows like MTV's "My
Super Sweet 16" and "Laguna Beach". For her sweet 16 birthday,
she decided to host a surf contest to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation
of Orange County and the Inland Empire. The result was a dream come true.
With the help of the Western Surfing Association, the Surf With A Wish
Surf Contest was held Saturday, August 5, at Trail One, San Onofre State
Park. Hundreds of people flocked down the trail to enjoy the complimentary
pancake breakfast donated by Pipes Café, the gourmet Mexican buffet
from Los Patios Restaurant, to take part in an opportunity drawing for
tons of great prizes donated by the sponsors, and to take part in or watch
an awesome surf contest.
The weather was perfect and the waves were 2 - 4 foot and stayed relatively glassy all day. The contest attracted 80 entries from San Clemente Elementary through High School kids. Many of the competitors solicited donations on behalf of Make-A-Wish of Orange County and the Inland Empire. Middle School ripper and Roxy surfer, Melina Smith, raised nearly $1300. High School shredder and O'Neill surfer, Chloe Cruse, was hot on her heels with nearly $1000 raised. The High School Boys Longboard final was a highlight of the event with incredible surfing by San Clemente High School's notoriously talented team. Troy Motherhead and Kevin Osborne were mano a mano trading wave after wave with powerful carves and cutbacks on the outside into amazing displays of noseriding on the inside section. Troy drew an interference call late in the heat, leaving the door open for Kevin who stepped through for the win.
Former Wish Child and current Make-A-Wish Ambassador, 16 year old Ashley Greenwald, was there to help spread the word about Make-A-Wish and to celebrate Edi's birthday. Ashley received a beach bag from O'Neill stuffed with tons of cool O'Neill gear and was granted a wish of her own. She was given a surfing lesson from former U.S. Women's Longboard Champion, Sheri Crummer, and WSA Longboard Champ, Nick Hagen.
A raging after contest birthday party was sponsored by O'Neill at the San Clemente Community Center. Revelers sang Happy Birthday to Edi, watched O'Neill's "Smash It Up" and "Sacre Bleu" on the big screen and bid on an amazing assortment of treasures in the silent auction.
The surf contest results are below, but the most important result was this: Edi raised close to $14,000 to help Make-A-Wish of Orange County and the Inland Empire grant the wishes of children facing life threatening illnesses! Plans are already in the works for next summer's Surf With A Wish Contest. To learn more about the contest and sponsors, go to http://www.surfwithawish.com.
Results:
1st. Kendra Burns
2nd. Kandy Patterson
3rd. Sarah Roach
= 5th. Lauren Hoffman
= 5th. Olivia Merlino
1st. Jordan Kudla
2nd. Kai Franz
3rd. Connor Dand
4th. Rutger Knottnerus
1st. Emmy Merrill
2nd. Tara Franz
3rd. Charlotte Shanahan
4th. Melina Smith
5th. Tory Gilkerson
1st. Sam Orozco
2nd. Randy Gilkerson
3rd. Keone Patterson
4th. Levi Gregory
5th. Erik Buell
6th. Jeremy Munyon
1st. Tory Gilkerson
2nd. Tara Franz
3rd. Charlotte Shanahan
1st. Eli Gillis
2nd. Jack Kurt
3rd. Conrad Meinhold
4th. William Cox
5th. Jonathan Yarbrough
1st. Chloe Cruse
2nd. Taylor Garrett
3rd. Cassie Bartenstein
4th. Chelsea Byland
5th. Maggie Dunn
6th. Melina Smith
1st. Troy Mothershead
2nd. Christian Arballo
3rd. Nick Hagen
4th. Jake Branker
5th. Matt Nickel
6th. James Bozeman
1st. Chelsea Byland
2nd. Maggie Dunn
3rd. Edi McGarry
4th. Bobbie Nickel
1st. Kevin Osborne
2nd. Troy Mothershead
3rd. Cody Ulrich
4th. Scott Brandenburg
5th. Dennis White
6th. Nick Hagen
1st. Randy Gilkerson
2nd. Dennis White
3rd. Nick Hagen
4th. Tara Franz
5th. Sam Orozco
6th. Christian Arballo
