Nick Cote
The University’s club surf team traveled up to the sleepy fishing town of Westport, Wash., to compete in the Surfrider Foundation’s ninth annual Cleanwater Classic surf competition. Drawing about 120 surfers from all over the world, the Cleanwater Classic is the largest surf competition in the Pacific Northwest.
Four of the club’s members competed, though they said they were not prepared to compete against amateurs and professionals who have the opportunity to surf every day, rather than whenever weekends and school breaks allow. The waves during the competition were especially fickle, earning descriptions such as “mush-burgers” and “ankle slappers,” not allowing many opportunities for the club surfers to show off their skills.
Despite none of the team making it past the first heat of competition, the club ended up achieving what it set out to do: surf, even if no one is watching.
