Nora O'Malley
Westerly News
Cox Bay was firing with dream conditions and Hawaiianess sunshine as 84 competitors from across North America took to the water for the 2nd Annual Tofino Paddle Surf SUP Invitational.
In the Men’s Open SUP Division, 14-year-old Jeffrey Spencer from Maui earned himself the win and the opportunity to represent Canada at the 2016 International Surfing Association (ISA) World SUP and Paddleboard Championships in April.
The young competitor who holds dual Canadian-American citizenship beat out Tofino Paddle Surf team rider Marco Procopio, T’ashii Paddle School SUP guide Glen Pearson, and his little brother Finn Spencer, 12, in the final heat of the day.
“The start of the day was definitely big. You could get lots of turns in. By the end of the day it was pretty small and you had to work for your scores,” said Jeffrey Spencer.
“We all had a bunch of waves that were pretty similar, so I had no idea who was going to be first or who was going to be last. It could have been any order,” he said.
In the Women’s Open SUP Division, Catherine Bruhwiler handily SUP surfed her way to the top of the podium, beating out 18 female competitors.
“I learnt so much during the event, watching all the really good paddlers. The level of skill is so much higher than it was last year. The sport is progressing,” she said.
The win has also earned Bruhwiler a spot on the Canadian Paddleboard team and an invitation to ISA World Championships. Whether or not she can actually journey to the Worlds depends on financial backing.
“It’s quite an expensive trip, so if we can raise the funds or somehow if some company wants to come forward and help sponsor the athletes, but the thing is we’re not professional athletes. We have to leave our jobs and use our money, so it’s hard. Amateur sports are hard that way,” said Bruhwiler.
RESULTS – Tofino Paddle Surf SUP SURF Invitational at Cox Bay Oct. 23-25
OPEN MENS SUP
1. Jeffrey Spencer - Hawaii
2. Marco Procopio - Tofino
3. Glen Pearson - Tofino
4. Fin Spencer - Hawaii
WOMENS SUP
1. Cath Bruhwiler - Tofino
2. Diane Wenzel - California
3. Nadia Baer - Ontario
4. Mathea Olin - Tofino
AMATEUR MENS SUP
1. Mike Redpath - Victoria
2. Adam Schell - Vancouver
3. Aaron Pilon - Ontario
4. Chris Fawbert - Campbell River
MENS SHORTBOARD
1. Kalum Bruhwiler - Tofino
2. Arlen Osborne - Australia
3. Francis Bruhwiler - Tofino
4. Andrew Sadler - Tofino
WOMENS SHORTBOARD
1. Cath Bruhwiler - Tofino
2. Shandy K. - Tofino
3. Mathea Olin - Tofino
4. Joey Rukavina - Tofino
MIXED LONGBOARD
1. Robbie Ferguson - Tofino
2. Andrew Sadler - Tofino
3. Mathea Olin - Tofino
4. Asia Dryden - Tofino
U16 BOYS
1. Kalum Bruhwiler - Tofino
2. Reed Platenius - Tofino
3. Jeffrey Spencer - Hawaii
4. Finn Spencer - Hawaii
U16 GIRLS
1. Jasmine Porter - Tofino
2. Sanoa Olin - Tofino
3. Keanna Hasz - Tofino
4. Serena Porter – Tofino
BODY SURF EXPRESSION SESSION
Zak Cross
Riley Richards
Marcel Gasparovic
Peter Krak
Lenka Rrakociova