Jose Galvez rips it off the top of a heaving inside section during the Open Divison Final.
Photo by Joe McGovern.

"We postponed it three times," said ESA Co-Director Ron Belanger. "And it turned out to be the right call for sure. The beach was actually breaking better than anywhere else when we started the contest. I checked all the spots before we made the decision." With the relatively balmy air temperatures and big ridable surf, the turnout of competitors was greater than usual for a late October contest. That fact along with the great surf proved to be the right formula for some hot surfing in almost all events.

Senior Women's and Senior Women's longboard champion Ana Barend rips a powerful frontside off-the-lip during the Open Division Final.
Photo by Joe McGovern.

Belanger should know as he surfed brilliantly in the event, winning the very competitive Open Division with two perfect overhead lefts that kept reeling for the big points. Ana Barend, fresh off her 2nd place finish at the Easterns pulled off the lip bash of the day on another of those perfect rights, to finish 2nd behind Belanger. Ana's husband Chuck, could not find the 2nd big set wave and took 3rd place.
It was definitely Ron Belanger's best contest performance to date, as he sat on the far left sandbar at the corner of the contest area, and picked off three big time left peaks that propelled him to another first place finish in the Senior Men's final. Ace Peruvian transplant Jose Galvez finished 2nd with some nice slash backs. Chuck Barend nailed a super right peak, but could not find that elusive set wave and settled for 3rd.

Ron Belanger drops down the face of another perfect Narragansett Town Beach left during the Masters Longboard Final.
Photo by Joe McGovern.

Payback came big time for Chuck in the Master Longboard Final. The heat was a close one until Barend took off on a big overhead right that looked like it was going nowhere fast. Even as he pumped as fast as he could down the line it looked like the curtain was going to close. Once he hit the inside shorebreak the wave began to throw out over his head and he stayed covered in the tube for several seconds before shooting out onto the shoulder. Longtime locals who saw the ride all admitted that it was probably the best wave ever seen at the town beach. With the take off in front of the seawall parking lot steps and finishing up at the south pavilion, it was tough to argue the point. Needless to say the perfect scores were well deserved and the win was a lock with that one ride. Ron Belanger got more of those perfect lefts to take 2nd place but not nearly enough to win this one. Newcomer to the ranks Jarrett Parker nose rode to the 3rd position.

Narragansett's James Pilkington powers through a fast sectioning right barrel during the Junior Men's Final.
Photo by Joe McGovern

Youth was served in the Junior Men's Final with some very hot surfing. James Pilkington showed that local knowledge helps when he snared two overhead fast breaking right tubes to streak past James McGraghan for the title. Chris Orlando was only one point behind with a high scoring left A-frame peak. Ana Barend continued her unbeaten streak in regional competition as she blazed to victories in both the Senior Women's long and short board finals. Sara Parker landed some big bombs in the Women's Final, making a super elevator drop and racking up the points on several nice lefts.

Women's winner Sara Parker drops into a big overhead left peak during the final.
Photo by Joe McGovern.

Floridian transplant Randy Chrone charged some nice right peaks to take the Master's title over Jarrett Parker. Pat Redmond racked up big points with some wild drop-knee 360's on two perfect left peaks in the Open Bodyboard Final. Kitty Pechet continued undefeated in the Grand Legends division as she worked the inside walls for the win.

The season will wind down with the final event of the year on November 21st. The Annual Holiday Surfabout is scheduled to take place at either the Narragansett Town Beach or an area reef break. The event is on call for Friday night November 20th, after 6:00 PM. The ESA hotline phone number to call is 401-575-0003. For more information, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Final Results of the 35th Annual ESA Northeast Surfing Championships held at the Narragansett Town Beach on October 25th, 2009 in perfect overhead conditions. Boys-1.Cob Ingalls Junior Men- 1.James Pilkington 2.James McGraghan 3.Chris Orlando 4.Andy Ragosta Men- 1.Chris Kelusak Masters- 1.Randy Chrone 2.Jarrett Parker Senior Men- 1.Ron Belanger 2.Jose Galvez 3.Chuck Barend 4.Kai Holtbakk 5.Scott Sutherland Legends- 1.Peter Pan Grand Legends- 1.Kitty Pechet Women- 1.Sara Parker 2.Katie Ryan Senior Women- 1.Ana Barend Master Longboard- 1. Chuck Barend 2. Ron Belanger 3. Jarrett Parker 4. Kai Holtbakk 5.Jose Galvez 6. Scott Sutherland Legends Longboard- 1. Peter Pan 2. Kitty Pechet Women Longboard- 1. Ana Barend 2.Sara Parker 3.Katie Ryan Open Bodyboard- 1.Pat Redmond Open Shortboard- 1.Ron Belanger 2.Ana Barend 3.Chuck Barend 4.Jose Galvez 5.Andy Ragosta 6.Chris Orlando 7.James McGraghan 8.Chris Kelusak 9.Sara Parker 10.Jarrett Parker 11.Cob Ingalls 12.Scott Sutherland

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