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More than 60 people had already signed up to get a taste of the surf at South Beach as of Monday, but Kurtis Shaul and Dillon Cleavenger hope more will “connect with the ocean first hand.”

To them, the Crescent City Classic Longboard Competition & Festival on Sept. 28 and 29 is a way to bring visitors to the local community. It’s also a chance to showcase traditional longboard surfing while giving contestants an opportunity to challenge themselves, Cleavenger said.

“It is my personal belief that all surfers are lifeguards if the situation calls for it, and many of us surfers feel a strong need to care for our coastline locally and the ocean’s health worldwide,” said Cleavenger, coordinator for the North Coast Junior Lifeguard program. “Our hope this year is that young people in our communities will not be intimidated by the competition factor of this event and will come out and participate no matter what their skill level is.”


Hosted through the Redwood Parks Conservancy, the official nonprofit partner for Redwood National and State Parks, the competition will feature heats for men, women and kids. The main competition will be held Saturday Sept. 28 with the finals concluding Sunday Sept. 29.

Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 and the competition starts at 9 a.m. on South Beach. The festival itself will be held from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 28 and 29 at 132 Anchor Way in Crescent City.

According to Shaul, the Redwood Parks Conservancy’s event and community engagement director, the competition fee is $30 for adults and free for kids 6-13. To sign up, click here.

“It’s a family event,” Shaul said of the competition. “It’s to bring the heart of surfing to the community. It’s already there. But it’s also to help educate and get more people actively involved in getting outdoors.”

The Crescent City Longboard Competition isn’t the first to take advantage of the waves off South Beach. The Noll Longboard Classic had been a staple in the community for 16 years through 2011. Named for the legendary surfer Greg Noll, the competition drew between 220 and 260 participants to the region, Megan Hanson, of the Times-Standard reported on Sept. 18, 2011.

The Nolls had a surf shop in Crescent City, Noll Surf & Skate, Shaul said. The competition was a staple, and though it had been many years since it took place, the Redwood Parks Consevancy was able to reach out to local surfers and put together its first competition last year.

“This year we had a little bit more time to plan it out so we’re expanding and bringing it back to what it used to be when the Nolls put it together,” Shaul said. “The Crescent City Harbor District is letting us utilize their piece of property that’s across from South Beach. Depending on how the tide is, the surfers will be visible. There’s also a good thoroughfare for people to walk between the festival and the surfing competition.”

According to Cleavenger, the men’s and women’s longboard competition will be for boards 9 feet and up with no leash.

For the kids competition, however, there are no board requirements and soft tops will be available for those who want to borrow them.

There will also be a traditional North Coast Junior Lifeguard open water swim course. Participants can do it on their own or as part of a relay though they must bring their own board, Cleavenger said.

“I really hope we can fill the kids portion of this event because the emphasis will be on fun, healthy recreation,” he said. “And lifeguards will be in the water to support anyone who needs it.”

Along with the competition, the festival will feature live music from local bands as well as a variety of vendors who are also offering local food. There will also be a beer garden.

Proceeds for the event will go toward projects in Redwood National and State Parks.

To volunteer for the event, email events@redwoodparks.org.

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