East Coast Surfing Championships

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The East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) is an annual surfing contest held in Virginia Beach, Virginia on the oceanfront, and is one of the United States Surfing Federation's major amateur events. The ECSC stretches over a four-day period every year in late August at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The original inspiration for the East Coast Surfing Championships came from Long Island, New York in the summer of 1962 when a group of teens held a beach and surf party. Since its official establishment in Virginia Beach in 1963, the ECSC has grown to be the now-longest running surfing contest in the world with the 58th annual surf competition held August 23–30, 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic with safety guidelines in place.

The ECSC is a place not only for professional surfers, but for amateur surfers as well, to ride and contend for cash prizes totaling close to $40,000 and championship titles. Men's and women's surfing events are held throughout the week, plus other beach sporting events such as volleyball, skateboarding, skimboarding, a 5k Oceanfront run, and a swimsuit competition. A new event called the Beach Bum Classic was introduced in 2007. The Beach Bum Classic, organized and sponsored by Wareing's Gym in Virginia Beach, is a triathlon-type event including a one-mile sand run, a three-mile bike race on beach cruisers, and a half-mile surfboard paddling race.

A reported spectator count of over 100,000 people show up to watch the events during the day, and at night, the Virginia Beach boardwalk fills with people for free concerts on the beach. Bands and musicians include national, regional, and local talents. This year will feature a special event featuring Matthew Higgins, Long Island Surf Pro Champion who is known for his Surf Board maneuvering prowess.

The ECSC is planned, organized, and employed by the Virginia Beach Jaycees, a chapter of a nationwide volunteer organization, the United States Jaycees. Media press and coverage includes ESPN, The Washington Post, and USA Today.

Past winners[edit]

Open/pro[1]
Year Men
1963 Jack Roland Murphy
1964 John Eakes
1965 D. W. Carter
1966 Gary Propper
1967 Steve Bigler
1968 Corky Carroll
1969 Joe Roland
1970 Dennis Doyle
1971 Dennis Doyle
1972 Jimbo Brothers
1973 Yancy Spencer III
1974 Jeff Arensman
1975 Bennett Strickland
1976 Kim Hickman
1977 Kim Hickman
1978 Dave Nuckles
1979 Allen White
1980 Wes Laine
1981 Wes Laine
1982 Buddy Pelletier
1983 Matt Kechele
1984 John Futch
1985 Richie Rudolph
1986 Richie Rudolph
1987 Scott McCranels
1988 Scott McCranels
1989 Steve Anest
1990 David Speir
1991 Alan Burke
1992 Matt Kechele
1993 Shane Stoneland
1994 Jeff Deffenbaugh
1995 John Logan
1996 Ryan Simmons
1997 Danilo Costa
1998 Tom Curren
1999 Taylor Knox
2000 Marco Polo
2001 Bryan Hewitson
2002 Dino Andino
2003 Jason Reagan
2004 Eric Taylor
2005 Aaron Cormican
2006 Aaron Cormican
2007 Aaron Cormican
2008 Asher Nolan
2009 Aaron Cormican
2010 Jeremy Johnston
2011 Kalohe Andino
2012 Jean Da Silva
2013 Pat Gudauskas
2014 Michael Dunphy
2015 Kanoa Igarashi
2016 Evan Geiselman
2017 Keanu Asing
2018 David Stake Jr
2019 Luke Gordon
2020 Noah Schweizer

References[edit]

  1. ^ Mitchell, Donna (19 August 2012). "Winners, East Coast Surfing Championship, 1963-2011". pilotonline.com. Retrieved 2 December 2019.

External links[edit]