Robb Massar remembers the exact day he picked up kneeboarding.
It was July 1, 1973 – and the first thing he did on his 16th birthday after he got his driver’s license was head to Froghouse surf shop in Newport Beach to buy a board and try out the then booming sport.
There are a variety of reasons people get into this specialty subculture of surfing. For some, it allows them to score more barrels, staying lower on the board while sitting on their knees instead of standing. Others start for logistics – they had to use the smaller boards because the buses from inland had height requirements, Massar said.
Once a popular segment of surfing, kneeboarding fizzled through the years but is seeing an upswing once again, and locals are excited that the Kneeboard Surfing USA Titles and Festivals are back again in Huntington Beach.
CHECK OUT PHOTOS OF FRIDAY’S ACTION BELOW:
The contest kicked off Friday with sizable waves, but a much-anticipated swell showed smaller than surfers had hoped for. Competitors came from around the world for the event, which runs through Saturday on the south side of the pier.
“We wanted a little more swell in the water,” said Mike Butler, who created Bolsa surfwear. “Kneeboarders like the big gnarly stuff, so the bigger the better.”
The event brought people from around the world to compete, included a group from Venezuela.
“The waves are big for us,” said Joffre Guilarte. “And the most difficult for us, is the weather. It’s cold. We never use a suit. It’s different, you feel stiff.”
Massar said there’s a new generation of younger kids getting into the sport.
He was standing on the sand videotaping the event, trying to document history of kneeboarding from decades ago.
“I’m trying to get these guys to give me their stories – because once they’re gone, all the stories of how they got started and all that is gone. We’re trying to preserve our little piece of surf history,” he said.
The contest continues Saturday starting at 7 a.m. If you are headed to the beach today, be warned that there’s plenty of swell in the water still so beware of strong waves and rip currents.
Follow reporter Laylan Connelly on Twitter @ ocbeaches, or at facebook.com/ocbeaches.
