Sports
Hermosa Athletes Compete in Paddleboarding
Surf-riders from Hermosa Beach hit the waves for Hennessey's U.S. Paddleboard Championships.
Junior lifeguards, veteran paddlers and athletes competed in the 2010 Hennessey U.S. Paddleboard Championships, splashing in the waves and racing down the surf.
About 166 competitors participated in the weekend event, most from the South Bay and others from as far away as Australia. The competition included bare-hands paddleboarding in the prone position, along with kneeling by some competitors, and paddling while standing up on specialized paddleboards.
While the advanced competitors stole the show purely based on performance, the youthful exuberance of first-time racers carried the day.
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"I was really excited," said competitor Zoe Colomer who was bewildered and grinning after winning her first heat. "I didn't know I was a paddler, it was kind of a surprise."
Legendary local paddleboard builder Joe Bark's family had a great showing, with son Jack Bark, 16, placing fourth in the adult stock board division.
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"He just had me paddling from an early age. I used to be all mad at him for making me do it, tired and cold," explained Jack Bark, who paddles two or three times a week for training. "A couple years ago I started doing good in races...It's been like my own thing now, I like to do it."
