"Seasides Heights Contest," Surfing Magazine, Jan 1969

The 4th Annual Atlantic States Surfing Contest, held at Seaside Heights, New Jersey on August 21st and 22nd, didn’t quite come off as planned. Seaside Heights is noted for having good waves and they were there on the 20th, the day before the contest, all 4 to 5 feet with beautiful swells and what might be called “short, hot, fun-riding waves.” But that night there was a small storm and the next day was beautiful and clear, with strong offshore winds that virtually blew the waves flat. The waves were breaking right on the beach, making it impossible for surfers to ride in any direction, except right into the sand.

Jim Williams, in connection with the Businessmen's Association of Seaside Heights, was running the contest on a very tight schedule. On August 22nd there was nothing to do but postpone the early morning events and wait for some better surf. Finally, at 11 a.m. after four postponements and a huddle with all concerned, it was decided to call off the second day’s contest schedule. Since all of the contestants were going to Virginia Beach the following weekend [for another contest], it made more sense to finish the event there. So the finals and the semi-finals were held at Virginia Beach the following weekend.

Here follows a roundup of the Seaside Heights contest which ended up being held at Virginia Beach, as reported by Mickey Gose:

We would like to make a point of issue about one young man by the name of Biddy Hunter from St. Augustine, Fla. This young man has, in his first year of competition, come from nowhere to the Seaside Heights finals. That’s quite an accomplishment.

In the Women’s finals, it was Elaine Davis, Pam Curtis, Kathy Butchko, [and others]. Well, for this reporter’s eyes it is always pleasant to watch ladies compete, and our little surfer gals are getting prettier each year. We’ve lost the presence of our most prominent young surfer personality, Mimi Munro, who has sort of retired, or semi-retired, from the surfing scene. But we have our other five young lovelies out there, and lovely they are, each in their own individual way. Not only are they lovely, but their surfing has improved. [Not long ago] it was quite a bore to watch the gals from the East compete, but watching them during their competition now, it appears to us that they are finally becoming very good surfers. The style of their surfing is progressively getting better. The turns they are making are similar to the men’s, especially Elaine Davis and Pam Curtis. They are getting more out of each wave that they ride.

Elaine Davis, like Biddy Hunter, is a newcomer to surfing competition, and like Biddy is also from St. Augustine, Fla. Elaine is not only a very good and competent goofyfooter but is quite capable of switching stance and is very competent with her roller coasters. Possibly what has made her come on so strong is the fact that she has chosen a short 6’ 10” vee-bottom surfboard. She’s doing extremely well with it.

1968 Seaside Heights AAAA

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