Great Lakes Surfers Invited to Surf in Rincon Contest (Share the Stoke)

Hey GL Surfers!

Hope all is well and that all us Great Lakes surfers are getting our share of waves. My name is Ken and I'm a surfer here in Milwaukee, who recently relocated from Los Angeles. Prior to my departure 10 years ago I surfed the Milwaukee coastline of Lake Michigan with what was then a small band of dedicated surfers. It's amazing to see how much it's grown in such a short amount of time. But despite the growth, it's reassuring to see that the one thing remains the same; the vibe and the undeniable stoke.

And it's that "stoke" that has resulted in Great Lakes surfers being invited to participate in the 2012 Share the Stoke surf contest in Rincon. The date of the contest is March 24-25 and the link below provides some basic info on it. I've surfed in the Share the Stoke the past three years due to my work with the surf event, Doo Dah Surf. But long story short, it's dedicated to groups or clubs committed to enhancing the true vibe of surfing and stewardship of our oceans (or other bodies of water). I recently corresponded with Glenn Hening (founder of Groundswell and Share the Stoke) and shared with him how our vibe epitomizes everything the contest is about. And it didn't take long for him to extend the invite.

The event itself is not your traditional surf contest. Quite the contrary, the team with the most rides and riders on one wave wins! The past two years the Doo Dah Surf team maxed out at eight on a wave. Oh, and best of all, each team gets one hour of Rincon to itself. Yes, a one hour session at Rincon undisturbed. And last year it was pretty insane with chest to head highs coming through. If you've ever surfed Rincon, you know that an hour undisturbed with your closest friends (or fellow GL surfers) is pretty amazing. And if you've never surfed Rincon, well, simply imagine Malibu on Red Bull. Truly amazing wave and a surf culture vibe comparable to old school San O. I'm talking crabs by the beach, old school Cali vibe, Chumash ceremony, hanging with surfers, young and old, and of course a beautiful peeling right. Below is link to a summary from last year's event, as well as a gallery.

http://www.santabarbarasurfer.com/index.php/news/article/sharing_th...

To be invited is truly an honor. Beyond my past team with Doo Dah Surf, other invitees have included the Black Surfing Association, various surf clubs and high school teams, and Jesse Billauer's group, Life Rolls On, for their work in helping para and quadraplegic surfers. Thus, getting invited was no small feat. But clearly, our story and our stoke made it an easy pitch.

That being said, let me know via email if you're interested in finding out more. I'll be posting pictures on a special Share The Stoke facebook page to give you an idea of what it's about, and will likely use that page to begin coordination, which could prove to be cumbersome, albeit clearly doable. Cost for the GL team is $500 total, thus the more we have, the cheaper it'd be. Accomodations, camping, travel, etc..., well we're on our own for that. But more info can be provided in the coming days. Right now, we're just trying to get a read on the level of interest.

Yes, a long email, but to get the ball rolling, I figured the more info the better.   If you're interested contact me at greatlakestoke@gmail.com.  Also, feel free to forward this email to other GL surfers. 

Have a great one, pray for waves and aloha nui loa,

Ken