8th Annual Tony Mezzadri Surf Contest

Text by Doug Grimm
Photos by Felipe Poli and Rafael Pedroso

Ocean Beach carries the honor of being considered a great "surf community" of San Diego. The Eighth Annual Tony Mezzadri Surf Contest demonstrated why OB has earned this proud reputation. With a thick marine layer hovering over the day, the partnership between the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and the Sunset Cliffs Surfing Association (SCSA) hosted an event which displayed the character of the residents and surfers that call this beach neighborhood home. By breaking the 2000 records for fund raising, this year's contest and spaghetti dinner raised nearly $50,000 for Spinal Cord Research. Oh yeah, there was some incredible surfing happening as well.

Tony Mezzadri suffered a spinal cord injury in 1994 surfing here at the Ocean Beach Pier. Friends immediately organized the inaugural contest to help the Mezzadri family. Not only raising Tony's spirits, the contest was uplifting for everyone involved. Growing each year, the contest expanded to new levels in 1998 when the PVA and the SCSA joined the team. This increased exposure has inspired an incredible amount of corporate and local sponsorship, with all of the proceeds being donated to the Neuroscience Lab at UCSD for development of a reversal procedure for spinal cord injuries.

"I'm lucky to have the opportunity to make an impact and help others through paralysis," smiles Tony while watching the competition during a longboard heat. "All of the hard work put into today brings great awareness and research opportunities."

The special significance of holding the event where the injury occurred is something Tony does not shy away from. "I still feel connected to this place," he told me. "Holding the contest at the pier means so much to everyone. I guess it shows that we can overcome anything."

Always quick to point out the over 30 volunteers working the event, The Mezzadri family modestly downplays their role in putting on the contest. "They're great," declares Amanda Pearson, director of Development and Communication for the PVA, regarding the Mezzadri's. "They collected everything for today in their garage, and let the out of town guests stay at their home." Tony's mother and father, Susan and Frank, and his brother Drew all contribute their efforts to this contest and to spinal cord research with love and passion.

The work of the Mezzadri's is fully complemented by the goals and accomplishment of the Parayzed Veterans of America, Cal-Diego Chapter. The contributions of the PVA extend throughout their communities, providing support for events like today's contest and building awareness of spinal cord injury research efforts. The initiative closest to the heart of this group, though, is the development of a positive environment for paralyzed people everywhere. With over 470 members in the Cal-Diego Chapter, the PVA successfully enhances the lives of children and adults suffering from paralysis by providing services and activities they can take advantage of. To learn more about the PVA log on to their website at caldiegopva.org.

The community involvement displayed by the PVA matches the values of the Sunset Cliffs Surfing Association, allowing this to be a perfect partnership to help the Mezzadri Surf Contest become big time. "The Mezzadri contest and the work of the PVA fit with what our Association believes in and is committed to." Answers Lee Edging of the SCSA when asked about their club's involvement in the contest. "Our members and our surf team all recognize that community involvement and surfing go hand in hand". While providing a small town feel among surfers in the OB and Sunset Cliffs neighborhoods, the family oriented SCSA encourages the young contest surfers they sponsor to understand the importance of philanthropy in their lives. "This contest is everything we are about." Explained Lee with enthusiasm, "Great surfing and helping a great cause. What a great day!"

Whether inspired by the day's charitable vibe or by the chest to overhead waves, the surfers were amazing. The early heats saw glassy set waves that would start breaking south of the pier, and then turn into perfect peeling lefts breaking all the way to the beach. The shortboard competitors were treated to wide open faces, perfect for carving and cutbacks. Longboarders exploited the opportunities provided by the morning glass by scoring perfect nose rides and switching stance during cutbacks. With the Mezzadri Contest being open to any surfers, some truly creative stylists entertained the lively crowd on the beach. Surfshot.com congratulates all of the competitors for participating in this great event. Here are the contest results:

Young Men Shortboard
1. Ian Rotgans
2. Rodger Eales
3. Julian Mullins

Young Men Longboard
1. Tyler Mitchel
2 Matt Determan
3. Mike Lamprides

Womens Open
1. Lisa Carulli
2. Liz Burnes
3. Samantha Roper

Mens Shortboard
1. Layne Harrison
2. Ryan Bracker
3. Greg Bergen

Mens Longboard
1. Dave Ellison
2. Ryan Ybarra
3. Billy "Butter" Joyce

Real Men Longboard
1. Nate Cintas
2. Smitty
3. Rob "RB" Brockman

The Stars and Stripes proudly adorned the setting at the Ocean Beach Pier on this special day. With the shocking developments of the previous two weeks fresh on everyone's mind, the OB community was out in force to enjoy the healing touch of the ocean. You could see that people were starting to feel right again. "Today is representative of America." Tony Mezzadri, a veteran, mentioned while looking out to the Pacific Ocean, "That people still came out to support the contest shows how unique our country really is. It shows that there is always hope."

Click on the images on the right to view all pictures of the event.