From left, Carl Dela Cruz, Jonathan Leon Guerrero and BJ Rolinski are the top three winners in the drop knee division of the Marianas Surf Skate League’s 3rd annual Boogie Down at Obyan at Obyan Beach on Saturday.
From left, BJ Rolinski, Carl Dela Cruz and John Barber are the top three winners in the open division of the Marianas Surf Skate League’s 3rd annual Boogie Down at Obyan at Obyan Beach on Saturday.
TOP surfers from Guam showcased their skills in the Marianas Surf Skate League’s 3rd Annual Boogie Down at Obyan on Saturday, and they certainly delivered.
John Barber claimed the open division title while BJ Rolinski triumphed in the drop knee division.
Open division
In the open division, Barber showcased his ability to pull off tricks with consistency.
Like every other competitor, Barber focused on combos and barrels whenever the opportunity arose. In the first round, he performed rollos and spinners. In the finals, he emerged from a small but long barrel and completed an air roll spin, earning him a total score of 16.83 and the open division title.
Coming in second was Carl Dela Cruz with a score of 15.06 followed by BJ Rolinski, who placed third with a score of 12.23.
Barber initially planned to shoot photos in the water during the event rather than compete, but after some encouragement from friends, he decided to join in.
“I knew the forecast was looking good, so I saw it as a great opportunity for all the bodyboarders to showcase their skills and share waves with each other,” he said. “Not to mention I had worked all week, so I was really itching to catch some waves!”
He said “overall, I feel blessed. While there is a lot of skill and strategy involved in competitive surfing, at the end of the day nature delivers the waves. It wasn’t super consistent throughout the day, so I was thankful I found the right waves to get me to the final. Overall, I thought this competition was awesome. Good waves and good vibes all around!”
He is thankful to God “for blessing us with waves and keeping us safe in the water. Big thanks to the Marianas Surf Skate League community for putting on this event. Also, to all the Saipan crew who have always been welcoming and happy to share waves — thank you. The hospitality and vibes have always been amazing every time I come to Saipan. Good waves, good company, good food and good vibes. Thanks to everyone who made it happen.”
Knee division
Claiming the drop knee division title was Rolinski, who showcased an arsenal of skills and tricks that earned him a total score of 15.34.
In second place was Jonathan Leon Guerrero with 14.77 followed by Carl Dela Cruz in third with 14.23.
According to Marianas Surf Skate League Chair Ed Manibusan, “Guam sent their best surfers, and it was an honor to have them compete against the CNMI’s best. BJ Rolinski is a decorated surfer from Guam in prone and drop knee. John Barber is also a decorated surfer from Guam who competes and surfs internationally. All the surfers from Guam are very humble, friendly, and we’re so excited to be here. We cannot thank them enough.”
He said CNMI surfers “did very well against Guam’s best. Herman Guerrero and Shuji Takanobu made the finals in their respective divisions, and we are so proud of all our local surfers that can match up with the…best….”
This year’s event was a one-day affair instead of the usual two.
“We felt that a day of competition was always the goal, but we wanted to make sure that we could do it effectively, and that we could provide a good and fair experience for the surfers, and also for the audience so they could enjoy the event all in one day, and a winner would be declared,” Manibusan said. “We know people’s time is valuable so having a one-day event is the best option. We look to try and improve every year, so look out for the next event,” he added.
The annual event has two divisions: open and drop knee.
In the open division, surfers must surf in the prone position to score points while in the drop knee division, surfers must have one knee on the board surface in order to score.
MSSL used software for registration, heat generation, scheduling, and scoring. This year, the top two surfers in each heat advanced to the next round, and scores were tabulated live for the surfers and audience to view at the event site and online.
A total of 24 competitors — 13 from Saipan and 11 from Guam — signed up for this year’s event
“We want to thank the CNMI for welcoming our guests and to continue to share the Hafa Adai spirit by supporting the event,” Manibusan said. “Thank you to DPS Marine Patrol and DFEMS for watching over our surfers and our community. We also want to thank our volunteers,” he added.
MSSL is likewise thankful to the event sponsors: Marpac, Kona Brewing, Ghost Energy, Allied Pacific Environmental Consulting, Atkins Kroll, ITE, Boarderline, All Star Sporting Goods, Athletes Foot, Roil Soil, Saipan Surf Company, Local Bones, Salty Skin, Caravan of Food, Mariana Arts, Lotus Surf Shop, SOIS, Pualani Crowns, Saipan Mayor’s Office, Marianas Visitors Authority, Sky Dive Saipan, Fish Guyz Scuba, J’s Restaurant, Vice Speaker Joel Camacho, Rep. Roy Ada, Donald Mendiola, DLNR-Parks & Rec, and Guahan Bodyboarders Inc.
