"Even with the forecasts predicted, you can never really pinpoint exactly how the surf is going to be," says Kim Diggs of Nags Head, N.C., "That's the beauty of this place: you never really know until you show up and see the ocean for yourself. Our beach breaks are quality with the potential to be world class, although like everywhere else we can fall victim to flat surf also. My hopes are that those visiting can experience the surf our home is capable of producing, setting our beaches apart from those it is so often compared to and what truly makes this place so magical."
Saturday to Monday will be a tremendous weekend for the Outer Banks surfing community as some of the biggest names in professional surfing will be paying it a visit to compete in the Bud Light Lime Surf Series Labor Day Cup.
Being an invitation-only event with the select number of 32 men and eight women competitors chosen, things get started with a trials competition going down beforehand, giving two trial winners the opportunity to secure a slot. The names that jump off the marquee include Gabe Kling, Dylan Graves, Kalani Robb and Sunny Garcia. Local invitees include Patagonia Female Ambassador Kim Diggs, Buxton's very own Pipeline charger Brett Barley, and Ben Bourgeois of Wilmington, N.C., (although we consider him a citizen of the world) as well as yours truly, who has the humbling good fortune of competing and covering this event daily as the competitive drama unfolds.
With world-renowned competitors traveling from the likes of Australia, the Hawaiian Islands, California, Florida, New Jersey, Virginia Beach and North Carolina, this surfing competition is no doubt the biggest to date for us as a very welcoming community. Both men's and women's competitors will be battling it out in hopes of securing their share of the $125,000 total prize purse, the prestigious title of Bud Light Lime Surf Series Champion as well as an additional invite to the Hurley Pro Bud Light Lime Showcase Expression Session taking place at the Hurley Lowers Pro, September 9-15 in San Clemente, Calif.
The character of this competition is far different to those with similar total prize purses, as it juxtaposes world-class athletes with the Outer Banks' famed grass-roots environment. Let it be known by the masses, Bud Lite Lime knows how to throw a proper surf competition, favorites among athletes and fans. Other activities proved by Bud Light Lime include autograph signings, Corn Hole tournament, Expression Sessions, and special guest appearances.
Diggs pretty much wrapped up the surf situation. With this event taking place during our hurricane season window, forecasts seem to be changing daily with all eyes on the tropics. To date, Tropical Depression 12 and Hurricane Kirk are currently forecasted to tickle our swell window. But will they make it in time for this event seems to be the riddle in hand.
Carlsbad's Ricky Whitlock has competed in two Bud Light Lime Surf events previously and making his second official East Coast excursion.
"North Carolina is definitely one of the best places I have visited in the United States, hands down on the East Coast -- good waves, rad people, and cool chicks. The only thing missing are the mountains. I love this place," he shared.
How cool the chicks think Whitlock is has yet to be determined. We'll keep you updated with his results in and out of the water.
Maui native Cheyne Magnusson, who now resides in the "City of Angels" was an honorary invitee to the Bud Light Lime Surf Series that took place in Oceanside earlier this summer.
"What separates this event is the laid-back atmosphere and format of this competition," explains Magnusson, "Our criteria is to give a good show to the audience and have fun doing so. We get to surf twice whether we win or loose and even after the results post we get to partake in the Expression Sessions that showcases the more radical surfing that the spectators came to see. It's events like these that make competition fun for both the athletes and spectators."
2012 Bud Light Lime Surf Series Labor Day Cup Invitees:
1. Aaron Cormican
2. Alek Parker
3. Asher Nolan
4. Ben Bourgeois
5. Benji Weatherley
6. Brett Barley
7. Cheyne Magnusson
8. C.J Kanuha
9. Damien Fahrenfort
10. Dean Morrison
11. Dylan Goodale
12. Dylan Graves
13. Fred Patacchia, Jr.
14. Gabe Kling
15. Jeff Myers
16. Jeremy Johnston
17. Kalani Robb
18. Kekoa Bacalso
19. Kilian Garland
20. Makua Rothman
21. Michael Dunphy
22. Nathaniel Curran
23. Oliver Kurtz
24. Ricky Whitlock
25. Sam Hammer
26. Sean Moody
27. Sunny Garcia
28. Torrey Meister
29. TBD
30. TBD
31. Local Trials Winner #1
32. Local Trials Winner #2