2002 Quicksilver/Roxy Surf Jam
by Josh Temple
Despite thick fog and chilly October conditions the 2002 Quicksilver/Roxy Surf Jam held at Cox Bay in Tofino this past weekend proved that Canadian surfing, and Canadian surf talent, is as hot as ever.
Pro and amateur surfers from as far away as California descended on the quaint coastal community of Tofino for this year's big event hosted by the British Columbia Surfing Association (BCSA) and Long Beach Lodge. Top US surf pro's including Peter Mel and Shaun Burrell went head to head against Canada's finest watermen and women and discovered a plethora of local talent that proved more than a match for their honed professional skills.
Competing in a myriad of categories including pro men and women short board, longboard, junior, and amateur divisions surfers faced challenging conditions on day one of the event as dense fog forced two separate delays and sent contestants and spectators scrambling for their cold weather gear. As finicky as ambient conditions were however, contestants couldn't have asked for better surf as consistent October swells produced shoulder to head-high waves with the occasional over-head set rolling through to keep things interesting.
Surf contests are usually filled with a certain level of high drama and the 2002 Quicksilver/Roxy Surf Jam was no exception. Undertones of multinational rivalry predominated the event as top US pro's vied for honours over local Canadian talent. Consequently, Canadian pro's were adamant about defending their titles and subsequent national pride and dug deep within their respective talent pools to produce a strong defense against a proven stateside offence. The result, to the delight of judges and spectators alike, was bar none some of the finest surfing ever witnessed at a BCSA event.
Local Canadian pro's Peter Devries and brothers Raph and Sepp Bruhwiler dominated the surf with flawless maneuvers that displayed both style and power. A combination that proved too much for visiting US pro's as the two top spots in the pro men's short board division went to Peter Devries and Raph Bruhwiler respectively. A finish that no doubt left visiting Californian pro's scratching their heads and running for cover.
The pro women's shortboard division was equally as exciting and filled with it's own sense of high emotion as past champion Catherine Bruhwiler-Temple, who struggled for nearly four years competitively as she juggled competitive surfing with raising two children, reclaimed her spot at the top after nearly four years in semi-retirement. Besting Kassia , yet another US pro from Malibu,CA Catherine proved that women's surfing is as strong as ever north of the border and able to hold it's own on a competitive level with the best the US has to offer.
The real cinderella story however belongs to the men's amateur short board division where yet another Bruhwiler rose through the ranks to land at the top with a first place finish. Francis Bruhwiler, who has historically received more recognition for his alpine skills rather than his surfing, decided at the last minute to enter the competition and brought a level of surfing to the Surf Jam that leveled his opposition. Winning his championship heat with solid maneuvers that displayed talent perhaps more suited for the pro division Francis proved that even on an amateur level Canadian surfing is as exciting as ever.
With all top honours going to local Canadian talent it's a wonder if we'll see more US pro's making the journey north to compete against what's now considered a formidable opponent in the global competitive surf scene.
For information on next year's event contact Dom Domic at the British Columbia Surfing Association at www.bcsa.ca.
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