THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250738
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
As head-high surf churned by tropical storm Chris crashed against the beach at Sandbridge, Fleet Martinette found it easy to remember one of his first experiences on a surfboard.
It was 10 years ago. His father, Jim, had given him a board of nearly 7 feet - thinking it too big for the 6-year-old to actually do anything with in the water.
``Next thing I see, he's carried it out into the surf and is nose-riding it,'' Jim Martinette Sr. said. ``He gets to shore and asks me, `Dad, is that what you're supposed to do?' I couldn't believe it.
``You could tell he was going to be a real natural.''
And so he is.
Martinette - a 16-year-old rising junior at Kellam High - has been hot-dogging it in the surf ever since.
He can walk the dog, hang 10, hang heels, do 360s and reverse takeoffs and just about anything else that can be done on a longboard.
And to top it all off, he recently captured the Under-17 Junior Olympic gold medal in the longboard event at Sebastian Inlet, Fla. - setting the trophy alongside more awards than he can shake a ``stick'' at.
This weekend, Martinette defends his open longboard championship in the 32nd Budweiser East Coast Surfing Championships at the south end of the Oceanfront.
He finished third in last year's junior men's division in shortboard and is looking to move up in that division.
The contest will be one of several tuneups for the Eastern Surfing Association's Eastern competition and the nationals in November.
``I surf all year long,'' said Martinette, who got his surfing desire from watching his father and his brother, Jim Jr. ``Even when it's so cold out there that your feet go numb in about a half hour, even though you're wearing a wet suit.
``I guess I've been in about 15 contests this year already. I don't have any idea how many I've been in since I started surfing. But I guess I've done pretty well.
Martinette said the recent Junior Olympic gold was undoubtedly his career highlight, but he hopes to top that with a national championship.
``The competition in the Junior Olympic event was better than I thought it would be,'' he said. ``I had gone down there thinking it wouldn't be much. But there were people from California and Hawaii and all over. It was pretty good.''
And winning against such competition gives Martinette an advantage in the nationals, he said, because the event will be held at Sebastian Inlet.
``I know the surf and the conditions there,'' he said. ``And winning there should help me.''
Like he needs help.
He's a natural. ILLUSTRATION: AT A GLANCE
WHAT: Professional and amateur surfing for men and women, along
with competitions in volleyball, skimboarding, tug-of-war and
obstacle course. Also live entertainment and food vendors.
WHERE: At the Oceanfront between 1st and 9th streets
SCHEDULE
TODAY
7 a.m.: ESA amateur competition begins.
FRIDAY
8 a.m.: Professional competition begins. Amateur surfing
continues. Beach volleyball and skimboarding competition begins.
Noon: Concessions open.
5-8:30 p.m.: ECSC kickoff party at the 5th Street stage,
featuring Bill Deal, Fat Ammon and The Original Rhondels.
SATURDAY
6:30 a.m.: Beachfront 5K late registration.
8 a.m.: Beachfront 5K starts; Pro/Am surfing continues; Beach
volleyball and skimboarding competition.
9 a.m.: Concessions and obstacle course open.
Noon: Team tug-of-war competition begins. The band ``Thrill
Cats'' performs.
2 p.m.: Band ``Shane's Last Stand'' performs.
4 p.m.: Women's swimsuit contest begins.
6 p.m.: Band ``Waterworks'' performs.
8 p.m.: Band ``Judy Bats'' performs on the 5th Street stage.
SUNDAY
8 a.m.-3 p.m.: Finals for Pro/Am surfing, volleyball and
skimboarding.
9 a.m.: Concessions and obstacle course open.
10 a.m.: Tug-of-war competition.
11 a.m.: Catamaran races.
Noon: Band ``Level Green'' performs.
2:30 p.m.: Awards ceremony.
3:30 p.m.: Women's swimsuit contest.
4:30 p.m.: Band ``The Smithereens'' performs.
by CNB