THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 24, 1995 TAG: 9508240658
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Short : 35 lines
The 33rd annual Budweiser East Coast Surfing Championships get under way today at Rudee Inlet with preliminary heats in the amateur division.
Professional surfing starts Friday morning - with finals in both divisions scheduled for Sunday.
Hosted by the Virginia Beach Jaycees, the event is the longest continuous-running surfing event in the country and second-longest in the world.
Surrounded by a sports festival and beach party atmosphere, the ECSC draws upward of 100,000 spectators each year.
Included in the sports festival is competition in skimboarding and tug-of-war, tournaments for golf and volleyball, a 5K run and a catamaran regatta. There will be concessions and live music. Women's swimsuit competitions will be held Saturday and Sunday.
More than 200 amateur surfers are expected to participate in divisions for youth, men and women in regular surfing, bodyboarding and longboard. The Eastern Surfing Association runs the amateur side of the contest.
Between 75 and 100 professionals from the Bud Surf Tour will make their sixth stop on the eight-city tour - competing for overall points that will determine a U.S. champion. The ECSC stop on the Bud Surf Tour features the largest purse of any East Coast event - $25,000 - with the men's winner taking home $4,000. The women's and longboard winners each will get $2,500. by CNB