PRESS RELEASE – Nearly 60 wave riders competed in today’s Rick’s Reef Classic VIII surfing, body-boarding and stand-up paddle surfing competition at Satpon Point below the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort.

After two holdover dates on Feb. 28 and March 14, contest organizers were finally rewarded with perfect weather and three- to four-foot high waves which produced a quality competition for contestants and spectators alike.

After three rounds of heats, the Short Board Surfing Open category saw four contestants advancing into the finals with the following results:

1st place – Todd Genereux.  This is Genereux’s first entry in a Guahan Napu event and was a dark horse who wowed the spectators with his surfing prowess.  Said Willi Byerly, contest director, “Everyone noticed him at Talofofo Bay during the passage of Tropical Storm Bavi two weeks ago and we wondered where he had been hiding all these years even though he is known in the surf community.”

2nd place – Shane Pier

3rd place – Jared Brandon Gogue

4th place – Matt Robles

In the Masters Short Board Surfing categoy, for surfers age 50 and older, the results were:

1st place – Kenny Pier, 63

2nd place – Pascual Robles, 51

3rd place – Albert Juan, 58

4th place – Martin Leon Guerrero, 57

This is the first year that Guahan Napu Inc., event host and organizer, has introduced this division

In Long Board Surfing Open:

1st place – Richmond Arciaga

2nd place – Myles Driscoll

3rd place – Kenny Pier

4th place – Addison Moyer

In  Juniors Surfing (ages 11 to 18):

1st place – Jared Brandon Gogue

2nd place – Alison Bowman

3rd place – Misaki Cramer

4th place – Napu Taimanglo

In Body-Boarding Open:

1st place – John Barber

2nd place – Carl Dela Cruz

3rd place – Joe Santos

4th place – B.J. Cruz

In Stand Up Paddle Surfing (SUP) Open:

1st place – Roman Dela Crus

2nd place – Luis “Kiko” Bustamante

3rd place – Richmond Arciaga

For more details about the 2015 Rick’s Reef Classic VIII competition results, contact Willi Byerly at 483-1376, by email to gnipresident@teleguam.net or follow Guahan Napu on Facebook.