COMP: The 2024 Belmar Pro

Photos by Danny Stockdale and Mike Vuocolo

Comp Report words by Mark Sisom

The Belmar Pro has a “Guardian Angel! …. I mean it MUST, right? If not, what else can explain this event’s luck for waves every single year?  It has absolutely baffled everyone to another level this year, and we pray it never ends.

Considering the event is always held each year on the weekend closest to September 10th (the statistical peak day for chances of waves each year) at the peak of hurricane season, and that there was not even anything resembling a storm in the critical development region of the Atlantic leading up to the event, the fact that literally out of the blue a spontaneous weather front appeared on the local radar just in time to churn up waves for the event seems almost “divine”, serendipitous if you will. Whatever you want to call it, we are extremely grateful for it!

A Low pressure off the Mid-Atlantic Coast pumped in solid surf for the first two days of the three-day event. An approaching frontal system moved through the area Saturday afternoon allowing for shifting winds and offshore conditions behind the front for late Saturday afternoon through Sunday finals day

The waves Friday and Saturday saw some relentless, short period overhead sets with random moments of light wind and semi-clean conditions. As the wind turned offshore late Saturday afternoon we knew the inevitable drop in surf would happen overnight in to Sunday. However, just enough waves stuck around to pull off finals day.

The bowling waves of Friday and Saturday resulted in some great surfing by the competitors with many high scores being put down, especially in the FINS Mens Open and Playa Bowl Women’s Open heats. So much so that I decided to list the top 25 individual wave scores by both the Mens and Womens divisions below in this post so you can really see who the dominant surfers were. Those numbers tell the story clearly!

Kai and Blayr Barton, last year’s Mens winner Alberto Munoz, south Jersey phenoms Rob Kelly and Cruz Dinofa, New Smyrna’s Logan Hayes (riding that big wave in this year’s banners design) and local Alex Brooks were the in-form surfers of the Mens division. Multiple BP Women’s champ Cassidy McClain, Brynn Gallagher and former champ, local Jessica Kwiecinski were the dominant surfers of the women’s division.

Local Jack Murphy battled it out looking to regain his title in the Joes Surf Shack Sr Men division against Corey Miller and Miller just edged Murph out by a less than half a point. Cooper Lysinger rode with great style to take out the Pacifico Longboard title. Joe Gillen rode a smart heat to take the Cecil Lear Legends title and local Gary Finnigan stylishly surfed his way to win the EL Legends title.

But the two biggest feel-good moments of the event were absolutely amazing:

1. The Barton brothers manifesting their dream to be in the final together and were on fire throughout the entire event dropping one big score after another and put on a show as their efforts resulted in both of them being chaired out of the water together to a standing ovation from the beach.

2. South Jersey’s Cassidy McClain dominating through her TENTH (yes tenth!) Belmar Pro Womens title making her the winning-est competitor across all divisions in the history of this event. The Belmar Pro just completed it’s 23rd year and she has dominated literally half of this event’s history. Not only has she achieved this great accomplishment, but she has been working as a fantastic, accurate and fair judge for the past several years as well, and we are beyond delighted to see her do her thing and have her be a part of this event.

On behalf of everyone involved in the Belmar Pro, we wish special thanks and love to all the sponsors and vendors for making this one of the smoothest and best feel-good weekends in our event’s history. Can’t wait to see you all next year! ~ Mark Sisom

Results Of The 2024 Pacifico Belmar Pro

FINS Mens Pro:

1 Blayr Barton 16.54
2 Kai Barton 14.43

Joes Surf Shack Sr. Mens:

1 Corey Miller 10.77
2 Jack Murphy 10.67
3 Brian Dalton 6.80
4 Justin Citta 5.93

PlayaBowls Women’s Pro:

1 Cassidy McClain 13.36
2 Brynn Gallagher 10.93
3 Jess Kwiecinski 6.63
4 Zoe Heirsen 3.77

Cecil Lear Legends:

1 Joseph Gillen 10.56
2 Jay Hawekotte 7.80
3 Gary Finnigan Sr 7.46
4 Dean Schoonover 7.07
5 Pat Cunningham 2.60

Pacifico Longboard:

1 Cooper Lysinger 14.23
2 Jake DeMatteo 10.46
3 James Carr 9.10
4 Jude McAfee 8.04

EL Legends Longboard:

1 Gary Finnigan Sr 10.73
2 Joseph Gillen 8.77
3 Pat Cunningham 5.93
4 Charlie Vanderlinde 3.60