2006 Body Glove Surfbout Champion - Dustin Cuizon

Waves: Shoulder-to-head-high.

Weather: Overcast.

Action: When a contest starts off slow, it’s impossible to keep from wondering what’ll happen if it stays flat. Thankfully, this year, we didn’t have to find out. As if on cue, Lowers turned on for the last two days of the Body Glove Surfbout presented by Adio, and today, finals day, it was almost as if the ocean realized the people on the beach came out for a show.

All day long the sets poured through, and the boys out in the water responded in kind.

The quarter-finals of the Oakley Pro Junior were first up today.

In Heat 1, William Cordoso and Devon Tresher both made their bids to advance late, but with a last-minute 9 under his belt, Cordoso’s patience would pay off. He advanced in 2nd while Tresher claimed 1st on the merits of his late run.

Eric Geiselman put a high 8 and a 9.33 together during his Heat 2 win, but with an 8.83 under his belt, he sat for what seemed like an eternity before finding his second score.

“I was just trying to be patient out there,” he said, “but finally I got a good one. The waves are really rip-able and my board feels good. That was a fun heat.”

Advancing behind Geiselman from Heat 2 was Dylan Graves who also looked strong.

Alex Gray took down the win in his heat, Heat 3, and in Heat 4, Mitchell Coleborn comboed the field with a 9.93 and an 8.4.

In the Men’s Semis, Nate Yeomans and Dustin Cuizon continued their advance through the ranks in Heat 1, while Heat 2 saw Alex Gray emerge from his WQS semi in the top slot. Taking down San Diegan Austin Ware, WCT rookie Jarrad Howse and Damien Hobgood, Gray posted a pair of 8s and looked comfortable after his junior semi earlier in the day.

“The waves are so good today,” said Gray. “Yesterday was just sparkling Lowers, and its just as fun out there right now. We’ve got some incredible futuristic surfing going on.”

Commenting on his approach to competing in both the Men’s and Junior’s events, Gray said, “I’m just enjoying myself. The real fun of this whole thing is getting to surf Lowers with a clear lineup. So I’m just having fun. There’s a good vibe on the beach today and I’m trying to take that with me out into the water.”

Asher Nolan was on fire in Heat 3. Blazing out of the gates, Nolan posted an 8.17. He then backed that score up with a 7.07. Local favorite Shane Beschen made a push for the top slot late, with two big hacks and a smooth no-grab frontside-reverse, but Nolan’s total was enough to hold off Besch and he retained the top slot. Beschen advanced in 2nd.

Heat 4 of the Quarters was the undisputed high point of the show. With nonstop sets coming through, Che Stang, Luke Stedman, Kekoa Bacalso and Heath Walker put on a clinic. Taking full advantage of every face, the four went into a scoring frenzy that saw the highest heat totals of the 2006 Body Glove Surfbout. The scores were so high that surfers with 8’s as their backup rides were left out in the cold. Emerging in the top slot was Steadman with a 9.5 and an 8.03. Behind him was Bacalso, who rode a 10.0 and a 7.33 into the semis.

“That heat was so gnarly,” said Stedman “There were so many sets out there, it was just pumping. And Trestles is such a good wave, and if you get a good one, you know you can get the score. And that’s what happened. I got a 9 early on and was like, ‘Now I can relax a bit.’ But then it got crazy and I was like, ‘Oh, hang on, I’ve got to put the peddle to the metal.”

“That was the heaviest heat I’ve ever had,” said Bacalso.

2006 Oakley Pro Junior Champion - Eric Geiselman

Next up was Heat 1 of the Oakley Pro Junior’s semi-finals. Eric Geiselman took the win in that heat with Dylan Graves advancing in second place. Alex Gray and Alejandro Moreda dominated in the second heat, posting scores that beat out Mitch Coleborn and Sterling Spencer.

After winning his juniors heat, Gray stayed in the water for the Semis of the Men’s event, and went to work yet again. He posted an 8.83 and a 7.17 to take the win, which set him up for a double Finals appearance today.

Advancing from Semi 1 behind Gray was Hawaii’s Dustin Cuizon who squeaked through just before the horn with a 4.67 backup score.

In Semi 2, Asher Nolan fired the opening salvo and never looked back. After posting two 7.5s, Nolan locked up the top slot with a vicious forehand attack. Taking off on a running left, he slammed two gaffs, carved through a huge speed wrap and finished with an air-reverse in the soup for a 9.33. Advancing behind Nolan was Aussie CTer Luke Stedman with a high 8.83 and a high 4.

After the Men’s Semis, the contest switched gears yet again as the Oakley Finals commenced. The 30-minute heat however, was plagued by a seemingly endless lull. Sitting for 20-minutes with no activity at all, the competitors waited patiently for sets. And though the lines came marching in late, when they did arrive they did so in force, and the last 5-minutes of the heat was nail-biting.

Alex Gray led after the opening exchange, but then an interference against Alejandro Moreda caused his second score to be chopped in half. Gray still led after the penalty, but only briefly. Pouncing on the opportunity was Eric Geiselman who posted a 6.7 to take the win. At the horn, Dylan Graves also found a solid ride and his score, an 8.33, handed him 2nd while Gray finished just behind him in 3rd. Left with little to work with in the final was Moreda who finished in 4th.

“I was just trying to surf my best out there,” said Geiselman, “and I feel like I got lucky there at the end.”

After a 5-minute break, the Men’s Final was up next. Gray was in the water yet again, and he was joined by Asher Nolan, Dustin Cuizon and Luke Stedman for the finish of Day 5. A mirror image of the previous heat, the Men’s final began with a flurry and then slowly ground to a halt. Jumping out to an early lead was Hawaii’s Dustin Cuizon who posted a 9.17 in the opening moments. That score put the 21-year-old Hawaiian in the driver’s seat through out, and with a 6.97 he sealed the victory and became the 2006 Body Glove Surfbout champ.

“I didn’t really come here expecting to win,” said Cuizon, “but I wanted to surf hard. I’ve surfed here a lot in the past, but I feel like I just got lucky today and got some good ones.”

Understating his smoking surfing in the final, Cuizon accepted the $10,000 1st place prize. And while the Surfbout was his first WQS win, his history at Trestles is deeply entrenched. Cuizon has won 6 NSSA National Championships here, and now at 21, he’s looking to make a push towards the WQS top-16.