The best among the waves

Greg Risling

NEWPORT BEACH -- Most people wouldn’t recognize Thorsten Hegberg or

know that he’s the best of his class.

The 30-year-old seasonal Newport Beach lifeguard doesn’t stand out

from the multitude of bronzed, lean beach studs that populate Southern

California sand. What separates him from the crowd is a title no one can

take away from him: world champion.

For the second time in five years, Hegberg won the World Body Surfing

Championships in his hometown of Oceanside this past weekend. After

disposing of his competition in his age group -- some of whom traveled

from as far away as Brazil and Mexico -- Hegberg competed against eight

others who won their bracket and came out the final victor.

As luck would have it, the grand prize usually given to the world

champion -- a trip to Hawaii -- wasn’t offered the two times Hegberg took

home the glass trophy. The consolation prizes were a pair of sandals, a

straw hat, a Hawaiian shirt and a bottle of vintage wine.

“I think I’ll keep coming back until I get that trip,” Hegberg said.

“There weren’t a whole lot of sponsors this year, so I guess I missed out

for the second time.”

At first, Hegberg wasn’t even going to enter the event. Since he

claimed his first championship in 1994, he has more important priorities,

namely the birth of two sons, 3-year-old Quinten and 1-year-old Taigen. A

longtime friend who happened to be in the San Diego suburb signed

Hegberg’s name on the entry list several days before the heats.

Surfing is Hegberg’s first passion. His days of being a lifeguard in

Oceanside and Camp Pendleton when he was a teenager introduced him to

body surfing.

“You have to be a strong swimmer to be good at body surfing, but it

comes naturally,” he said. “Surfing is more difficult. I wouldn’t even

come close to being surfing’s world champion.”

Hegberg eventually moved to Newport Beach where he has been working

for the city’s Fire and Marine Department as a seasonal lifeguard. He

works with kids in and out of the water, both as a junior lifeguard

instructor and a sixth-grade teacher at Rea Elementary School.

One would think that having the most formidable body surfing spot in

the world, the Wedge, would be a good training spot for Hegberg, but one

would be wrong. Hegberg doesn’t venture to the dangerous offshore section

because of large crowds.

While many of his competitors were more flash than substance this past

weekend, Hegberg said he went back to the basics. He waited patiently to

catch the right wave, he was fluid in the tube like a glider cutting

through the air. He wasn’t an oceanic Houdini, pulling tricks to impress

the judges. He stuck to simple moves and he was rewarded.

“I’d rather ride the energy rather that skip along it,” he said. “It’s

nice not to have all the publicity. It’s a curse to have the fame and

glory. But it’s huge to say you’re the world champ.”

Hegberg doesn’t gloat about his achievements. He’s the same guy who

crossed a frigid river at night -- naked -- carrying a mountain bike and

a backpack over his head during an “adventure race” in Arizona last year.

The same guy who aspires to enter the “Teacher in Space” program that

selects an educator to travel aboard the Space Shuttle.

“The view would be phenomenal,” he said.

Who knows. Maybe 20 years from now, body surfing will gain popularity,

attract sponsors and larger crowds and have a champion named Quinten or

Taigen.

It’s possible, Hegberg reckons. Anything is possible.