The best thing about surfing

JAMES PRIBRAM

I’ve surfed in hundreds of surfing contests, some for money and fame,

others for trophies and ratings points as an amateur. But my drive to

excel in surfing came from one place and that is my love for surfing

and the ocean.

To be quiet honest, I enjoyed surfing a lot more before I turned

professional at age 18. For me, it has always been about surfing with

my friends and I have no better example of that than last weekend.

As I competed in the eighth annual Clean Water Classic -- a team

challenge benefit contest to help stop ocean pollution. The event was

held at Rincon in Santa Barbara and I competed with a group of men

and women all who would soon become my friends.

It was awesome surfing with all of them, I loved it. Each team

would have 40 minutes to surf and catch as many waves and in the

finals they were given a 50-minute heat. The combined scores from

each team were calculated and the top four teams battled it out in

the finals.

It all took place in good uncrowned, head high glassy conditions.

Our team, UC San Onofre, included former three-time World Champion

Tom Curren, musical genius Steve Wood of Honk fame and skim board

sensation Bill Bryan.

Most importantly, our team made it an enjoyable weekend -- the

high fives, the enthusiasm, the screaming and the pure love everyone

had for surfing.

Never mind that we got ripped off with our third-place trophy,

because the memories that we have of that weekend far outweigh any

first-place trophy. In the end it isn’t about who wins or loses, it’s

about who has the best team and the best time and that was us.

Peace.