Pre-Bowl paddle

This Sunday, before the chips and dip make their way to the coffee table and people gather in front of the television to watch huge guys pound each other flat on the football field, a group of surfers will hit the waves.

The early start’s not so unusual in Huntington Beach, where hundreds of wave riders are usually already in the water in the morning, but this is Super Bowl Sunday, and these surfers want to keep a tradition alive — to paddle out and around the pier before anyone else.

The Huntington Beach Longboard Crew’s 21st annual Pier Paddle is scheduled to get underway at 9 a.m. at the south side of the Huntington Beach pier. Racers must paddle around the tip of the pier to the north side and surf into the sand before they receive a prize.

Last year’s paddle was postponed from New Year’s Day to Super Bowl Sunday after a dredging pipe from the Bolsa Chica project became entangled in the pier’s pilings.

“Basically, lifeguards were keeping people away from the pier so they wouldn’t get caught in the pier,” Huntington Beach lifeguard Steve Reuter said. “So I convinced Gary [Sahagen] to postpone it, and he did.”

It was probably for the best, since most of those who wanted to participate had a rough time overcoming New Year’s Eve party hangovers, Reuter said.

Sahagen, the director and founder of the Longboard Crew and chairman of the Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum, decided to try it again on Super Bowl Sunday. A bonus is that the event will dovetail into the Pacific Shoreline Marathon.

Sahagen had the idea to get the paddle racers out to the marathon’s start line and set up a gauntlet of longboards to add a little Surf City flavor to the 5-K race. Get there by 6 a.m. to set up at the start line by the Huntington Beach Pier. The race starts at 6:30 a.m. After that, head on over to the Sugar Shack for breakfast and maybe get some coffee.

“I think Steve has participated and won the contest more than anyone,” Sahagen said.

Reuter has to work Sunday, so he can’t join in the fun. At least his lifeguard job gives him a great seat for the show — right at the pier’s lifeguard tower.

“I always think it’s fun, but you know I’ll do it next year,” he said. “Some guys take it way too serious.”

Last year, someone showed with a professional-style paddleboard and insisted he could surf in on the thing, Sahagen said. At first he just cruised past everyone, but once the racers hit the waves, he ate it and was completely passed by the crowd.

For all ages, the Longboard Crew’s only request is that participants bring something to surf in on. In other words, no paddleboards.

So get a wetsuit ready and the board waxed up. It’s going to be cold.

The top-six finishers will receive medals. Then the crew will hit the beer garden for some entertainment and exchange race stories with any marathoners who pop in, Sahagen said.

“It’s basically all over by noon,” Sahagen said.

That should be a relief to the football fans -- kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. Then again, some folks might not get home until halftime.

“I remember last year the beer was even gone before eleven. I have been assured that won’t be happening again,” Sahagen said.