Page 6 - MidWeek West - Oct 12, 2022

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OCTOBER 12, 2022
Aloha Surfers and Beachgoers,
So far, Roctober has brought lots of wave energy!
BY GARY KEWLEY
October Brings Decent Swells, Surf Competitions
Waikīkī’s Kaniela Stewart fights for his first World Surf League title at the Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championships in Los Angeles. PHOTO COURTESY WSL/ITO
is that as much as ocean topography “shapes” the swells and waves we ride,
We’ve had a solid north-northeast swell, plus some south swells to keep the reefs packed with smiles.
It’s fascinating how ocean swells can be mag- nified or minimized de- pending on swell direction and the shape of the ocean floor. To put it very gener- ally, the hills and valleys on the seafloor act as funnels or blockades depending which way the swell is moving.
Again, this is a very gen- eral overview. Nature is al- ways more complicated and multifaceted.
This two-day interna- tional event will crown two world champions. Waikīkī’s Kaniela Stewart is hoping to be one of them. He’s ranked No. 1 going in.
Also looking to win is North Shore’s Honolua Blomfield. She won her third World Surf League Long Board Championship in 2021 and could very well win her fourth this time.
These somewhat-rare north-northeast events “get into” Windward O‘ahu and adjacent shores like Sandys (where they reached 4-plus feet solid) and Makapu‘u (where they hit 6 feet way outside).
The science is much more nuanced, but as surfers, we learn to appreciate the more salient features.
Moving on to some com- petitions. I’ m watching the Cuervo Classic Malibu Longboard Championships as I pen this.
“I am super excited to head into Malibu at the top of the rankings and looking at a chance to win my first world title,” Stewart says. “I just have to stay super focused and keep a good mindset ... The most import- ant thing I’ ve been focusing on is making sure that there is little to no space for er-
Tune in online at surfnewsnetwork.com for the latest.
In addition, the North
Another cool thought
gary@surfnewsnetwork.com
Shore, which faces mostly northwest, gets “the wrap” and hit 4-6 feet at local reefs on Oct. 4.
the sea surface is in part caused by waves, in addi- tion to tides, currents and the more generic “loading” of atmospheric pressure.
longboarding and hanging five and 10!
rors, so like no falling, no wobbly movements, mak- ing sure everything is su- per controlled, and making sure every maneuver is per- formed at its best.”
The “Bu” is an iconic spot about 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles. The waves are long and rip- pable — especially good for
GQ, droppin’ in 4 U!