Surfers in the water, a festival atmosphere, bands and beers. All for free (well except for the beers). What’s not to like, right!?
That’s the Super Girl Surf Pro, a tournament that features the top female surfers in the world competing for titles. Organizers call it “the world’s largest women’s surf event and music festival.” PubClub.com went to Oceanside in north San Diego County to check out the scene on its final day, a super-sunny Sunday, and here is a review of it.
It’s cool and the vibe is laid back, as one might expect. As mentioned previously, the event is free. Just walk up and start enjoying it. Plop down on the beach. Find a spot on the pier. Check out the bands. Have a beer or some wine. Grab something to eat from one of the many food vendors. Walk around the area on both sides of the Oceanside Pier.
Naturally, it takes a lot of sponsors for such an event to exist and there are sponsor tents all over the place. Some give out free stuff, the most popular of which on this day was free red capes just like the winners wear being printed by title sponsor Nissan.
How’s the crowd? A mix of beach-loving good looking people in their 20s and 30s to families (read: kids) to sun-weathered beach veterans.
How’s the competition? Elite. The trouble is, you can’t really see any of it.
Surfing, unlike another sand-side sport, beach volleyball, a sport I am very familiar with as I lived up the coast where the Wimbedon of each volleyball takes place, is difficult to watch the athletes. They are so far out in the ocean you can’t get a good look at them doing their craft. Oh, if someone rips it on the lip of a wave you can see and appreciate it but overall, the surfers are just dots in the distance, hardly distinguishable from the surfers you see out there every day.
In beach volleyball, the action takes place on the sand and is right in front of you. In fact, in many cases you can walk right up to the edge of the court and may even get smacked by a smashed volleyball. Pro’s Tip: If you really want to watch the girls rip the waves at Surfer Girl Pro events, bring binoculars.
The real reason to go from a PubClub.com standpoint, is the scene and the concerts. The last day featured the Spin Doctors after the finals.
The tour goes to other surfside cities and it’s certainly worth attending for an entertaining – and different – day at the beach.
Super Girl Pro Oceanside Photos
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