The contest status for the 2006 Nelscott Reef Tow In Classic, presented by Liquid Militia and the Nelscott Reef Surf Shop, has been moved to green light. Organizers have decided to hold the contest on Friday December 8th and have notified all contestants of the status change.
For the past 5 days, contest organizers have been monitoring the forecasted swell expected for Friday. The latest models show a significant long period swell to be in the 15-18’ range. This swell, combined with a period of 16-17 seconds, should produce waves at Nelscott Reef in the 30-40’ range.
Contestants are now scrambling to make arrangements to get to Oregon. With a 3 month holding period, the contest can be called any time with as little as 48 hours notice. Organizers decided to make the call early to allow a few extra days for everyone to get up to Oregon and maybe get a practice day in before the event.
The holding period was lengthened by one month to allow for a greater chance of having good conditions. Ironically, the contest will be held the same weekend as last year’s event in similar, but bigger, conditions.
Although the reef sits about 1/2 mile off the beach, it can be easily seen from shore. A modest pair of binoculars will get you right into the action. The contest will start at 8 AM sharp on Friday morning. People are invited to come watch from the beach at Canyons Park in Lincoln City. There is no parking at the beach, but parking is available in town at the Tangers Outlet Mall, and there will be a shuttle to the beach and back.
The Chinook Winds Casino will be hosting the after party and award ceremony. Doors open 5:30 PM and there are tickets available at the door ($25 – cash only). Food will be served and drinks available at the no-host bar.
The Nelscott Reef Tow in Classic is the only professional tow in contest on the North American Continent and one of only 2 professional tow in contests in the world. Oregon is not known in the surfing community as a destination for quality waves. The water ranges from the mid 40’s to upper 50’s year round and is usually plagued with high winds, pelting rain and hungry Great White Sharks.
A small window in the fall allows large swells generated from the first winter Pacific storms to reach the Oregon Coast while a dominant high pressure system remains over the Pacific Northwest. A few days a year, Nelscott Reef plays host to huge perfect waves.
Despite being visible from the well populated coastal town of Lincoln City, the reef wasn’t successfully ridden on a surfboard until 2003, when local, John Forse, convinced Peter Mel and Adam Replogle to come to Oregon and check out the wave – they surfed near perfect 30-40’ foot waves all day. Two years later, Behemoth, LLC put on the first Annual Nelscott Reef Tow In Classic held in 20-30’+ waves. The event was won by Zack and Jake Wormhoudt from Santa Cruz.
“We have put a lot of time into making sure the event runs smoothly and safely. Nelscott Reef is one of the best big wave venues in the world and we have the best big wave talent lined up. All the work has been done, now we have to sit back and wait for mother nature to send a big swell our way” said Behemoth, LLC partner, Jim Kusz. “The 3 month window allows us to be patient and hold the contest in the best conditions possible”.
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