A world champion female surfer named Margot Godfrey (Oberg) won the WindanSea Menehune contest over 50 years ago when she was still a young girl and far before any world championships were yet on her horizon. Considered the Granddaddy of all junior surf competitions, the contest found a young Margot riding a wave into the sunset of many successes. It was the year of 1963 when a group of surfers paddling out in search of the perfect wave formed the world renowned WindanSea Surf Club; among the formative group was La Jollan Chip Hasley’s father, Chuck Hasley. “My father, Chuck Hasley was one of the founders of the club back in 1963, so you could say I’ve been ‘involved’ since the WindanSea Surf Club started. I got involved with the contest in the mid 2000s because I enjoyed seeing how stoked the kids are to surf in a contest environment,” Chip Hasley explained. And today half a century later, the club is still going strong with legendary members such as Skip Frye, Pipeline surfer Butch Van Artsdalen and two-time world longboard champion Jen Smith. This is a surf club with members who have had their photos splashed across every kind of media available in today’s world. It’s also an accomplished group of surfers who are proud to know the best surf spots in La Jolla and perhaps even motivated The Beach Boy’s to include La Jolla as one of their pioneering surf spots in their 1963 hit song “Surfin’ USA.” The accolades of this group are as wide and vast as the ocean is deep and blue. It is a non-profit with active members from every generation who maintain a positive public image of surfing along with support for ecological and beach-access issues. This tradition of stellar surfers includes the 2014 and 2015 first- place winner in both longboard and shortboard divisions, 14-year-old Emma Lhuillier. Emma has been riding the waves of La Jolla and beyond since she was four years old. The enthusiastic La Jolla High School freshman can’t wait to compete in the Menehune Surf Contest again. “I have been participating in the WindanSea Menehune contest for as long as I can remember, first as a super Menehune contestant (when I was around four years old), with the help of my dad, and on my own shortly after. This year, again, I will be defending my title in short and longboard. I am really excited about it,” Emma shared.
Her father, Jeff Lhuillier, is equally excited. “She has been surfing with me since she could walk. Of course, a life jacket and tiny waves were necessities the first few years. She is now “hooked” and does not miss any opportunity to go surfing. And we still surf together.”
Both Emma and her father are proud official members of what he calls “a mighty club.” Surely, this ‘might’ is felt around the world as numerous legends who have been associated with the club attest. “I have been involved with the WindanSea Surf Club since I came to California in 1991. Some call it the best surf club in the world, and I could not agree more, so taking Emma along into my surfing routine was a must!,” exclaimed Jeff Lhuillier. Truly, the pure beauty of this contest can be both observed and felt by spectators and surfers alike as they ride translucent waves and experience the freedom that only can be found on a surfboard. As Chip explained, “For me, riding waves in the ocean is challenging and a great stress reliever as it requires your undivided attention. It renews and refreshes the mind and spirit. Surfing is a sport you can enjoy for your entire life, and it will keep you young and fit. It will also foster lifelong friendships in and out of the water.”
Plus, the contest attracts young competitive surfers and their families from throughout the West Coast, Hawaii and Baja California. A number of divisions are contested for boys and girls 16-years-old and under, including the popular and very entertaining Super Menehunes for surfers under six-years-old. An event Emma knows about first hand. And surfing has hit new heights in the world of professional sports. “It’s a fun event and wonderful opportunity for young people to meet other surfers and experience a competitive surfing environment.” Surfing contests have taken on a new dimension this year as surfing will be included as an Olympic sport starting in Tokyo in 2020,” Chip said. And he sums up the magnificence of the beach like this: “It’s instills a sense of freedom and limitless possibilities as you gaze to the horizon. You could call the beach nature’s sandbox for kids of all ages.”
The $60 entry fee includes admission to the popular pre-contest pizza party for contestants and their families beginning at 6 p.m. on the evening of Oct. 28. There will be surf movies, a raffle, heat sheets, and special contestants introduced. Contestant entry deadline is Oct. 21, but there’s some leeway so don’t hesitate to reach out to organizers. The competition will take place Saturday, Oct. 29 at the La Jolla Shores. Windanseasurfclub.org
