East Coast Surfing Championships - What's New - ECSC, the premier surfing contest and Pro-Am Surfing competition on the East Coast is the Southeast's best beach and entertainment festival located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The surfing competition and beach events alsoincludes other water sports: skimboarding, volleyball, a boardwalk 5K run, Hooters swimsuit contest, street skateboard and ramp contests, and live bands and music on the beach.

Surfing

46th ANNUAL EAST COAST SURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Pro Division Winner’s Purse Share is $10,000;
Team Rip Curl Stars Scheduled for Autograph Session

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. -- The 46th Annual East Coast Surfing Championships (ECSC) will be held August 21-24, 2008 at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. This year’s ECSC pro division winner will receive $10,000 and the champion’s trophy.

“We’re really trying to emphasis back on amateur competition and the surfing community this year,” said Paul West, surf director of the event. “Each year at ECSC, we can count on great competition, a great festival atmosphere, and great times for competitors and spectators alike.”

This year’s event kicks off Thursday, Aug. 21 when four of the world’s best surfers come into town for an oceanfront autograph session. WRV welcomes members of Team Rip Curl, including the ASP world champion Mick Fanning from Australia, WCT veteran Taylor Knox, Poncho Sullivan, and three-time World Champion, Tom Curren.

“It’s not uncommon for rookie phenoms to have the break-out performances of their careers here, or have seasoned veterans surprise the field by showing up for a shot at a nice payday,” West said. Future surf stars might be born at one of the most anticipated events of the weekend – the Quiksilver/Capri Sun "Super Grom" event. According to West, this special category is planned for Saturday, Aug. 23, and will feature participants 10 years and under including some as young as 3 years of age. “It’s one of the most fun, most-photographed and special parts of the whole contest,” he said.

The ECSC is North America’s oldest surfing contest and the second oldest continuously-run surfing contest in the world. About 60 professional surfers will compete for the top prize of $10,000. There will also be several hundred amateur surfers competing for top ranking on the amateur circuit or a coveted spot in ECSC history. The total prize purse for the men’s professional division at ECSC is $15,000.

Rip Curl Team Autograph session!

This year’s event kicks off from NOON to 4 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 21, when four of the world’s best surfers come into town for an oceanfront autograph session. WRV welcomes members of Team Rip Curl, including the ASP world champion Mick Fanning from Australia, WCT veteran Taylor Knox, Pancho Sullivan, and three-time World Champion, Tom Curren.

Other Beach Sports and Spectator Activities

As it approaches the half-century mark in surfing, ECSC has evolved over the years into more than just a weekend surfing contest. It has grown into four days of beach sports, sights and sounds. Annually selected as a “Top 20 Event of the Southeast,” ECSC is the great American beach festival.

Hundreds of competitors take part in other uniquely beach-oriented sports, including beach volleyball, skimboarding and an oceanfront 5K run, not to mention the famous ECSC swimsuit contests! Extreme sports like BMX, skateboard exhibitions will amaze the thousands who make their way down to the Virginia Beach oceanfront each year. FREE, live musical entertainment from regional bands and national recording artists like The Smithereens, Emily West and Luke Bryan will perform on a beachfront stage.

In the 2nd street parking lot at the end of the boardwalk will feature the Capri Sun Skate Park. Fans will be awed by skateboard, BMX bike and in-line skating pros demonstrating stunts on a “Respect the Pouch” half pipe. Spectators can also participate in such activities as a climbing wall, a games tent and a green screen that will let kids see themselves projected against various action-sports backdrops. ECSC visitors will get the chance to challenge each other in a roped-off Pouch Wars Arena, in a real-life version of pouch stomping contests in the current Capri Sun TV spots.

The East Coast Surfing Championships is produced by the Virginia Beach Jaycees, a volunteer community service organization. All events at the ECSC beach festival are open to the public, free of charge. Portions of the proceeds raised at ECSC benefit the Jaycee’s many charitable projects.

Can’t make it in person to Virginia Beach this year? Check out all the surfing action from heat sheets, schedules, photos and news from the 46th Annual ECSC online at www.surfusa.org.