Wow. New Jersey has been pumping lately. A week ago it was Hurricane Bertha just offshore and this Wednesday was a powerful windswell that lit up the entire coast. There’s a palpable excitement in the air for the Pacifico Belmar Pro this year. You can tell by not just the energy around Eastern Lines, the Belmar Boardwalk, and the beach, but by the talented international surfers who have already signed up for this year’s Pro event.
In 2012, Michael Dunphy of Virginia Beach repeated his 2010 victory to be the first two-time winner of the Foster’s Belmar Pro. Photo: Stockdale
Topping the list is, of course, Michael Dunphy, of Virginia Beach. Dunphy is a two-time Belmar Pro champ and is currently ranked No. 18 on the ASP’s WQS, which means he could be looking for big results in the second half of the year to get himself in the possible qualification mix for the ASP World Tour!
After that is Brian Toth of Puerto Rico, a perennial powerhouse and 2007 Belmar Pro winner. Then you’ve got such notables as Cam Richards, Taylor Clark, Phillip Gould, returning champ, Ben Bourgeois, Asher Nolan and a host of hopeful Jersey boys. We’ll update as the event gets closer. Plus, we’re trying to get one more session out of this swell when the tide drops today.
