Postcards from Mundaka : 041008

Ola,

This is what winning is all about. Happy Days Happy Faces. CJ Hobgood – 2008 Billabong Pro Mundaka Champion. Possibly the last Mundaka Champion.

We only needed 4hrs. 20 minutes into the first heat of the day, Quarterfinal No.1 we didn’t think it was going to happen. “Swell is dropping quick, tide not dropping quick enough”. That was the locals call. Obviously he doesn’t have LOLA on his side, she told contest directors its good to go. Even if it wasn’t the boys wanted it done.

And finish in style it did. Four Quarterfinals, Two Semifinals & 15 minutes later the final was taking place in all time Mundaka. Barrel for barrel one Backside one Front side Screw side CJ & Joel were surfing possibly the last Billabong Pro Mundaka final EVER.

60 seconds to go Joel blocks CJ with priority, the wave is ok. CJ then strokes onto the 8 point something gift from above. Only the whistles from the cliff indicted there were two waves in that set, if only Joel knew he should have taken the second. Imaging leading for 34 minutes only have what could have been your first victory in 3 years stolen from you. I’m sure I would also have bypassed all do gooders and words of sympathy to make my way up the slippery stairs & smash my head into the window, punch the walls & vocally vent my anger all while the poor medics sitting in the room turn their backs as an offering of privacy.

Work done, images out party time. Hit Bar Txopos, the only bar, the local bar. Getting one drink at a time proved to be futile so it was a jug of Sangria I walked around with until my hand got sore it hit 3AM and I wanted my bed.

No hangover today, yes this is for yesterday so I could do another to show the looser. Why do we refer to someone as the looser when they place 2nd, one place behind the winner but 31 ahead of those who couldn’t make it past Round 2 & received an equal 33rd. No, not the looser but the other finalist.

Incase you don’t understand this photo, it is tradition in Mundaka to toss the winner off the harbor wall.

Until next time . . . Like WOW.