Local surfers of all ages flocked to Rincon Point for the 43rd annual Channel Islands Surfboards Rincon Classic over the weekend on Saturday, Feb. 15 and Sunday, Feb. 16 to showcase the best of the 805.
The Rincon Classic, which was produced by Surf Happens for the 25th straight year and is presented by Merrick Lager, took place in a picturesque background as the sun was shining and the waves were crashing following the storm that hit Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
The marquee event of the weekend every year is the Rincon Brewery Pro, which features Santa Barbara and Ventura’s top professional surfers.
The 2025 Rincon Brewery Pro was made even more special as every finalist has been surfing in the Rincon Classic since they were in the U12 “Gremlins” division.
Ventura’s Dimitri Poulos captured the 2025 Rincon Brewery Pro title, the second of his career. He came out on top over three-time runner-up Jabe Sweirkocki, Micky Clarke and Eithan Osborne.
With the win, Poulos became the first-ever Ventura surfer to win two Rincon Brewery Pros.
While the Rincon Brewery Pro draws plenty of headlines, there were 11 different titles handed out for 11 different age divisions throughout the weekend.
The youngest of those divisions is the U12 “Gremlins” grouping, which was won by Henry Goldenstein. He beat out Kai Landers and Zachary Adams, who finished in second and third place, respectively.
In the Boys U14 division, Dominic Arce avenged his second-place finish from a year ago and took the division title. He beat out Ronin Castorino, who won the division in 2024.
As for the youngest girls division of the weekend, the Wahines U17 group, Vela Mattive went back-to-back with her second division victory in as many years, edging out Madyson Stone.
On the boys side of the U17 age division, titled “Juniors U17,” Fynn Neth captured the title and Nathan Stepan finished in second place for the second year in a row.
At the adult level, Brandon Benjamin bounced back from his second-place finish last year to earn the title in the Men’s Division while Mattive came out on top in the Women’s Division for her second division win of the weekend.
Mattive had a stellar weekend, winning both the Wahine and Women’s titles while also reaching the semifinals as the only woman in the Rincon Brewery Pro Division.
Pete Mussio, who earned the 2025 Chris Brown Eternal Stoke Award for his positive energy and commitment to the surf community, won the Masters (35-44) Division while Greg Venable took home the Grand Masters (45-54) title.
Those ages 55-64 competed in the “Legends” Divisions, with Tony De Groot winning the Men’s side and Lisa Luna improving upon her second-place finish from last year by winning the Women’s championship. It was Luna’s ninth career Rincon Classic title.
Goleta’s Dave Johnson rounded out the local winners by capturing the title in the Super Legends Division for those 65 and older.
Full Results
Gremlins U12
- Henry Goldstein
- Kai Landers
- Zachary Adam
- Jack Keet
- Christian Relis
- Sawyer Osbore
Wahines U17
- Vela Mattive
- Madyson Stone
- Eloise Grewe
- Lea McCleery
- Lulu Rankin
- Luella Pace
Boys U14
- Dominic Arce
- Ronin Castorino
- Koby Wachter
- Wyatt Holsted
- Maddox Keet
- Corbeau Pappas
Juniors U17
- Fynn Neth
- Nathan Stepan
- Beckett Mechtenberg
- Elias Smith
- Aiden Albada
- Owen Barragan
Men’s
- Brandon Benjamin
- Sam Reichel
- Elias Smith
- Marley Sapp
- Holden Osborne
- Cole Robbins
Women’s
- Vela Mattive
- Makena Burke
- Riley Malmsten
- Mackenzie Warner
- Maddie Malmsten
- Jessie Engel
Masters
- Pete Mussio
- Patrick Ecker
- Colin Anderson
- Dennis Rizzo
- Christopher Melton
- Teddy Travers
Grand Masters
- Greg Venable
- Chris Keet
- Jacob Nesheim
- Andrew Jacobowski
- Daniel Fennell
- Alex Pappas
Legends
- Tony De Groot
- Chris Willingham
- Shawn Quien
- George Johnson
- Travis Bower
- Tony De Groot
Lady Legends
- Lisa Luna
- Lynn Cochrane
- Lyn Burich
- Stephanie Jamogchian
- Simone Reddingiuous
- Deborah Booth
Super Legends
- Dave Johnson
- Steve Hanson
- Andy Neumann
- Michael Gordon
- Steve Reichel
- Bill Urbany