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Surfers at the Rincon Classic were able to take in some big waves off Rincon Point on Saturday, but the largest swells may be yet to come as the competition holds its final events Sunday.
The Rincon Classic has been taking place for more than 30 years, and brings out amateurs and professionals alike — of all ages — to enjoy the legendary waves that crest at Rincon Point, off of Bates Road just inside the Ventura County line east of Carpinteria.
The competition was founded in 1979 by local surfers before the event fell dormant in 1996, the group’s organizers said.
In 2001, the event was brought back to life by local surfer Chris Keets and his company, Surf Happens, which operates the Rincon Classic and surfing camps and coaching.
The event ran all day Saturday and will continue Sunday, which may see even bigger surf as larger wave sets become more frequent in the afternoon.
Large waves also were expected off the top of Rincon Point, and El Niño conditions have made this winter a prime time for local surfers.
The National Weather Service’s Sunday forecast calls for surf heights of 4-8 feet on west and southwest-facing beaches, with max sets to 10 feet. High surf of 7 feet or greater may continue through early Tuesday afternoon.
The Rincon Classic’s coordinators said the competition has a six-week window to achieve the best surfing conditions possible.
A shuttle will be running between Rincon Point and parking in the industrial area around the Channel Islands Surfboards factory at 1160 Mark Ave. in Carpinteria. The shuttle will be operating on a continuous loop approximately every 30 minutes.
Various heats were taking place Saturday, leading up to the King of the Queen final, Women’s final and other events Sunday.
The SIMA Classic Awards Ceremony was scheduled to take place at the Lions Club of Carpinteria, 6197 Casitas Pass Road, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
— Noozhawk staff writer Lara Cooper can be reached at lcooper@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
