This  year’s  4th annual REEF Sweetwater Pro/am will be held on July  11th,12th, and  13th. Although local WCT competitor Ben Bourgeois won’t be attending because of a scheduling conflict with an event going on in South Africa, there will be plenty of other outstanding pro’s including defending champ Asher Nolan, Reef Pros Nick Rosza and Chris Waring, along with Hurley Pros Kalani Robb, Tim Curran, and Noah Snyder just to name a few, all fighting it out for the $20,000 prize purse.

  The event takes months and months of planning. Reefs  Brad Beach (co-director) and Tony Butler start the brainstorming in December up until the month before the event starts. Jennifer Butler helps with all the press releases and payroll for the staff and contestants. Beth Schub (Pro Contest Manager) and Marry Anne Mangiacapre (Amateur Contest Manager) coordinate to make sure all heats line up and advancements are correct. Press Releases, Banners, Flyers, Ads, and entry forms  all have to be made and reviewed months before the event starts. “It’s a lot of work but with each passing year its gets a little easier since you know what needs to be done. To have such a successful event you have to have great help and a little luck with the waves.” Tony Butler on the stresses of planning the event and the hope for waves.

  Tony Butler said of last years even, “ I thought last year was a huge success. Just take a look at the names in the pro event and it speaks for itself. The Final was incredible with former WCT surfers, a WQS surfer, and now a current WCT Surfer. The amateur contestants are the future of surfing and it is great to see so many good surfers come from all over to surf our event. It makes us proud to keep doing it each year.”

   Even though the 4th is over look for fireworks from WB’s own reef team rider Ross Stevens a.k.a. “Rosco” and other local bro’s Nick Bland and Johnny Mincher to show up and blow up.

-Harrison Palmer