|
|
OCEANSIDE ---- When Hal Handley moved from the San Diego coastline to Virginia in the early 1980s, his bodysurfing skills didn't miss a beat. They skipped a few.
After moving from Encinitas
in 1983 ---- one year after his first stint in the World Bodysurfing Championships ---- to attend graduate school at the University of Virginia, Handley returned to win his first title in the men's
 35-44 division in 1985. Handley duplicated the feat two years later,
then, after moving back to Encinitas, won his first and only Grand Championship in 1990.
"I had no ocean (in Virginia), so I just went out in the pool," Handley said. "It was
mostly because of pool swimming. Endurance and swimming strength are the keys to doing well. Most of the guys can do the maneuvers, but if you can do them with power, which you
get from swimming, it really makes you stand out."
Handley stood out once again on Saturday,
winning his opening heat of the men's 45-54 division at the World Bodysurfing Championships at the
Oceanside Pier. Handley's 81 points in the heat was the third-highest total in the 42-man division, the second largest at the contest.
With inconsistent 2-3 foot surf rolling in, Handley started the 15-minute heat slowly, catching only three waves
in the first 10 minutes. But a pre-contest strategy paid off, and Handley finished the heat with three more scoring waves to advance to today's semifinals.
"I pick a strategy before I go out that is often a mixed position strategy based on what I see," Handley said.
"Usually I have a timer going so I know how much time to spend on each section, which is usually about four
or five minutes a spot. If it works I stay, but if it doesn't I move away. I had to today, because I only had about
six waves. Especially in conditions like this where it's very sporadic you can easily spend the last five minutes just waiting."
Today, Handley will once again switch strategies in an attempt to win back-to-back division titles for the first
time. The defending champion in the 45-54 division, Handley enters the second day of the competition hoping to add to his five division titles ('85, '87, '90, '93, '98).
"My strategy in the prelims is to survive and must make the cut," Handley said. "But in the (semifinals and finals) I just dig down deep inside and spice it up a notch."
|
|
