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Beach Decathlon
updated: Sep 17, 2011, 5:57 AM
By David Powdrell
If good sporting events include drama, suspense and an ultimate victor, then great sporting events sprinkle in some good, old fashioned, knucklehead humor. The 21st Annual Derek Levy Beach Decathlon in Manhattan Beach was riddled with all those elements, but the tomfoolery humor brings me back most years to photograph the event.
Basic rules: 16 competitors are invited to compete each year in ten disciplines. As the event unfolds during the course of the day, the leader dons a button down starfish shirt. The competitor in last place wears a pirate hat, black cape and a shirt identifying him clearly as "Dead Last". The costumes usually change hands after each event.
The event has pages and pages of copious "official" rules, none of which anyone has ever read. And when the rules are laboriously yelled out before each event by Old Man Saul, the event coordinator, they typically fall on deaf ears.
The athletic disciplines are as follows:
Four person team surfing begins at 7:00 a.m. sharp to lead off the competition. Each competitor has 15 minutes to catch 5 waves. Competitors are allowed; nah encouraged, to interfere with other competitors to their advantage. It's basically roller derby on surfboards.
Over-the-line baseball is chalk full of brutal heckling as weekend warriors attempt to slug a lobbed softball over the outfielders head.
Bocce Ball comes down to mere millimeters, precision measuring and tough negotiations with judges. Money has been known to have changed hands with judges, I believe.
Next comes the half-mile sprint paddleboard race while wearing Nordic helmets. At the finish line, the helmets are used as beer steins.
The fifth event is horseshoes using toilet seats (arseshoes). Always a crowd pleaser.
The sixth event is "Sugar-Cookies"; a ball-toss-into-the-ocean after being buried in sand, AKA flags with a flair event.
Lots more brutal heckling during the 6-person volleyball competition.
Team kayak races require the competitors to change seat positions at the halfway buoy. Ingress and egress from the surf also adds a bit of humor.
Frisbee golf, donning Bob's Big Rasta Boy attire (remnants of a prior year Summer Solstice parade) comes next.
The last event is the Case Race where the top 3 or 4 competitors consume a malted beverage in a 30 minute window.
It's twelve hours of non-stop, hard charging, rock and roll style competition and quite the community spectacle. I thought you might enjoy seeing some shots of last weekend's zaniness. If nothing else, they might give you some ideas for your next friendly beach party.
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