Andrew Fried, 18
This board I’m holding is called a Sharp Eye. It’s a short board, at least compared to others. I got it at Wet Suit World in Stone Harbor from a guy named Dow. He’s an awesome guy and runs a really cool surf shop. I like using the short board. It gives you more maneuverability and more freedom.
My family has a house in Stone Harbor, and we’re there pretty much all summer. I work at the Sun Glass Menagerie in Stone Harbor. My brother, Matt, works at Wet Suit World. I competed in the Nun’s Beach Surf Invitational. I didn’t do so well, though. There were some pretty good guys in my heat. But after we were done, the waves started to really pick up, so it turned out to be a good day to be surfing. Sometimes it can be hit-or-miss. You can sit there all day waiting for some waves, which really stinks during a competition.
This was my first time competing. All my buddies were going to do it with me, but none of them turned their paperwork in on time, so it ended up being only me. The competition was in September, so any excuse to get a day off of school and be at the beach was okay with me. I go to Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. I’m a senior. I’m going to the University of Miami in the fall to study marine biology, and that will be good, because about ten or fifteen minutes away there are beaches with good waves.