Booth Shines in Finals of Surfing Tournament

OCEANSIDE —  Veteran Jeff Booth was rewarded by his instincts, while young Rob Machado of Cardiff was betrayed by his fatigue. Booth, saving some of his best surfing for the championship heat, won the $22,000 Nissan Open at the Municipal Pier Sunday.

Machado, who was trying to win an unprecedented third consecutive contest on the Bud Surf Tour, finished third, behind Booth of Laguna Beach and Shane Beschen of San Clemente.

“I was looking to surf every wave with maximum assertion and power in the final,” said Booth, the defending champion of this World Qualifying Series event. “You’ve got to save your best for last.”

Booth’s third victory at Oceanside (he also won here as an amateur in 1987) earned him $4,000. Beschen of received $2,250 and Machado $1,300. Shane Powell of Australia was fourth, winning $1,250.

Booth, who normally competes on the Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Tour, is not ranked on the Bud Tour. Breschen maintained his No. 1 ranking with 4,385 points and $13,125 in earnings. Machado, 18, a 1991 graduate of San Dieguito High, is second with 3,980 and $12,225.

Booth, 23, attended San Diego State for a year before turning pro in 1988. He has since won more than $100,000 and last year was ranked No. 15 in the world.

“Reaching the finals is sometimes a relief,” he said. “And sometimes that is reflected in your maneuvers. They may not be as sharp. But this is a chance to showcase your surfing.

“It’s a calculated risk.”

At 6-feet, 175 pounds, Booth is physically more mature than the skinny 5-10, 135-pound Machado, who has yet to fill into his frame. Each surfed two 20-minute heats before the half-hour final segment. By then, Booth was shifting into high gear on his final 10 waves, and Machado was running out of gas.

“I’m tired and I haven’t really eaten anything,” Machado said. “But I think everybody’s pretty run down.”

He had trouble judging the one- to three-foot waves and found himself on too many mushy rides.

Brian Press of Palos Verdes was the clear winner in the bodyboard championship, taking four first-place votes in a heat that included Hawaiians Chris Tennberg (second), Mike Stewart (third) and Harry Antipala (fourth).