Change of tides

Mike Sciacca

Seth Matson recalls first meeting Barry and Jeff Deffenbaugh when the

three were youngsters.

He got to know the brothers when they all surfed near the

Huntington Beach Pier at 8 and 9, he remembers.

Twenty-two years later, the three have remained good friends. For

each, surfing has defined their lives during that span of time.

All three surfed competitively. Matson went on to turn his

enthusiasm for surfing into developing and building the HB Pro/Am

Surf Series, a competition that the Deffenbaugh brothers surfed,

quite successfully.

Matson, 32, started up the surf series to offer the younger,

amateur surfers the chance to compete.

Matson announced earlier this year that he was putting the series

up for sale to concentrate on his graphics business.

The Deffenbaugh brothers bought him out in April.

“There were numerous parties interested in taking over the series

but I wanted the event to go to someone who would keep the

grass-roots level alive, and Barry and Jeff fit that bill,” Matson

said. “I have known them for more than 20 years and I know they will

do a great job in taking the series in the right direction.”

Matson said he will serve as a consultant, handling marketing and

event planning, plus doing the graphics for the 2003 series and

“helping to ease the transition for the brothers,” he said.

The HB Surf Series, as it now will be known, will launch its 2003

season the weekend of May 31 at the south side of the Huntington

Beach Pier.

“We’re really excited about taking the reins from Seth, but

overwhelmed at the same time,” said Barry Deffenbaugh. “We have a lot

to do before the series’ first event at the end of the month.”

Assuming the series’ ownership is the first business venture for

the two siblings, Barry Deffenbaugh said.

Barry, 31, is a former National Scholastic Surfing Assn. national

champion who, just last weekend, won the Masters Division at last

weekend’s NSSA Southern Regional in San Clemente.

He was the 1991 NSSA Open Men’s national champion and was a team

captain on Huntington Beach High’s 1991 national championship squad.

He has won past professional titles at the HB Surf Series and has

been involved recently judging both professional and amateur

competitions.

“He’s one of the most well-respected judges in the state,” Matson

said. “He judges all the big competitions, basically.”

Jeff Deffenbaugh, a father of two who is a month shy of turning

30, is a licensed real estate mortgage broker.

His surfing resume is impressive. A former World Tour competitor,

Jeff is a much-decorated professional surfer and still holds a

high-level profile in the competitive community.

He was a two-time runner-up on the U.S. Tour, was a multi-winner

in World Qualifying Series events, is a three-time HB Surf Series

Pro/Am champion and, like his older brother, served as team captain

when Huntington Beach won another high school national championship

in 1992.

“It’s going to be exciting, running the HB Surf Series, after

competing in it for so many years,” he said. “Barry and I will be the

creative forces behind the event and help the amateur’s progress by

getting more involved with them on a personal basis.”

The brothers say their primary goal is to help advance amateur

surfers to the “next level.”

The new season will drop the series’ past Pro/Am format and is

redesign it to become an all-amateur surf series. The events will run

for two-day periods, starting on Saturdays and ending on Sunday

afternoons.

Four of the series’ six 2003 events will be held south side of the

pier.

The championship event will take place in October.

The series now will feature competition in nine divisions: Rookie,

Super Groms, Boys, Juniors, Men’s, Masters, Grand Masters, Women’s

and Longboarding.

The new Rookie Division is for the “developing surfer” who has not

advanced to an event final in past seasons.

The other new division, Grand Masters, is open to surfers 37-years

and older.

“We have listen to the surfing community and the elder surfers

suggested we create a division for them,” Barry Deffenbaugh said.

“We’re excited to offer these new divisions.”

Matson learned late last week that Del Taco will again be the head

sponsor of the HB Surf Series.

“I know the series is in very good hands,” said Matson, who added

that, for the first time, he will be able to compete in a series

event, the Masters Division. “The Deffenbaugh brothers will work hard

to keep the series alive in Surf City. The series couldn’t be

directed by two better individuals.”

* MIKE SCIACCA covers sports and features. He can be reached at

(714) 965-7171 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.