DEL MAR — Briguitte Linn Wiedemeyer of the Del Mar BodySurfing Club won the gold medal in the Women’s division of the International Bodysurfing Championship in Manhattan Beach Aug. 2. She captured a repeat first-place finish at the Huntington Beach Bodysurf Championship Aug. 9.
Bruce Robbins, a founding member of the DMBC, won second place in the Men’s Masters division (60 and over) at Huntington Beach. Tim Barnes and Jeffrey Robbins (a former Del Mar Lifeguard) both advanced to the semi-finals of the Men’s 20-39 age division. Other DMBC members represented at the Huntington contest were Morgan Launer, Ray Sullivan and Vince Askey.
Wiedemeyer nearly missed the Huntington Beach Championship. Weather conditions due to Hurricane Iselle in Hawaii delayed her flight to Los Angeles Aug. 8. She arrived to Huntington Beach just hours before the 7 a.m. contest check-in on Saturday and had to sleep briefly in her rental car at the beach. Lack of sleep did not keep her from winning her second contest in two weekends.
A resident of Brazil, Wiedemeyer comes to southern California most summers to pursue competitive bodysurfing. Wiedemeyer, Robbins and many from the DMBC also competed in the World Bodysurfing Championships in Oceanside Aug. 16 and Aug. 17.
The DMBC congregates every weekend at 9 a.m. on the beach in front of the Del Mar Motel to enter the waves for approximately one hour. The DMBC was formed in late 2012. The club has raised a fund to help promote the DMBC and sport of bodysurfing.
Recreational and competitive bodysurfers are encouraged to participate with the DMBC. The DMBC plans to take members on exchange programs to several countries, including Australia in March of 2015.
