Rob Kelly Wins At NSSA Easterns!

This week has been the busiest week of my life. Coming home to good waves and tons of makeup work after being in Florida for three weeks isnt easy. On top of that my phones been ringing off the hook from sponsers asking for photos for ads, magazines asking for photos, to the newspaper wanting to do interviews all because of my victory in the NSSA Eastcoast Championships on Sunday. I've said or wrote this story probably ten times for a bunch of different people but telling it for 7th street feels better than anything because of the stoke from everyone I've gotten the past couple of days. Winning Open Mens feels so sick to me but what gets me more stoked is to keep the shift of the attention that has moved to us from Florida since Zach Humphrys won Easterns last year.

 

 

This event was the last event on my list of contests I was doing in my three weeks stay in the gator state. After doing well in both the ESA Scholastics and the Lost Pro Junior but not winning either, I was pumped to do well in Sabastein. A week before the contest the NSSA did alittle write up which said that I was "a force to be reckoned with." After the first day I wasnt a force to be reckoned with at all. I lost first round in two divisons and just like that with four days still left in the contest I was down to one division, Open Mens, which was my most competitive and the most prestiguous divison in NSSA. This year the NSSA did a four man formate, like Pro Juniors or a wqs, in Open mens where the top two surfers advance. After a long pep talk from Joe "the rawest man on earth" Keenan I surfed my first heat and won.

 

Finally I was out of my slump and focused to do well. I found my self in the quarters in a pretty tough heat but I was able to just barley make it out. Now I w as in the semis but already top six in the event. My goal was to make the final and even though in any other division six guys was going to be in it, I knew I wasnt satisfied that I had redemmed myself after doing so poorly the first day. I got into the lead early, but quickly moved down to second after Blake Jones got two sick waves off first peak. I was in second and still advancing but Oliver Kurtz in second only needed a five. For him that was no problem. That kid was surfing good all week. Those ten minutes trying to make sure Kurtz didnt get the score were the longest ten minutes of my life. There were three manatees swiming around during that semi too. They didnt reallyhave any signifigance to the story, but it was pretty weird sitting next to them as they were making little manatees. Mabyee they distracted the g uys in my heat and that helped me win.....never mind.

 

So I made the final!!! Everyone was stoked and so was I for a made my goal. I had a whole day to relax and stop stressing for the first time in weeks. Going into the final I was just stoked to be in it and wasnt stressing like I do in most events.  I got my jersey and paddled out for my thirty minute final. The computers were shutdown due to weather so no score were given. I got a really good third wave and then an ok fourth wave. I watched Blake and Phillip get some good ones too so i wasnt complety sure I had the win. The jersey boys didnt come down to put me on their shoulders like they said they would so i didnt know. Everyone said that it was too close to call between Blake, Phillip and me so i had to wait untill the award banqete at the Hobgoods surf shop to find out.

 

The award banqute seemed to last forever. Since it is the most prestiges division they annouce Open Mens last. After what seemed like years they called up my final as well as CJ Hobgood to give out the throphies. I starred in a TV show with CJ and Damien in January so when i got up there I was talking to CJ asking him if he remebers the show and thanking him for being part of it. I didnt hear that Janice was already annouced 4th and 3rd and now it was between me and Phillip for the tittle. She said Phillip was second and before she could even say I won the whole New Jersey table arrupted and everone was cheering. It was soo loud because of everyone cheering I couldnt even give a speach. I just held me trophy in the air for a second and thanked CJ. He wished me the best of luck and said he hopes that my career goes well. I couldnt believe I just won the Open Mens tittle and that CJ was wishing me luck with my surfing.

 

The best thing that came from winning this tittle was the stoke I got from everyone back home. Somehow the word got out and before I even left the ceromony I got calls from all my friends back home just soo stoked for me. Its so sick to be able to bring it back for New Jersey. Jersey's has risen to the top this year on the eastcoast and going into nationals with my brother, Zach Humphrys, Ben Graffe, and Ian Bloch repping jerz I think that we are going to make a statement nationally too. With all the events like the AC pro/ams and both CNJ and SNJ esa's everyweekend it seems like more and more talent is starting to sprout up.Im seeing kids surfing in the winter now at ages where i hadnt even step foot on a surfboard yet. I cant wait to see what is in store for Jersey the next couple years. I know its gunna be sick. Who knows mabyee another surfer will make the CT agian. You never know but the ways things are going now one of these groms getting into a kids size 10 six mill to surf second street during a nor'easter could be bringing something far bigger than an eastcoast tittle back home with them in the next few years...mabyee even....a world tittle!