The 15th annual Tony Mezzadri Surf Classic will be held Saturday morning, September 27 2008, at the foot of Ocean Beach pier at 7:00am. The contest offers a variety of heats for all ages, a BBQ luncheon, live music and an opportunity drawing with prizes. A Spaghetti Dinner with Silent Auction fundraiser will be held the night before on Friday September 26, 2008.

South Coast Surf Shops will be celebrating its 15th year supporting the fundraising contest, with all proceeds going directly to spinal cord research.

In September 1994, Tony Mezzadri had a tragic accident while surfing at the Ocean Beach pier. It was a typical beautiful San Diego morning and Tony was a happy, carefree young man of 24 years enjoying the exhilarating sport he had loved since childhood. In an instant, Tony’s life was changed forever. On that memorable morning, he broke his neck, resulting in a severe spinal cord injury. In that moment, Tony’s life changed dramatically. From then forward, it would be a life of depending on others for almost every physical need, a life in a wheelchair.

But Tony’s life was anything but tragic.

Upon hearing of Tony’s injury, South Coast Surf Shops and the Sunset Cliffs Surfing Association rallied in support of Tony and organized a surf contest in his honor. South Coast owner Rob Ard stepped up as a major contributor for the first Mezzadri Classic, and has never missed a contest since.

“It was a beautiful expression of the brotherhood of surfing and an inspiring emotional boost. Knowing that so many people cared so much really lifted my spirits during a very difficult and long recovery,” Tony recalls when thinking about the first event. Tony went on to get a degree from the University of San Diego, started a career in real estate, and best of all, he says, married the most wonderful girl in the world.

Over the years, the Tony Mezzadri Surf Classic evolved into a benefit for spinal cord injury research. This two-day event has become one of the most popular events in Ocean Beach. Known also for its kick-off spaghetti dinner, featuring a silent auction, a raffle, a live band and tons of fun, it’s an enjoyable event for the entire family.

All proceeds benefit the UCSD Center for Neural Repair’s Spinal Cord Regeneration Program under the direction of Dr. Mark Tuszynski. The Tony Mezzadri Surf Classic has raised over $175,000 for the UCSD Center for Neural Repair’s spinal cord regeneration program.

Entry fee for the contest is $50. A new surfing category of Stand-up Paddleboarding (SUP) has been added to this year’s contest. Contestants are encouraged to enter and can go to www.tonycontest.org for an entry form.

The traditional Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction fundraiser will be held on September 26, 2008 the night before the surf contest at the Ocean Beach Masonic Hall from 5pm – 9pm. This year features a beer garden, live music, silent auction, opportunity drawing and multiple surfboard drawings. Tickets for the event are $8.00.

For further information contact Lee Edging at 619-980-4738.  Sponsorship opportunities still available.

By Jody W. Wood

The SCSA 2007 Tony Mezzadri Contest & Spaghetti Dinner is just around the corner! This annual event, in its thirteenth year, takes place Saturday, Aug. 18, and Sun. Aug. 19, at the Ocean Beach Pier. Several years ago, Tony suffered an injury that left him paralyzed, with no movement in his legs and limited movement in his arms and legs. Since the contest began in 1994, all proceeds from entry fees, t-shirt sales, raffles, spaghetti dinner, and donations have gone to benefit spinal cord research.

Get ready for Gromfest 2007! It takes place Aug. 25, 2007. Gromfest is a surf contest for kids, as well as a barbecue for everyone. This event is always a success and it gets better every year. Everyone is welcome to check out the action and if you’d like to volunteer to help out, contact one of the committee members. Use this link for more information. http://www.scsasandiego.com/MemberNews.htm.