Halloween season is a fitting time for the Outer Banks’ own Which Craft Surf Gathering to announce it raised $20,349 this year for the Outer Banks Relief Foundation, providing financial relief to people in our community impacted by a tragedy like cancer or a house fire. The fifth annual event took place on October 5 on the beach in front of Swells’ A Brewing in Kill Devil Hills. Overall, Which Craft Surf Gathering has raised $50,000 for charities that support local families.
With lead sponsor Swells’ A Brewing and a grant from the Outer Banks Visitor’s Bureau, the event began with a dozen “blanks” or unshaped surf boards donated by US Blanks and WRV.
Next, some of the area’s best shapers — Rascoe Hunt, Dave Rohde, Lynn Shell, Mike Rowe, Leo Ravina, Bob Yinger, TJ Fowler, Ed Tupper, Ashley Linnekin, Scooter Hallady, Jesse Fernandez, and Josh Peterson — donated their time and talent to create one-of-a-kind boards to be ridden in the contest.
“The boards are shaped just for Which Craft, and they’re auctioned off,” Erik Linnekin, event co-creator, explained. “The shapers put in a lot of extra effort, so the auction winners got great deals on some special boards.”
Duck Dive hosted a board-showing party two weeks in advance, and forty-eight surfers came out on October 5 to compete. The riders, from around the block and as far away as the West Coast, each spun a giant wheel on the beach to see “which craft” they’d have to ride in their heats – hence the contest’s name.
This year’s winner was Bo Raynor, unseating the two-time champion, Will Dean, who placed second, followed by Miles McCall in third, with Jessica Wallace taking the top female spot.
“You see people riding together who normally might not, and it gets you thinking about things differently. Our intention is to create a fun, inclusive event.” Matt Price, co-creator with Linnekin, explains. “Which Craft Surf Gathering is a great way to mark the end of the summer season and celebrate our community.”
In addition to watching a unique, day-long surf contest, attendees enjoyed merchandise sales, raffles, giveaways and an afterparty at Swells’ A Brewing with live music by Cor De Lux, The Living Memories, and Dallas Tetnus.
The event and its proceeds would not have been possible without participating artists who sold their creations and donated some of the proceeds, and the competitors, volunteers, and additional sponsors Wave Riding Vehicles, Scarborough Lanes Shoppes, Secret Spot, Waterfront Shops Duck, Whalebone Surf Shop, Asley’s Espresso Parlour, Easter Shore Animal Hospital, Magic Cabana, IPD Surf, Carolina Designs Realty, Rythm Clothing, Zoom Around OBX, Outer Banks Relief Foundation Banks Boarding Company, The Chills Spot OBX, Surf and Adventure Co, and Ghostship Supply.
Linnekin said, “We do a lot of work, but there are many unsung heroes who put in so much to make it all possible.”
Thanks to fundraisers like Which Craft Surf Gathering and the generosity of other community philanthropists, the Nags Head-based Outer Banks Relief Foundation has distributed almost $4 million in relief funding to 1,506 local families since 2005.