2009 NYNJSurf.com “Hurricane Surf for Dean!” 

Little Nasty's Big Wave Challenge to Benefit the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation!

Click the image to purchase your rashguard and register!

The concept is simple: Surf all hurricane season long, get photographed on the biggest wave wearing the official orange "Hurricane Surf for Dean!" Competitor's Rashguard and you WIN!

The contest period runs September 1st - October 31st, 2009  - Surf as many days as you can, just get it on film and submit your photos for judging! 

4 Competitive Divisions: NY and NJ Mens; NY and NJ Womens; Worldwide Mens; and Worldwide Womens - So no matter where you are in the world, you can register and win the "Little Nasty Cup"for your division and support the DRCF!

$45 gets you your competitor's rashguard - 100% of the proceeds goes to the foundation!

Hey, we're all going to chase the biggest waves we can find anyway, why not "Do it for Dean!"

Not sure you want to compete, but want to support the event and the DRCF? Click here to purchase a limited edition Official Event T-Shirt! 

Contest Registration

Registration could not be easier! 

Online registration is available by clicking here:  http://www.nynjsurf.com/forum/store.html;sa=view;id=6  or clicking the logo image above.

Simply complete the required fields of the online form, click "Add to Cart" to pay the $45 registration fee and you're in! Your competitor's rashguard will be mailed in approximately one week. 100% of the proceeds go to the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation. 

Competitor Release Information

THIS RELEASE LIMITS YOUR RIGHTS TO RECOVER ANY DAMAGES IN CASE OF ACCIDENT OR DEATH
By submitting your order for a competitor’s rashguard and applying to enter this contest, you certify that you are obtaining this rasghguard for your own personal use or the use of someone for whom you are legally responsible as guardian, referred hereafter as "your guardian". You promise to inspect the ocean and weather conditions, and assure yourself that the area is safe for surfing, safe to enter the water, and safe for you or your guardian to ride a surfboard.  You agree that you or your guardian will not participate in the contest unless you are satisfied that the area and conditions are safe.  You understand that there is an inherent risk in surfing and the use of surfing equipment, and you further agree that you voluntarily assume all risks arising from conditions relating to the use of  the ocean by yourself and others. You understand that this contest is for advanced surfers and you attest that you or your guardian are physically fit and have sufficiently trained for this event. You accept all contest rules and understand you must act in a respectful manner and understand that the judges’ decisions are final.  You understand that your image may be used in conjunction with the event.  In consideration of acceptance of your entry fee, you or your guardian are legally bound, hereby, for yourself, heirs, executors and administrators, and hold harmless and release and forever discharge the local village, town, city, state, parks department, sponsors, organizers, and all related parties together with their agents, from liability for injuries, death, or damages, whatsoever, arising from your or your guardian's presence or participation in this surfing contest. You acknowledge that you have read and understand all of the above.

Competitive Rules

1.    Contest Dates. The contest runs from September 1, 2009 – October 31st, 2009. The surfer in each competitive division photographed on the largest wave wearing the official orange 2009 “Hurricane Surf for Dean” Competitor’s Rashguard on ANY DAY during the contest period will be declared the winner.

2.    Registration. Surfers MUST pre-register by completing and submitting the $45 entry fee and the “Competitor Registration and Release” form by August 31st, 2009 and will be issued the Orange "Hurricane Surf for Dean" Rashguard. Surfers may choose to donate more and/or obtain corporate or individual sponsors! Surfers may register by mail or online at www.NYNJSurf.com/forum/store.html

3.    Competitive Divisions. The 4 Competitive Divisions are: NY and NJ Mens; NY and NJ Womens; Worldwide Mens; and Worldwide Womens. The 2009 Little Nasty Cup will be awarded to winners in each division. Additional divisions may be added at the discretion of the contest organizers.

4.    Deadline for Submissions. To be eligible to win the contest and claim the “Little Nasty Cup” for their division, the surfer must be captured on film wearing the official competitor's rashguard and the photo must be submitted to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it for judging no later than midnight, November 7th, 2009.

5.    Time Restrictions. Surfers are not restricted to any day, hour, time slot, or location, and may surf all or any part of any day in the contest period from dawn til dusk, or all or any part of the day at one or multiple locations if they choose. Surfers are encouraged to link up with surf photographers at disclosed or undisclosed locations in search of the biggest waves they can find.

6.    Worldwide Competitors. Like surfers competing in the NY and NJ areas, surfers from outside the NJ and NY area will be able to participate on any day during the contest period, but MUST be photographed wearing the official competitors rashguard to be eligible to win in one of the Worldwide divisions. While Dean is a New Jersey native, he touched people around the world – competitors from the world over are encouraged to enter!

7.    Miscellaneous. Photographs submitted remain the sole property of the photographer, and will only be reproduced/printed/distributed with permission. All judging will be done by NYNJSurf.com. The judges will compare submitted photographs of the largest waves to determine a winner. The decision of the judges is final.

8.    Make it a Hurricane Season to Remember – Hurricane Surf for Dean! – Win the Cup!

About Dean:

From the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation website:

Bio – Dean Randazzo

“My attitude right now is, just be positive. I had these lumps on my neck for a year, and before I knew what I had, I was really worried. When I found out what it was, I said, ok, this is what I need to do to get better, you gotta have a plan. Some days are better than others. I’m a lot weaker in the legs, more winded, and don’t have the same energy. My doctor told me I probably won’t be able to surf the way I was surfing before the treatments, but surfing actually makes me feel better, the more I surf. It’s therapeutic, you’ve got the salt air, it cleans you out, and it’s better than sitting on the couch and getting stagnant. I love to surf and nothing’s going to stop me."

Roots

Despite the millions of visitors who flock to their beaches each summer, dreams of going pro are much harder to sustain among surfers in the Northeast. While the waves are formidable and there is nowhere in the world like the Jersey Shore in the summer, wetsuits and determination can only stretch the summer season from March through November, leaving surfers far less time in the water than their competitors from warmer climates.

That wouldn’t stop Dean. Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the “Dazzler” grew up surfing the waves off the Margate Pier. At age 14 he focused completely on surfing and went professional at the age of 21.

In 1996, Dean qualified for the World Championship Tour. For the next five years he traveled the globe mastering waves. He earned a reputation as a gifted surfer but very little money. Most surfers survive on prize money and stipends from sponsors and health benefits are usually out of the picture. Fortunately, Dean began earning enough to buy health insurance.

Trouble

In June of 2001, Dean noticed “some lumps” in his neck. He was apprehensive about seeing a doctor, but when the symptom persisted, he finally went. The lumps turned out to be Hodgkin’s disease, a cancer of the lymph nodes.

Dean’s treatment consisted of 8 weeks of chemotherapy and 22 radiation treatments that ran from July through Christmas Eve of 2001. Despite the struggle with treatment, he continued to compete from July through September. At that point, he had to stop traveling to major events. Worried about his career, Dean had kept the diagnosis a secret for fear of losing his sponsorship contracts.

Dean feels strongly that continuing to surf during treatments helped maintain his positive attitude and physical stamina, contributing to the success of treatment.

As always, Dean turned to his family. He talked over the situation with his brother Joe. They decided that coming out with the truth was the best course of action and further, that Dean could use his respected reputation in the surfing world to help others. In August of 2001, they founded the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation.

The Foundation

Now in remission and back on the international circuit, Dean knows that early detection can make all the difference in a cancer patient’s success. In 2002, an estimated 20% of Hodgkin’s victims will die of the disease, while 72% of those treated within a year of diagnosis will live at least another ten years.

Knowing that many surfers can not afford health insurance or medical bills, Dean, Joe, family and friends formed the Foundation, with the objective of bringing the surfing community together to raise money for those diagnosed with cancer who cannot afford to pay medical bills and for the purpose of raising money for cancer research.

About Dean Randazzo's Most Recent Battles

with Hodgkins Disease

From Surfer Magazine: http://surfermag.com/features/onlineexclusives/randazzobeatscancer/ Originally published Summer, 2008:

This summer, Dean Randazzo beat cancer. …Again.

In 2001, the New Jersey-by way-of-La Jolla, former-WCT competitor was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes. The “Jersey Devil” slapped the disease into remission, embarking on a recovery of heroic proportions. He came back to win the inaugural Smith Optics Garden State Grudge Match and initiate the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation, to benefit other surfers with the disease and fund research.

Last spring, during a semiannual physical, doctors found mutant cells that had survived the original treatment. This time, Randazzo wasn’t taking any chances.

He began by whipping his body into shape for the abuse it was about to endure. Starting on May 1st, Randazzo took a pair of three-day blasts of chemo. Each day, he had to inject himself with a fluid that would promote the growth of baby stem cells in his bone marrow.

Randazzo then underwent a technical stem cell transfusion, where doctors stuck a tube into his jugular vein, not far from his heart, forcing his blood through a machine and extracting all the stem cells from his body. As if destructive chemicals, needles, and blood sucking machines weren’t enough, the grueling part was still to come. With virtually zero immune system, Randazzo checked into UC San Diego’s Thornton Hospital for 22 days, where he was given a cocktail of toxic chemo drugs to fully annihilate any remaining cancer, before the stem cells were fired back into his body. It took thirteen days, but the cells kicked in, rebuilding his bone marrow and returning him to health.

A lesser man might not have the constitution to bounce back twice, but by early August, he was surfing Oceanside, to the horror of his doctors. “It was little weird to surf again. My mind knows what it wants to do, but my body hasn't been there in so long. It's just so good for my attitude to be out there again.”

Just ten days after being released from the hospital, Randazzo flew to France and surfed in the Lacanau Pro. And he recently surfed in the unsOund Pro, in New York. Check out his Cancer Foundation “Surf for a Cause,” website at DeanRandazzoCancerFoundation.org

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About Little Nasty and

the Little Nasty Big Wave Challenge

For those of us who have lived in the world of New York and New Jersey surfing and surf message boards, Kui Nakamura, aka "Little Nasty" is a legendary figure.

Of Hawaiian decent, his roots in surfing are evident not just in his unmistakeable style on the waves, but in his familiar smile and genuine sense of aloha - not to mention his uncanny ability to blend state of the art science and local knowledge into some of the most accurate surf forecasting any surfer could ever wish for. He also embodies the spirit of community, and holds dear the concept that in order to move forward, we must give back. It was just this spirit that led to the creation of the first "Little Nasty Big Wave Challenge" held in March of 2008, which raised over $5000.00 for Dean and the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation.

Working together with myself and others, the concept of an "Open" Big Wave Contest, taking place over a few weeks at any suitable location instead of a single location, took shape. With his guidance, friendship and encouragement, it's been my great pleasure to put together and host the contest (and the Little Nasty forecast!) right here on NYNJSurf.com in 2008 for the "Do it for Dean!" event, and again this year for "Hurricane Surf for Dean!"

We sincerely hope that you enjoy the format, and wish all competitors the best of luck. Just as much, we thank you for the support of the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation.

Will Hallett, Webmaster - NYNJSurf.com 

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EVENT Press Release

FROM: NYNJSurf.com
CONTACT: 

Will Hallett, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Nick Bricker, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2009 “Hurricane Surf for Dean!” Charity Big Wave Surf Event to benefit the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation

Surfers to compete to ride the biggest waves in September and October!

Somers Point, NJ [August 17th, 2009] – With hurricane season on the horizon, surfers up and down the east coast of the United States invariably think of the biggest and possibly best waves of the year. This year, NYNJSurf.com is looking to take advantage of the season’s great waves and help raise much needed funds for the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation with the 2009 “Hurricane Surf for Dean!” contest - possibly the only contest of it’s kind! What makes the contest unique is the format – competitors up and down the east coast – or anywhere in the world, for that matter – compete against each other regionally to get photographed on the biggest wave. And the contest doesn’t run for just one day or at just one location – surfers can be photographed on any wave, anywhere from September 1^st to October 31^st, 2009!

A unique, challenging, and exciting format for the surfers is one thing, but the cause is quite another. The contest, inspired by New Jersey pro surfer Dean Randazzo, benefits the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation. The Foundation was founded in 2001 after Dean’s first bout with Hodgkin’s Disease. Dean has since battled back from the disease 3 times to rejoin the pro circuit and has come to represent the best in surfing and the best in life to a generation of New Jersey surfers and surfers across the world. Despite his setbacks, Dean has continued to battle back time and again and is healthy and doing quite well. His foundation also continues to work hard, raising much needed funds to support cancer research and assist others from all walks of life stricken by cancer.

“Hurricane Surf for Dean!” is NYNJSurf.com’s followup to the highly successful 2008 “Do it for Dean!” contest, which also benefited the Dean Randazzo Cancer Foundation. The contest, held across the month of March 2008, attracted over 100 surfers from the U.S. East and West coasts, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

For more information, to register for the event or to become an event sponsor, please visit NYNJSurf.com at this url: http://www.nynjsurf.com/2009-Hurricane-Surf-for-Dean-Competition-Information.htm or email This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it