Katin Pro/Am back after hiatus

The return of a classic.

Beginning Tuesday, the RC’s Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge, presented by Jack’s — a friendly surfing competition with a storied legacy — gets underway at the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier.

Two days of competition will take place during a “holding period” starting Tuesday through Jan. 25. More than $20,500 in cash and prizes will be awarded to both individual surfers and surfing teams.

The last Katin team challenge event was a decade ago.

“It’s a dream come true to be able to reintroduce the Katin Pro-Am Team Challenge the way it always had been,” said Robert Schmidt, Katin president and chief executive, in a statement. “Paying tribute to our North side heritage was important to Katin and our many supporters throughout the industry and in the local community. We owe a debt of gratitude to the city of Huntington Beach.”

The event will feature 96 athletes competing both individually and on four-man teams (24 total teams) in an open draw format. Team results will be determined by the placement of individual competitors. Surfers will receive points in each heat and the four teams earning the most points will grab a share of $20,000 worth of advertising and the top eight individuals will receive a combined cash payout of $10,000.

“The Katin Pro/Am is like the “Rocky” movie — it gives the chance to an unknown surfer to compete with the best in a camaraderie event,” said Scott Waring, West Coast sales manager for Katin and the co-chairman of the Katin Pro Am Team Challenge, who participated in the Katin Pro/Am from 1977 through 1981.

Originally known as the Katin Pro/AmTeam Challenge, the event was founded in 1977 by Nancy Katin and was renowned for its focus on camaraderie.

The then-annual event had attracted the world’s elite surfers, such as Larry Berleman, Joey Buran, Michael Ho, Mark Richards, Mark Occhilupo and Mark Richards, as well as up-and-coming surfers Shane Beschen, Rob Machado, Pat O’Connell, Chris Brown and Peter Mel.

Past winners have included world champions Shaun Thomson, Tom Curren, Martin Potter, Sunny Garcia and Kelly Slater.

The event ran uninterrupted through 1989, went into a two-year hiatus until it resumed in 1992 and then had a run for seven more years. Huntington Beach’s Jeff Deffenbaugh was the event’s last title winner in 1998.

Now comes its rebirth. RC Surfboards and Jack’s have stepped into the role as presenting sponsors of the event.

“The main incentive to bring back the event was to help promote the (Katin) brand domestically, globally,” Waring said. “Since the brand was reintroduced into the market place, it seemed that the 50-year anniversary of Katin was also a good time. The contest also means so much to so many.”

The RC’s Katin Pro/Am Team Challenge, presented by Jack’s, will launch a live webcast that will include live announcing and commentating, live scoring, special guests, on-beach interviews, online giveaways, instant replays and highlight video clips.

“Surfing the north side of Huntington Beach Pier in the RC Katin Pro/Am 2009 will be historical, as it always was,” Waring said.