Balaram Stack, A New-Yorker in Hawaii

When y’think of New York, what springs to mind? Bustling streets, Broadway, Central Park and the Empire State Building? Soon y’could be thinking of something else.

New York State ain’t famous for its surfing. But next year could be the year that puts NY firmly on the surfing map. Balaram Stack, pictured here in Hawaii, is part of a surprisingly-large surfing community around NY. The ASP 2011 schedule is no more specific than listing the sixth stop on next year’s dream tour as being on the East Coast of the US. But gums have flapped, as they do, and rumour is fast-becoming fact that the event will be at Long Beach in NY. The ASP’s time slot for the event falls midway through the Atlantic Ocean hurricane season. ESPN reported that “Since the US started keeping meteorological records, there’s been an average of 3.4 hurricanes each September. Facing due south, Long Island sits in very good position to benefit from this groundswell.”

Photog Jimmy Wilson is still in Hawaii using borrowed camera gear, after his own was swiped by thieves from the North Shore house he was staying at. Jimmy accompanied the above photo with theses words: “Balaram is the best surfer ever to come from New York and he’s only 19 years old. Everyone will know who he is after he gets the wildcard into the WCT event in the Empire State in 2011.” Time will tell.