Southland Surfer Competes In Tandem Surfing In World Championship

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Tandem surfing may look like something you'd see on a 1960s postcard, but on Friday, these teams from across the globe will compete for the Pakaloha Bikinis Tandem Surfing World Championship title.

Tiffany Rabacal-Harper, co-president of the International Tandem Surfing Association described the event and the participants to the Honolulu Star Advertiser. She holds two titles in the sport.

"It's an all day event with some of the best teams in the world," she said.

The championship will include a team representing the United States, including Southland resident Travis Long. He shares the board with Meagan Talabis, according to the group.

Teams from France, South Africa and the U.S. will do battle in this graceful dance.

France currently holds the World Championship title.

The guys tend to be surfers while their partners tend to be experts in flexibility and movement, with backgrounds in dance, ice skating or cheer-leading, Rabacal-Harper said.

"Over the years, the playful antics of the Beach Boys taking tourists out for a once in a lifetime ride on the rolling waves of Waikiki, the sport has evolved into a highly skilled sport of daring acrobatics on surf that continues to challenge our athletes to push the boundaries of what is possible," the group's website reads.

Follow the surfers on www.facebook.com/itsatandemsurf to find out final scores.