By JULIE JAG
Sentinel staff writer
SANTA CRUZ ? Bill Lerner showed there are advantages to riding a kneeboard ? like long sessions in the green room.
Enjoying 6-foot rolling waves and summer-like weather, Lerner of San Diego squeezed through a long, hollow tube just his size, then shot out just before its green walls collapsed into white foam. From the cliffs above Steamer Lane, hoots and hollers rang out from the scattered spectators who had come to watch or compete in the 2007 World Kneeboard Championships.
"The tube makes everybody happy," said John Mel, a longtime Santa Cruz kneeboarder. "That's where everybody wants to be.
On Tuesday, everybody seemed just as content to soak up the best Santa Cruz has to offer the championships began by whittling down a field of more than 60 contestants in the Open Men's category.
The day started with a trial. The top two in each heat there moved onto the first round of the main event, where they would be pitted against seeded entrants. The top two from the main event advance directly to the second round, while the third- and fourth-place finishers get another chance to make that round through an early morning repechage heat, which begins at 7 a.m.
Lerner, the No. 4-ranked kneeboarder in the United States, took second in his heat and advanced to the second round of the main event, which is scheduled to begin around 10 a.m. He will be joined in that round by the U.S.'s top three kneeboarders: Jack Beresford, Barry Baker and Tom Linn, respectively. The top-ranked kneeboards from Puerto Rico, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand also advanced.
Locals' knowledge didn't help the Santa Cruz surfers much. Roger Hughes, Paul Wulsich and Lloyd Mahoney all advanced directly to the second round. However, John Manss, Scott Wessling, Mike Sears and Eric Thygersen must battle through the repechage.
Mel didn't seem too upset. After all, if he doesn't make it there, he'll be able to start anew when the age-group trials begin Thursday.
"We're a bunch of happy campers," he said.
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