RICHARDSON MIRON

Staff Writer

OCEANSIDE -- Sometimes it's funny how quickly moods can change.

All weekend long at the 25th World Bodysurfing Championships at the Oceanside Pier, competitors spoke about the good vibes and community spirit they were there to enjoy.

Then Sunday's finals brought out a different element in the athletes. It's not like they started kicking and biting each other, but the intensity level definitely jumped a notch toward the end of the competition as the bodysurfers' attention turned to winning.

Judges had the difficult task of deciphering just who did win in good-shaped, 3- to 4-foot surf during the fiercely contested men's and women's Grand Championship finals. When the results were announced, Leucadia's Tim Casinelli was crowned the men's champ and Newport Coast's Sonja Bertsch took the women's honors in front of more than 200 spectators.

The Grand Champion is determined when the first-place winners of all 12 age divisions compete against each other for the ultimate title. Both of this year's winners are former Grand Champions and long-time competitors at the event.

Casinelli, 34, was relieved to break a long title drought -- his last Grand Championship came in 1987, just five years after he won his first title at age 15.

"After such a long time, it really feels great," Casinelli said. "I've come close since, but winning now makes the long wait worth it.

"I've been competing here for about 20 years, and I've known most of these guys for that long. We definitely take it seriously and it gets intense. An old friend once told me, 'There are no friends in a final.' And that's the attitude you have to have."

The entire field had the right attitude and performed exceptionally well during the 15-minute final heat. But Casinelli, who works as a surf instructor, caught the most waves and seemed to have the most control in the ocean.

On his final wave, Casinelli left the judges with something to remember when he caught a fast right and worked it inside after multiple spin maneuvers.

"The thing about the finals is everyone is so good and the competition is so tough that a lot of it comes down to who is in the right spot," Casinelli said.

Bertsch, 47, who was in the right spot more times than not, is no stranger to the winner's circle, either. Sunday's victory marks the fourth time she's been the Grand Champion; her other three titles came in 1990, 1991 and 1995.

"This one's very special for me," Bertsch said. "My mom passed away a month ago today. The first thing I did in the water was rub the ring she gave me for good luck. I was thinking of her and it felt like she was out there with me."

After winning the women's 30-to-44 year old division, defending Grand Champion Lisa Bye of Escondido was disappointed she didn't fare better in the finals.

"I just didn't have any luck out there this time," Bye said. "But this is definitely the toughest group I've competed against at this event and Sonja deserved it."

Richardson Miron can be reached at rmiron@nctimes.com.

8/20/01