The 8th Annual Big Andrew Surf Competition will be held on Sunday August 2nd at Long Sands Beach in York, ME to benefit cancer patients along the seacoast areas of New England and to celebrate the life of Andrew Gmelch, a summer resident of York who passed away from acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2007. The funds raised help cancer patients and their families maintain their quality of life when burdened with the unexpected costs of cancer treatment.

“We put on the Big Andrew to turn a negative into a positive, To remember and honor our lost brother and to keep morale up in a time of significant hardship. Now, 8 years in, the event and Andrew’s life serve as an inspiration to our entire community in ways we could have never imagined. ” said Co-Founder Ian Knowles, a resident of York and longtime friend of the Gmelch family.

Ian, 25, and his brother Ryan, 26, decided to create the fund-raising event in honor of their friend Andrew after his passing at the young age of 16. The Big Andrew Foundation has been quite successful and to date has raised over $70,000 since its inception 8 years ago.

“I’m honored that they have taken this on” said Andrew’s mother, Linda Gmelch. “They do an amazing job.”

Over the years, the Big Andrew has grown to become one of the premier surf competitions in the Northeast, with an estimated 50+ competitors expected to attend this year’s event. The day-long competition, which is sponsored by Liquid Dreams Surf Shop, Grain Surfboards, Health Warrior, Red Bull, Health Warrior Freestyle Watches, FCS Fins, Sanuk, O’Neill and Swell Info, starts bright and early at 6:30am for sign-ups and concludes at 6pm.

The contest consists of both men’s and women’s longboard and short board competitions, which are divided by age group. The age groups are: Menehune (12 and under), Junior Mens (12 to 17), Junior Womens (12 to 17), Mens (18 and over), and Womens (18 and over). Competitors are judged on their surfing style, performance, wave selection, and exit, during each of their 20 minute heats.

“Every year we see more and more individuals rally around the event” says Ian, “We see young surfers develop and come back year after year, vowing they will be this year’s winner. The event is truly unique in that we have individuals participate from New York to Maine and everywhere in between, all from different backgrounds and environments.”

In addition to the surf competition, there are a ton of activities for spectators of the event. Non-surfers are welcome to demo boards, provided by sponsors such as Grain Surfboards and Liquid Dreams Surf Shop. There is also a beach barbecue and raffle with prizes such as surfboards, GoPro’s, Red Sox tickets, skateboards, surf gear and gift cards from local businesses.

At the end of the day, the event concludes with the raffle, award presentations, a free product toss and most importantly a ceremonial paddle out to remember Andrew and others we have lost to cancer.

We at The Big Andrew Foundation are so excited for this years contest and car show and we look forward to seeing everyone there!

Image courtesy Big Andrew Foundation