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Lavallette surfer wins Grudge Match
By JON COEN For The Press
Published: Oct 21, 2008

SEASIDE HEIGHTS - Since its inception in 2002, the Garden State Grudge Match has always been held at Casino Pier.

Sam Hammer, of Lavallette, grew up surfing the pier and probably knows it better than any other surfer. This local knowledge proved crucial Monday, as Hammer took his second Grudge Match championship.

The Grudge Match, sponored bySmith Optics, is perhaps the most prestigious contest for New Jersey surfers. After the first round, each heat is man-on-man with a winner-take-all $3,500 purse. After six years, the regional and personal grudges have created even more history, as surfers look to avenge past losses and settle old scores.

Each year, it is run "on call," meaning that the event director waits for the most optimal conditions within a waiting period. This year's period ran from Oct. 5 to Oct. 20, and the wait paid off, with four-foot to eight-foot waves. The wind was erratic in the morning but eventually went offshore, creating near-perfect conditions for New Jersey. More 

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