Surf's Up!

Youth Tests The Waters Off Pier
published in the Deerfield Beach Times
Rick Menning, Sports Editor

Luke Marks is more than just a surfer dude who likes to ride the waves.

The local youngster is a serious competitor who answers every challenge with a determination to succeed.

During a recent Eastern Surfing Association (ESA) event at the Deerfield Beach pier, the five-year-old not only participated but he also did so as an entrant in the tough 11-Under Division.

Despite competing against surfers almost double his age, Marks had the longest wave in his division and missed the final heat by one wave. He made a huge impact on the crowd.

A member of the Lighthouse Point Yacht Club, Marks has been involved in surfing for only one year. The resident of Pompano Beach who attends school in Lighthouse Point has surfed some of the more popular coastal outlets on the east coast of Florida including Sebastian Inlet, St. Augustine and Stuart Rocks along with Deerfield Beach.

Marks has surfed six-foot waves many times and is among the first in the water when the waves are breaking.

He has been swimming with the Yacht Club swim team since he was two years old, is undefeated in his age group and recently won the 4-Under league championship.

Marks vies in the backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle, and placed second in the league championships for freestyle and mixed relay.

In addition, he was invited to swim on the Broward Aquatic/USA Swimming team and has competed in two summer sizzler events with a second place finish in butterfly (six and under) and fifth in freestyle at four years old.

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