By Brian Freskos
Staff Writer
Mike Majikas had the hairiest back and chest near the south end of Wrightsville Beach on Saturday afternoon, Aug. 18—and he was duly awarded for it with the applause of students from the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
The Hairiest Back and Chest Contest was prompted by personnel with radio stations Surf 98.3 WSFM and Z107.5 WAZO, and it was all part of the UNCW Beach Blast, a back-to-school fling aimed at welcoming students and showcasing Wrightsville Beach as an area attraction.
Majikas, 60, stood beneath a tent on the beach strand near Crystal Pier as thousands of students passed. He put his hands in the air and spun himself around so everyone could catch a glimpse of his back and chest.
"This will make him proud," said Majikas, referencing his son, Danny Majikas, who is a sophomore at UNCW.
A number of vendors erected tables and tents along the stretch of beach as more than 3,600 students descended onto the scene with beach towels, bags and lots of sunscreen, said Jon Kapell, associate director of campus activities and involvement.
The event was open to the public, but only students could partake in the planned festivities, which included eating pizza from Papa John’s, signing on for free surf lessons with Wrightsville Beach Surf Camp, or spinning a wheel for a chance to win free T-shirts and food from Buffalo Wild Wings.
While some students played volleyball near the dunes, drank soda, swam, surfed and generally enjoyed themselves; others laid on towels in the sand, sunbathing in a sea of friends.
And as Majikas was making his son proud, another student, Gregory Cathcart was enjoying his first days in the United States before his classes began on Wednesday at UNCW.
For Cathcart, an 18-year-old international exchange student who landed in the country a few days ago from London, England, the blast was distinctive for its enjoyable character and inviting atmosphere.
As the sun shot down into his eyes, he commented on the unique aspects of a university and a small town teaming together to give students a day of fun at the beach before school blasts off again into full swing.
"It makes you feel more confident," he said, "like you’re welcomed into the university as a whole and you’re not an outsider; which is something you probably don’t get anywhere else in the world."
The blast has been an annual UNCW event for approximately 10 years, Kapell said, and it gives students the chance to learn about the community and interact with the town in a respectful manner.
Kapell acknowledged the difficulty of organizing and planning such a large-scale celebration, but said the event marks a great collaboration between Wrightsville Beach and UNCW.
"And hey, it’s a fun event," he said "We’re all having a good time out here."
Kapell spoke while standing near the entrance to the event area, which was cordoned off with security personnel surrounding a perimeter that stretched past both sides of the pier. Before they entered the area, students showed identification and had their bags checked for alcohol.
Kapell said in the three years since the university remodeled the security plan, the event has run smoothly.
He said UNCW pays up to 10 staff security officers and three Wrightsville Beach officers. There were also 30-40 staff volunteers stationed at different stations.
"When they (university officials) brought me in, they said make this event safer and I did," Kapell said.
Wrightsville Beach Fire Chief Frank Smith and Police Chief John Carey said that while there were a couple of minor incidents, the event was a success.
