For years, Santa Cruz and Huntington Beach have battled over who is eligible to be the real “Surf City.”
A federal agency finally ruled that Huntington Beach was the real McCoy.
Both towns have been calling themselves Surf City after the 1960s hit song by Jan and Dean.
Both cities applied for distinction, starting a battle with legal challenges, taunts and even talk of a surfing contest for the title.
The US Patent and Trademark Office wiped out Santa Cruz and gave the honor to Huntington, which not only holds world-class surfing competitions but also houses the International Surfing Museum.
Report by David Wilkening
