12/1/07 ESA Surf Contest Writeup & Results
@ The Cocoa Beach Pier
Write-up by: : Alden Pitard
Cocoa Beach Pier, Sunday, December 2nd, 2007
CFL/WFL ESA Contest Number 5 Goes Off at the Cocoa Beach Pier
Earlier in the year at the Easterns Competition in Cape Hatteras, NC,
the Central Florida (CFL) ESA district directors, Alden Pitard, Rob Henry
and Tom Evans got together with the West Florida (WFL) District Directors,
Greg and Robyn Agerskov and Jerry and Lacasse decided to hold a two District
surf contest in Cocoa Beach and also throw in an “East versus West Coast”
Team Challenge.
The event was held this past weekend, December 1st and 2nd, in Cocoa
Beach at the world famous Cocoa Beach Pier. CFL’s annual Christmas contest
is usually greeted with very cool conditions but the surfers were greeted
with above average air temperatures and the surf temps were warm enough
not to require wetsuits.
CFL’s Lauren McLean pulls out all the stops and the fins during the Team
Challenge.
Over 60 surfers from the Gulf Coast made the trip across the state for
the weekend and were treated to 2’ to 3’; glassy surf all weekend long. Light
offshores kept the conditions glassy and even the red tide that has been
plaguing the East coast could not dampen the spirits of the competitors.
The highlight of the day was the East versus West Coast Team Challenge
held at the end of the day. Each team consisted of at least one long boarder,
one Menehune and a female surfer with any other combination rounding out
the team. Each team member could catch a maximum of 3 waves and one member
would be designated the “double whammy”, thus doubling their points on
the wave of their choice. The West Coast team consisted of
Pete Lopez, Ian “Dupree” Carmichael, Matt Lopez, Christian Agerskov, Kyle
Applefield and Michele Kienlen. The West coast tem started off strong with
some excellent long boarding by Pete Lopez followed up by Menehune Christian
Agerskov.
Next up was Central Florida with the team consisting of Menehune Nolan
Tyler, Lauren McLean, Tommy Evans,????????and Tyler Thornsley who was the
designated “double whammy” for the team. For the first 5 minutes of the
heat, the surf seem to go flat but soon after Tyler Thornsly caught a nice
outside set and after several hard hits to the lip and bought it all the
way inside towards the Pier and claimed it as the double whammy wave. East
Coast Women’s Champ, Lauren Mclean had several nice waves and pulled some
air at the end of one of her waves to the delight of the crowd.
In the end, it was the CFL pulling it our over WFL and taking home the
coveted Tiki Trophy – thus setting up a rematch for next year.
On Sunday, adult and Open competitors were once again greeted with nice
offshores and a slight increase in the swell size.
Even with red tide in the air, the weekend turned out to be great for
both districts and all agreed that this will be an annual event.
A big thanks to the sponsors of the event, The Cocoa Beach Pier, for hosting
the event, Ron Jon Surf Ship for providing gift certificates to all 1st
and 2nd place finishers and Julie Stein from Few clothing that provided
the girls finalist with Few shirts.
The directors would also like to thank all the volunteers, parents, competitors
and especially the tabulators and head judge Chip Hall and his judging
panel. We look forward to another successful event next year at this time.
CFL’s Tommy Evans gets the nose…
WFL's Kyle Applefield on a nice wave during the West Coast's
Heat
