Article by Hillard Grossman

COCOA BEACH — Just a couple of days after legendary surfer Kelly Slater was bestowed one of sport’s grandest accolades for his incomparable lifetime achievements, several of the “new wave” of Brevard County surfers gathered at the Florida Surf Museum.

 

About 150 friends, families and well-wishers were on hand for a fundraising celebration to send off the Space Coast BoardRiders team to Lower Trestles, Calif., site of the 2028 Olympics, for this year’s National Team Championships on May 17 (TV: Fuel Network).

 

The Space Coast BoardRiders team has now qualified for the nationals in each of its first four years, finishing third, second and fifth. This time, at the Florida Cup a few weeks ago at Sebastian Inlet, Space Coast defeated runner-up Jacksonville (which also qualified) and 11 other teams, including Daytona Beach (third place) and Treasure Coast in an unusual format of two-person, tag-in, divisions split by age.

 

“It was one of those events you always like to win at home; it felt sweet,” said Mason Sapp, founder and president of the club.

Sapp, who addressed the audience later in the evening after being named as John Hughes’ successor as Executive Director of the Florida Surf Museum come June 1, will need to choose 14 surfers from his group of about 40 to compete against the stacked California teams from Santa Cruz, San Clemente, Encinitas and Huntington Beach, for example, which feature veterans like Rob Machado and Taylor Knox.

C.J. Hobgood, the 2001 world champion, is expected to compete for Space Coast, along with the likes of another veteran, Kyle Garson, William Hedleston, 21; Logan Radd, 18; 14-year-old Sebastian Peters (who recently got a new marquee sign in front of Ron Jon’s), and 16-year-old twins Daya and Beckham McCart, just to name a few.

 

“We know what we’ve gotta do,” said Hedleston, a former high school national champion while attending Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High.
“It’s gonna be sick,” said Radd, who is off to a Top 10 start on the junior pro qualifying circuit. “We’re gonna bring it.”

 

Kelly Slater Emotional at Ceremony

Eleven-time world champion Kelly Slater became emotional after watching a slideshow of photos dating back to his days on Cocoa Beach, saying he could “feel” each of those moments, as he accepted the Laureus Lifetime Achievement World Sports Award in Madrid, Spain.

 

“It’s strange to get emotional in front of a lot of people I don’t know,” he said, jokingly. “Seeing all those memories when I was a little child, gosh, I can feel all those moments in real time. … Being in England when I was 14; being in Australia when I was 15; being in Hawaii getting my first big wave when I was 19 years old, trying to break through in Hawaii …

 

“I had to make a name for myself coming from Florida, surfing tiny little waves as a kid, and not getting that respect and having to earn it, and (now) come all the way here and stand in front of the greatest athletes that have ever lived and be able to tell my little story that started in Cocoa Beach. I’m really proud, really thankful and happy to be here.”

 

During his 30-plus year career, Slaterwon four previous Laureus awards as Action Sportsman of the Year while collecting 56 world tour contest titles.
“As a little kid, I wasn’t sure if people in my area, where I was from in Florida, could win a world title or whatever, and now I look back, and in our sport, we have 22 world titles from my state,” Slater told reporters. “You have to believe you can achieve something for it to happen.”

 

 

Caroline Marks slips to 6th in rankings

Former Melbourne Beach surfing star Caroline Marks, the defending world champion, has fallen into an uncharacteristic slump after winning the event in Portugal.

 

Back-to-back 9th-place finishes, in El Salvador and at Bells Beach, Australia, has dipped her ranking to sixth with one event remaining, also in Australia) before the mid-season cut takes place for the top 10 surfers at that point to continue.

 

Board Shorts …

Hundreds turned out recently at Nomads Canteen to watch the movie premiere of “No Contest: Florida,” highlighting Florida’s top surfers throughout history, this particular edition spotlighting Caroline Marks and veteran photojournalist Tom Dugan … Scott Bradley defeated fellow Central Florida teammate Steve Moldenhauer 14.50-9.20 in the Grand Legends 60-over Longboard division at the ESA Regionals at Paradise Park in Melbourne. Mary Payzant edged out teammate Fiona Sargente 8.53-8.13 to win the Women’s Open Longboard title, while Madison Bennett and Kyle Mulholland made up the foursome … “Women of the Waves” takes place May 30-31 with a Friday movie night, and a Saturday Surfing Social at Lori Wilson Park. Call Melody DeCarlo at 321-537-2045 for details … The Florida Surf Museum’s documentary on Natural Art pioneers Pete and Debbie Dooley, “Surfing is a Natural Art,” will be shown at 7 p.m. May 30 at the Surfside Playhouse in Cocoa Beach. Call 321-446-1583 for more info.