Comp: Chauncey & Daya Win At NKF 40’th |

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Photos, story and captions by Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos

( Left to Right ) NKF’s Savanna Lanza, Florida Surf Museum curator Mason Sapp, and the 2025 Men’s Pro Finalists: Chauncey Robinson 1st, Benji Lange 2nd, Tommy Coleman 3rd, and Logan Radd 4th. PHOTO : Chris Andress

The 40th NKF Rich Salick Surf Festival held October 11th-13th, 2025 at the Cocoa Beach Pier will go down in the history books as having some of the all-time best waves for the event, if not the best ever.

When this is the first thing you see as you walk up the beach Monday morning, you know it’s going to be a good day for surfing. Cocoa Beach Pier 10-13-2025. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

The surf ran in the 3 to 5 ft range for the whole event, with many overhead waves, and clean, glassy conditions. With 30 divisions and over 250 competitors, the contest organizers had their hands full.

The beach and scaffolding on the final day of the NKF Event. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

The competition was about as steep as it gets with standout performances daily as the conditions for surfing were about as good as it gets. Five local Brevard County Florida surfers took home first place finishes. Chauncey Robinson took home $5000.00 for his win in the Ron Jon Men’s Pro winning all his heats on his way to the finals.

This is the air that sealed the deal for the his first place in the Rich Salick Mens Pro. Chauncey Robinson won all his heats on the final day and posted a 15.57 total for the win. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Chauncey posted scores 9.17 & 9.00 in one heat and a 9.00 for a big air in the finals. winning every heat along the way while Daya McCart took home $5000.00 for her win in the Ron Jon Women’s Pro.

Women’s Pro Winner Daya McCart rebounds off the top on her way heading to the pier. The waves this year never stopped and the surfing was some of the best ever seen at the 40th NKF Rich Salick Surf Festival. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Ian Honda won the Luke Mackin Jr. Men’s Pro with longboard / shortboard grom phenom Madison Bennett won the Women’s Longboard Pro. Gavin Idone, back from a top 16th finish at Bells Beach, Australia World Surf League event, won the Men’s Longboard Pro while Cocoa Beach’s Keith Capizzi, 47 , being the Mayor of one of the original beach towns in the country, won the Longboard Division by sealing his heat with a classic headstand. dudes got our vote.

Fresh off his run on the World Longboard Tour at Bells Beach in Australia, Gavin Idone threw down at the pier and grabbed himself a win in the Longboard Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

This year’s event raised $50,000.00, adding to the over $10 Million that has been raised through the NKF Surf Contests and other functions. A surfboard honoring the Salick family, airbrushed by local tattoo artist extraordinaire Mark Longenecker, was taken home for the $1,800.00 winning bid in a silent auction.

Tattoo artist Mark Longenecker with the board he painted honoring Rich Salick. PHOTO : Chorthip Cuyno Cousins

Phil Salick carrying on the family tradition with the 40th running of the NKF. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

This event is always highly anticipated as an end to the long hot Summer in Florida and the three days of beautiful sunny skies, warm water, and great waves was the best way to say goodbye. to one season as we cross over into another.

RESULTS 2025 NKF

Women’s Pro Longboard

1-Madison Bennett

2-Fiona Sargente

3-Kylie Mulholland

4-Emily Ulman

Grace and balance. Women’s Pro Longboard Winner Madison Bennett with toes on the nose on her way to a first place finish. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Men’s Pro Longboard

1-Gavin Idone

2-Shane Konrad

3-Anthonny Flores

4-Fred Fitz

Suns too hot? Wear a hat. Men’s Pro Longboard 3rd place finisher Anthony Flores stays cool in the shade. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Women’s Pro

1-Daya McCart

2-Marlynn Glaub

3-Isabella Goodwin

4-Auburn Hilley

Florida Treasure Coast surfer Marlynn Glaub drove an hour and a half north to surf the Board Riders Exhibition. While she was there, she entered the NKF Women’s Pro and took home a second place trophy. Very impressive surfing to say the least. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Luke Mackin Jr. Men’s Pro

1-Ian Honda

2-Beckham McCart

3-Sebastian Peters

4-DC Lewis

2nd place finisher in the Luke Mackin Jr. Pro Beckham McCart with a clean snap on the snack bar right heading into the pier. PHOTO @tomduganphotos

Ron Jons Men’s Pro

1-Chauncey Robinson

2-Benji Lange

3-Tommy Coleman

4-Logan Radd

Benji Lang’s backside attack earned him a 2nd place in the NKF’s Men’s Pro. Benji missed first place by just three points but was very on point with his surfing throughout the event. PHOTO : @@tomduganphotos

Mom and Dad are stoked. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

More perfection pours into the Canavearal Pier comp site. PHOTO: Tom Dugan

He may have went home without a win but he certainly did go big. Dave Griffin pulls out all the stops boosting one going for the gold. PHOTO: Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos

The beach and scaffolding on the final day of the NKF Event. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Marlynn Glaub up from the Treasure Coast surfed in two different events. One was the Boardriders Exhibition and the Women’s Pro (shown here) where she took home a second place trophy for her aggressive surfing. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Jr. Men’s Longboard finalist Ivan Iorgulescu floats his way into a second place finish. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Always a crowd favorite when you take to the air. Evan Blais in the Jr. Men’s final. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

If you’re following the new wave of surfers along the Space Coast, Sebastian and Kai Peters have been making quite a name for themselves. When you drive down A1A or Highway 95 you will see Sebastian on the Ron Jon billboards and on the big sign in front of Ron Jon’s. Now get ready for a third brother 8yr old Luke. He spent the weekend surfing his butt off and by the look of his style he’s on his way to greatness too. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Backside rail grab heading for the pier for Warren Harasz who placed 4th in the Longboard 18 to 49 competition. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Keeping it the family. Rich Salick and his twin brother Phil were both excellent surfers and the talent has been passed down to Rich’s son Philip, shown here in the Finals of the Men’s Longboard 18 to 49 Division. He took home a 5th place trophy for his surfing. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Early morning warm up for Ian Honda before his First Place win in the Luke Mackin Junior Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Former ESM Cover Boys having a good time in Cocoa Beach and showing support for the cause. (L to R) Kyle Garson, CT Taylor, & CJ Hobgood. PHOTO : CT Taylor

Local DC Lewis fins out in the finalls. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Eye’s on the prize. Kalani Evans surfing was a step above the rest and it took him to the finals and a first place finish in the Jr. Men’s AM division. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Second place finisher in the Legends Mens Shortboard ( 50+ ) division, Gordon “Gordo Surfboards” Lawson who, btw, shaped the killer checker bottomed board Robinson rode to his 5K win and first ever NKF victory. Gotta love a bit of serendipity !