ESM Big News! Presented by our Friends Of The Porpoise at Wave Riding Vehicles @ https://www.waveridingvehicles.com
All photos and captions by Tom Dugan story by Danny Ottofaro
It’s official – The Eco Pro Surf Series is back with an exciting 4 event season ahead !
Co-founder Jim Tolliver has revamped internal operations and recruited some of the best of Florida’s top surf industry professionals to join together and create the dream team and what promises to be the best season so far.
2019’s overall Men’s Pro Champ Daniel Glenn grabs air at Ponce Inlet. The contest schedule is in different parts of Florida to keep the playing field fresh and diverse for the contestants. It also keeps the level of surfing very high. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Eco Pro staff and it’s newly formed Board of Directors are excited going into their 5th season in 2021. They are looking forward to a really solid competitive year and are thankful to all of the season’s sponsors for stepping up to make this the best season yet. Eco Pro has planned 4 stops in 2021 starting with the Phenom Grom amateur competition at Juan Ponce de Leon Landing in South Melbourne followed by 3 Pro events in North, Central and ending in South Florida. Competitors entering the Men’s Pro can count on a little oomph in the purse promising to be larger this year with the increase in sponsor participation.
2020 Girls U13 overall winner Kora Passerelli fins out and flying ! This little lady is no joke and is one of quite a few female groms raising the bar in that age bracket. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Jim Tolliver states “we are seeing the season grow going into the 2021 competitive year especially with us looking to start the 2022 season at Jobos, Isabella in Puerto Rico. The seating from the 2021 season will carry over to the seating for the event at Jobos. Our overall goal is to look a year ahead at new possibilities and generate momentum towards a true East Coast Championship Tour. In 2022, we are already scouting our 4 stops to tentatively be not just in Puerto Rico but possibly Florida, North Carolina or New York and maybe even El Salvador. Having a solid team running the series has made all the difference and Donny and I are super grateful for the team’s ambition.”
The people that are bringing Pro Surfing to Florida and passing on as much stoke as possible. L-R Donny Ottofaro, Skye Robinson, Randy Nolan, Jim Tolliver and Jesse Robinson. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The Eco Pro crew says there will be lots of prizes and awards for all of the Amateur divisions this year and bumped up Pro purses. The new crew managing the series includes Jim Tolliver, Marisol Moreno, Donny Ottofaro, Jesse Hall, Bryan Craig, Eric Worley, Evan Miller, Corey Howell, Willy Gilreath, Stephanie Brown, Cesar Siaz, Kenny Lawrence and William Kimball. Eco Pro is also being proactive regarding environmental topics around the state with Evan Miller leading the way through his new brand, Clean Water Collective. Expect general environmental and coastal conservation initiatives and awareness to be a priority this season and beyond with the likes of several new partnerships and platforms. Jorge Gonzalez has been sought out to lead Eco Pro’s Puerto Rico venture in 2022 and will be that event’s Competition Director. For this 2021 season ahead, former WSL/CT judge Jeff Klugel will be the Head Judge along with a very talented WSL/ISA certified judging staff he has put together with Tolliver.
Carl Burger on one of the largest waves surfed at the Jupiter Beach, FL contest last year. This waved helped Carl to a 1st in U17 Boy’s and a 2nd in Open Men’s. Carl also finished 1st in the U17 standings for 2020. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The crew at the Eco Pro says they’re looking forward to another season packed full of talented East Coast and Caribbean surfers and an expected high performance level that promises to be off the charts with a little help from Ma Ocean. Last season in 2020, the series saw second year champion, Tommy Coleman, take both the Men’s Pro season title and the Junior Pro title. Coral Schuster of Melbourne was the Women’s Pro champion once again and the oldest guy to ever surf the WQS, Tab Textor, won the 2020 Masters Pro division season title. The Amateur division season title winners included Logan Radd Open Men’s, Carl Berger U17 Boys, Dylan O’Hallaron U13 Boys, Jaedyn Wagner U17 Girls AND Women’s Open, Kora Passerelli U13 Girls, and Allysa Gilreath sweeping the Pollywogs.
No self defeating Boo-Boo’s this season, Tommy Coleman was the biggest winner and most dominant competitor in 2020 taking a first in the both the Men’s Pro and Jr. Pro Divisions. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
On behalf of the Eco Pro, they would like to especially thank Tony Childers of Island Root Kava Bar for believing in the series and really making this season a BIG deal. The team also thanks Surfing’s Evolution and Preservation Foundation, Surf Taco Jupiter, Tire Kingdom, Jimmy Hula’s Port Orange, Movement Mortgage, La Tortuga Verde, McCranels Orthodontics, Backyard BBQ Boys Daytona, Ground Swell Surf Shop, My Religion Surf, Ocean Grade Sunglasses, and Hyperflex Wetsuits.
You most definitely better have your act together if these guys are tapping in the the scores or calling the play-by-play on the mics. Left to Right East Coast Surfing Hall Of Famer’s Scott “Red” Mc Cranels and Shea Lopez – also a former WSL standout for over a decade – and Randy Nolan who has a pro-am comp rap sheet about a mile long. Yup, ya better bring it in 2021 gang. PHOTO: TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Prizes for this season include Ocean Grade Sunglasses for all 1st place winners in EVERY division at every contest. A MASSIVE $140k valued package was provided by La Tortuga Verde, El Salvador including FREE accomodations for up to 4 for 1st-3rd place winners in EVERY division at every contest. Hyperflex is providing some rubber for 1st place champions while the legend Scott McCranels of McCranels Orthodontics will throw a cool $1,000 cash bonus to the season’s Junior Pro Champion. As always, 100% of every Pro registration will determine the base purse and pending the # of entries in the Pro division, a percentage of sponsor funding will be applied on top of spiffs and bonuses for highest score and/or best air at each event in the Pro divisions. – Dannny Ottofaro –
The Girl’s competition is an integral part of each event and it is producing many talented surfers. Sophia Gamboa is one to watch and showed it by getting a 1st in both Girls U17 & U13 at the Jupiter contest. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN@tomduganphotos
The Eco Pro 2021 schedule is as follows :
August 28 or 29 (backup Sept 4 or 5) – Phenom Grom, Juan Ponce de Leon Landing, Brevard
October 2 or 3 (backup Oct 9 or 10) – Stop 1 Pro Tour, Ponce Inlet, Volusia
October 23 or 24 (backup Oct 30 or 31) – Stop 2 Pro Tour, Paradise Beach, Brevard
November 20 or 21 (backup Dec 4 or 5) – Stop 3 FINAL Pro Tour, Jupiter Beach, Palm Beach
Registration is live and open at www.ecoprosurf.org/register .
Always when the best surfers compete on good waves you’re going to see surfing that is absolutely off the charts. With World Tour Pros competing in every event in 2019 the “WOW ” factor was in full effect. WSL QS workhorse, Michael Dumphy’s clean cut at Ponce Inlet, Florida. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The Eco Pro has more divisions than just the Pros so that surfers of all ages can mix it up and push their surfing performance to the max. Masters division surfer Kent Compayre full wrap. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The last event of 2020 also saw the biggest waves. Jupiter Beach served up a nice size wind swell and gave contestants like Christian Miller some pockets to hit while grabbing a 3rd in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Talk about giving back- Scott McCranels, one of the best touring pro’s ever from the right coast, now of McCranels Orthodontics, has once again promised a very generous bonus check of $1000.00 for the 2021 Jr Pro Winner. Scott pictured here presenting the jackpot to the 2020 overall champion Tommy Coleman. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The Phenom Grom 1st U13 Boy’s winner and Sebastian Inlet local, Beckham McCart bangs a lip on his way to the win. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Cool setup for the contest in Jupiter with the boys who make it all happen. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Tommy Coleman takes to the air after hitting the lip and wins. 2020 saw Tommy taking two division wins Jr Pro and Men’s Pro. Can he be stopped in 2021? PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The women have pushed the performance level and surfers like Ava McGowen have used the Eco Pro Events to up their game 100%. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The Phenom Grom Event brings out the best kids from the state and teaches them how to compete at a top level that will carry them throughout their competitive careers. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The oldest guy to surf the WQS, Tab Textor won the 2020 Masters Pro Division. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Gavin Coluccio headed to a fourth in the Jr. Pro and Boys U17 in the 2nd event of 2020. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The Pollywog Division finalists ready to surf. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Showing the surfing that put him in the year end ratings, Logan Hofstetter ended the year with a 2nd in the Men’s Pro and a 3rd in the Jr. Pro. PHOTO : TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
The Eco Pro 2020 final standings:
