Photos, video, captions, story and the entire editorial kitchen sink by Tom “Tooter” Dugan @tomduganphotos
The 22nd Annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic, presented by The Surf Station, went down October 28th & 29th at the Flagler Beach Pier in 4 to 6 ft surf.
The 22nd Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic opened up Saturday morning with some big sets due to Hurricane Tammy off the East Coast. The first heat of the day had waves way in the overhead range due to a high tide and lots of water. Daniel Catalan stroking for the outside. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The weekend Florida weather was beautiful. The temperatures were in the low 80’s, with winds around 10 miles an hour and onshore, and sizable crowds and waves both days.
Men’s Pro Winners: ( L to R ) Austin Clouse 4th, Carl Burger 1st, Robbie McCormick 3rd and Chauncey Robinson 2nd. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The contest is a tribute to local Tommy Tant who passed away at 24 in his sleep from an aortic aneurysm. The contest has grown into a beloved event that celebrates family bond, friendship, and the surf culture he loved.
Carl Burger 1st Jr Pro and 1st Mens Pro; plus a scholarship check …..Carl is the big winner at the Tommy Tant. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
With 18 divisions to surf in, there was a heat for any surfer of any age to compete . This year there was a new division added to the money rounds, with the addition of a Longboard Pro, won by Nohea Williams. His slick knowledge and smooth control of his longboard put him into first place and the money.
Clean and fast surfing put Nohea Williams into first place in the Longboard Pro Division. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Contestants were treated to consistent waves and some clean faces, even with the small amount of onshore winds each day. On Sunday at noon, the usual time for the Tommy Tant paddle out, the crowd this year gathered on the beach due to high surf conditions.
This year due to large surf the Sunday, the noon paddle out was kept on the beach. Over 200 people held hands and gave praise to the memory of Tommy Tant. His brother Will gave a speech that was so moving, there was barely a dry eye among the crowd gathered. This show of love for Tommy Tant, which is what makes this weekend each year so special. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Tommy’s brother Will gave a heartfelt speech to all gathered, and over two hundred supporters held hands across the beach and along the boardwalk until all hands were thrown up into the air with cheers of rejoice.
Will Tant has not lost the touch when he’s home in Flagler Beach. Will banging one off the top on his backside attack during his Men’s Pro heat. Will surfed thru three heats but lost out, even after posting a 7.13 on this wave. Nice work. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The big winners of the event again were locals from Flagler Beach: Jimmy Blumenfeld in Grandmasters, Bob Lindsey in Legends.
Bob Lindsley is as local as you can get. He grew up surfing at the Flagler Beach Pier and used that to his advantage to find the best waves and win the Legends 60+. Keeping it at home for the boys. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
On the lady shredder side “The Mominator”, Haley Stephens doubled up and took out both the Women’s 18+ and Women’s Pro, with the biggest winner being Carl Burger, who won both the Jr Men’s and Men’s Pro plus a scholarship.
“The Mominator”, local Haley Stephens took home two wins for her day at the beach. 1st in Women’s 18+ and 1st in the Women’s Pro. She has won the Tommy Tant year after year and by the looks of surfing she has a few more event wins to go. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
To date the Tommy Tant event has donated over $200,000 to scholarships, food banks, and the Marfan Foundation. The support for the past 22 years is a testimony to when a surf community comes together, good things and fun days are what it’s all about year after year. – Tom Dugan –
Check please ! Will Tant getting ready to hand out some prize loot to the winning competitors while simultaneously raising a ton of cash and awareness for local charities and people in need. Doing the Lords work indeed while having fun all in remembrance of his beloved brother, the events mansesake . PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Tommy Tant Results :
Mens Pro
4 – Austin Clouse
With good waves over the weekend, the surfing was a notch above the norm. Chauncey Robinson power snap in the finals where he got a 2nd in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4 – Gavin Coluccio
Not for trying, but Kyan O’rourke had one of those days that just did not come together as planned. He surfed multiple heats on his way to two finals but came up just short of winning with a 2nd in U18 and a 2nd in the Pro Jr. Congrats and give ‘em hell next year. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4 – Mya Sniadach
Maggie Dempsey on her way to a 2nd in the Women’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4 – Sky Blumenfeld
It’s not your dads’ long boarding anymore. Shane Konrad sweeps into a 2nd in the Pro Division. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
After the beach paddle out, there was a 25 minute Expression Session. About 30 surfers took part in it with local pier rat Robbie McCormick taking top honors. All eyes are on Robbie as he busts a move. Robbie earned a 3rd place in the Men’s Pro when the competition reconvened. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4th place Women’s Pro surfer Mya Sniadach snaps during the finals heat on Sunday. The girls are getting more radical every go out as shown here. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Scaffolding view of the judges and beach crowd Sunday. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Another Flagler Beach local on his way to a win in the Grandmasters. Jimmy Blumenfeld heading for a first place at his home break. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Taking a break from his judging duties, Eddie Guilbeau surfed a few heats in the Masters Division and took home the win. Tube time for Eddie. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Crowd anticipation as the awards are about to be handed out and all the winners announced. The final moments at the 2023 Tommy Tant . PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
World Surfing vet Gabe Kling comes down with his son to compete each year and enters the Pro Event just to keep things interesting. Backside blast Sunday morning. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
This is how you turn a longboard in overhead surf. Local Flagler boy Skye Blumenfeld in a classic bottom turn. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Dustin Richardson air’s one out in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Clean turn for Open Men’s competitor Josh Ludgren. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
With waves hitting on both days of the event, the surfers were pulling out all the stops. Eros Exarhou fins free out the back in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Austin Clouse tail slides to a 4th in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
When a piece of wood like this is drifting thru the lineup nobody is safe. Kulcha Shoks Lance “O” (left) made it his mission to get this beast out of the water and to a safe spot up on the beach. BRAVO Lance and crew! Thank you! PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
With clean turns like this, Drake Wilborn took it all the way to the finals and got himself a fourth place in the Boy’s U18. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
On Saturday morning the sets were showing some size and Jesse Hellman took full advantage of it in his Pro Men’s heat. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The people that make it happen behind the secne. ( L to R ) Jeremy Saukel, Phil Jackson, Will Tant and Travis Ajay. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
