Story, photos and captions by Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos
On September 4,5, & 6th the National Kidney Foundation held the 36th Annual NKF Rich Salick Pro – Am Surf Festival at the Cocoa Beach Pier. The waves over the three day event were in the 2 to 3 foot range with clean conditions and offshore winds most mornings. The weather was picture perfect with warm sunny skies and no rain.
Did Mens Pro winner Tommy Coleman recover from this tweaked out, extremely rotated huck? Check the GIF sequence below to find out. Photo and GIF sequence: TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Tommy Coleman’s NKF Huck By Tom Dugan from www.easternsurf.com on Vimeo.
Due to the number of surfers that showed up to compete, heats were held on the north and south side of the pier with the pro heats, as always, held on the south side so the huge crowd could see some of the best surfing in the state of Florida. The surfing in all divisions was at an all time high and it seems with each year the surfing gets raised a notch as our sport grows.
Once again Maddie Franz took home the gold in the Women’s Longboard for like the fourth year in a row. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
As in prior years, each Pro Division showcased the best surfing in the waves at hand. If you’re into longboarding, this event is always one of the best places to watch it. Pro Men’s or Women’s is always showcased with excellent surfing and usually quite a back and forth of who the leader is during each heat. Returning champs? Every Pro Division had one, so crowd favorites got to show their moves and once again take home the trophies.
Beautiful waves and weather brought the masses to Cocoa Beach. Looking south from the Cocoa Beach Pier. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
This years event raised $150,000 for kidney patients of Florida and that is why the Rich Salick Pro – Am continues to be a fun way of helping those in need. – Tom Dugan –
Early morning practice at the pier on day two (Sunday ) saw Logan Hayes, fresh off a second place finish at the Belmar / Playa Bowls Pro up in Jersey, making a clean sweeping turn off the top of a ” Snackbar Right”. PHOTO: TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
4-Blake Speir
Blake Speir at twelve o’clock. Backsiding into a 4th in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Teddy Whittemann
Due to so many heats, both sides of the pier were used. The Pros surfed the south side and amateur heats ran on the north side. Girls Under 12 surfing in the shadows. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Eric Peters
Hanging ten towards the pier and winning the 36th Rich Salick Surf Festival AGAIN, Saxon Wilson makes it look so easy. Fun waves and sunny skies over the holiday weekend is all the NKF can ask for to bring this great event back year after year. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Polina Melza
First place finisher in the Hic-Westcoast Shades Women’s Pro, Kylie Pulcini found the waves with a bit of open face to put a few maneuvers together and grab the win. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Fiona Sargente
Men’s Pro Longboard about to hit the waves on Monday, the final day of the three day festival. Small glassy waves were on hand and were great for long boarding. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Not to worry when you’re hitting the water in Cocoa Beach. The lifeguards are alway on it and helped keep the swimmers out of the contest area all weekend. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Showing the spectators he has more moves than his tail sliding cutback ,Kent Compayre bangs one backside on his way to a good showing in the semi’s that brought him just a hair short of the finals. Nice wave too. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
A fin first takeoff for Shane Konrad helped him get enough points to put him into a second place finish in the Pro Longboard. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Cocoa Beach surfer and long long time Salick competitor Mason Sapp has passed the stoke to his 6yr old son Zealand shown here dropping in on a clean left heading for the pier with style well above his age. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Legends Longboard competitor, Rick Carroll ( no relation to the RC of board building fame except in the way that they both rip! ) styling, profiling and cross stepping to the nose on his way to shooting the pier and no doubt racking up some serious points. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Down from Flagler Beach, Jamie Palazzotto pulled a cheater-five all the way across the contest area on this one and it helped him get a 3rd in the Pro Longboard. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Looking north to Cape Canaveral’s rocket launch towers on the distant horizon on a beautiful, Blue Bird day. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
U14 competitor Kieran Spring turning it up on the inside. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Once again Tommy Coleman wins the Men’s Pro and took home the $1200.00 check for first place. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Shane Konrad hangs five off the pier on his way to a 2nd in the Longboard Pro Division. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Front row seats for the 36th Rich Salick Surf Festival. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
So many heats were run, they used both the North and South sides for heats. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
