Comp: Space Coast Board Riders Club Win Again On Home Turf, Bonus Photo Gallery!
The Space Coast Board Riders Pull Further Ahead In The Battle For The 2021 Florida Cup Bragging Rights
After two events, it’ll be a steep uphill climb for the other three clubs at the final stop
All photos by Tom Dugan and Asher Nolan
FLORIDA CUP EVENT #2 from FLORIDA BOARD RIDERS on Vimeo.
Annnd we’re back.
For the second time in a month the Space Coast Board Riders scalped the rest of the state to put themselves way out ahead in the battle for the first-ever Florida Cup with one event to go. And this time — on their home turf at Paradise Park in Melbourne Beach — it wasn’t ever close. In windblown 2- to- 3 foot north swell runners, the Space Coast started strong in the Under 14 division — nearly doubling the other three clubs’ total tally — and never looked back. At days end, the Space Coast won five of seven divisions; their only losses coming in the 30s (to Jacksonville) and the 40s (to Saint Augustine).
The Space Coast Boardriders were victorious again thanks to Christian Daniels keeping the bar very high along with his teammates. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Of course, beating the Space Coast was always going to be a tough ask for the other three clubs. Jacksonville, Ponte Vedra and Saint Augustine are pulling talent from just one town, while the Space Coast is bringing surfers from Cocoa Beach to Sebastian into the fold. And talk about a talented stretch of coastline. From Todd Holland to Phillip Waters to Adam Wickwire to Connie Arias, the Space Coast roster reads like a who’s who of Florida surfing over the past five or so decades.
“The Florida Board Riders is changing surfing in this area very quickly,” says Space Coast coach CT Taylor. “The older surfers are surfing more and actually working out, the surfers in their prime have another avenue to showcase their skills, and the younger surfers are getting what they’ve needed — a big dose of the history of our sport along with solid mentorship.”
Down the line backside attack, Phillip Waters. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
As we’ve mentioned previously, the Florida Board Riders is about more than just competition. It’s also about inner-club meets, beach clean ups, charitable drives, movie nights, and so much more. It’s about bringing Florida surfers and their families together. And while it’s a loose atmosphere on the sand, every surfer and club is still out for blood in the water. Whether you’re a retired CT’er, an up-and-coming grom, or somewhere in-between, when the jersey goes on, the fire comes out, and it’s always fun to watch which surfers crumble (and which surfers crush it), with the pressure of their communities squarely on their shoulders.
Kylie Pulcini on one of the cleaner waves in the heat. Surfing for the Space Coast, Kylie added valuable points with her clean surfing and excellent wave choices. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
“The growth and the amount of stoke the Florida Board Riders has experienced and provided is insane,” says founder Dane Jeffery’s. “It’s crazy, every event gives me chicken skin when I see the generations of talent competing and the people this event brings together. Watching Todd Holland and David Spear tag up, hearing the local stories from the legend Hunter Joslin, and catching Tom Dugan in the bushes getting the shot from a unique angle was epic!”
And the best part? The Florida Board Riders is only just getting started. – Dane Jeffreys –
Blake Speir, the MVP of the event. Full ESM GIF Sick-quence! below by Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos.
Blake Speir At The 2021 Board Riders by Dugan from richard meseroll on Vimeo.
Welcome to Paradise, beach that is. It was a tad breezy and chilly by central Florida standards but still a lovely day for a hotly contested, bragging rights style surfing event. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
Carl Burger goes vertical on his backside. These are the maneuvers that add scores to get to the win. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Florida Board Riders event two crew. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
World Tour vet and Pipeline Hellman Todd Holland showing the kids what’s up in the slop and that diversity in all conditions is absolutely key to a pro career. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The Rebel tagging in after doing his part to help secure the second FBRC win for the Space Coast team. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
Surfers like Wayne P.J. Satterwhite are why team Jacksonville is one you can never count out. His fast aggressive surfing is so fun to see and you never know what he will do on each wave he rides, but you can count on it that he’ll drop a big score. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Off the World Tour but still surfing like he’s still on it. Gabe Kling adding the points for hometown team St. Augustine. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The boys from the Jacksonville Boardriders get a few pointers from Cody Thompson. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Double whammy surfer Chauncey Robinson tail slide snap on the outside. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Blake Speir receiving the event MVP award from Dane Jeffry’s ( at left ) and Team Space Coast coach, CT Taylor. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
New to the Space Coast team, Tyler Lawrence was on fire and added points to the team with snaps like this. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Best seat in the house? David Speir getting support from his wife Stacy. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
FLORIDA CUP EVENT #2 from FLORIDA BOARD RIDERS on Vimeo.
The kids are alright – First heat of the day heads out. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Tommy Coleman chuckin’ buckets for Team Space Coast. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
Coral Schuster has one of the best backside attack of any girl out there. Nice snap in the shorebreak. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Coral tags in Abbie Yates. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
Shot from the bushes of Adam Wickwire snapping back. It’s good to see so many surfers supporting the new team format and they’re all still ripping. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Jacksonville Boardrider Ben McCarthy tail slides the inside. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Kaleb Kirshenbaum snaps for Jax. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Team Lime Green from Saint Augustine amping. Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash
Noah Bromnell throws down for St. Augustine. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The events MC’s Hunter Joslin & Daniel Terry kept the beach informed and entertained for over eight hours. Daniel played great tunes all day like the B52’s and other great bands. Good times. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The Team Space Coast youth section says let’s play another! Photo: Asher Nolan @slashmash