2018 Beach ‘N Boards Fest highlights from surfing and all beach-related sports in Cocoa Beach Courtesy of Ron Jon Surf Shop, Cocoa Beach, Florida Today
COCOA BEACH – For the record, surfing really is the centerpiece of the Ron Jon Beach ‘N Boards Fest. But with so many other exciting events planned for the four-day spectacle that begins Thursday, sometimes the main events get a little lost in the whitewater.
“We have a lot of moving parts,” laughed Mitch Varnes, who enters his seventh year as event director. “This is a really cool event, the biggest active lifestyle event in the nation. I don’t think there’s anything like it in the world.”
Besides three major surfing competitions, venues such as skateboarding and wakeboarding will be set up in the Shepard Park parking lot; a 60-team beach volleyball event takes place on the weekend; and there’s a kayak-fishing tournament in the river off Minutemen Causeway.
There also is a kiteboarding hydrofoil race; a celebrity-studded Tow-At surfing showdown; a paddleboard race; an Outrigger canoe demonstration and even beach yoga.
Whew!
How does Varnes do it all? Well, he has help, of course.
“Partnering with Ron Jon is awesome; they have the manpower and good, knowledgeable people to do it,” Varnes said. “We also work with UCF sports kids in the marketing program, and I’ve found that the college interns are eager to work.”
Autograph sessions with CJ Hobgood, the 2001 world champion from Satellite Beach; world-class surfers Timmy Curran, Brett Simpson, Cory Lopez and Colin McPhillips; and pro volleyball player Alexa Strange also are scheduled.
Events are scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
A deeper look into the surfing events:
Surfing
The $10,000 Ron Jon Quiksilver Junior Men’s Pro
Varnes calls this a “pretty significant” event on the World Surf League’s Qualifying Series. “For the past five years, it’s been the biggest pro event on the East Coast and it’s now the biggest one in North America.”
It’s also the season opener for the region. Last year’s winner was California’s Eithan Osborne.
Also, the prize money breakdown for the juniors, male and female, will be equal – the first surfing event of its kind to do that last year, Varnes said.
Who to watch
* Top seed Crosby Colapinto, 17, from San Clemente, Calif., is coming off a season in which he won titles at Los Cabos and Barbados. He made the semifinals here in 2018.
* No 2 seed Kade Matson, 16, also hails from San Clemente and he finished second twice last season, at Los Cabos and in the Vans US Open of Surfing.
* Third-seeded Taro Watanabe, from Malibu, Calif., placed third here a year ago and has established himself as a strong contender after ruling amateur NSSA events.
Among the locals to watch: Tommy Coleman, seeded sixth; and Blake Speir, seeded 10th;
The $5,500 Ron Jon Roxy Junior Women’s Pro
Last year’s winner, Kirra Pinkerton, recently finished second to Caroline Marks in the Florida Pro at Sebastian, after winning the World Junior title in 2018.
Who to watch
* Top seed Tiare Thompson, of La Jolla, Calif., opens her seventh season on the junior circuit. She finished second at Outer Banks last year and 13th at this year’s Florida Pro.
* No. 2 seed Eva Luna Woodland, a native of Melbourne Beach with Costa Rican dual citizenship, begins her fourth season on the junior tour and has shown locally she can dominate in certain conditions. But she struggled in the Florida Pro, placing 49th, losing to Leilani McGonagle, one of her Costa Rica National Junior teammates.
* Third-seeded Serena Nava, a Californian by way of Costa Rica, starts her third season on the junior circuit. At age 14, she won a national surfing girls title in Costa Rica in 2016.
Other locals to watch: Audrey Presti, the younger sister of surfing standout Rachel Presti; Cocoa Beach’s Coral Schuster, who had a good start in the Florida Pro; Brevard native Bree Smith, by way of Costa Rica; and Zoe Benedetto of Palm City, who competed for Team USA at the Junior World Championships.
The $15,000 Ron Jon Quiksilver Men’s Pro
This event, won last year by Barbados’ Josh Burke, has been upgraded to a QS 1500 on the World Surf League’s World Qualifying Series, the same as the Florida Pro, held in January.
Who to watch
* Top-seeded Ruben Vitoria of Spain, currently ranked 57th, was ranked 129th on the World Qualifying Series a year ago. Last February, he won the La Americas Pro Tenerife with a 10-point ride and a near-perfect 19.10 total.
* No. 2 seed Stevie Pittman of Newport, North Carolina, was ranked 203rd last year and hopes to gain momentum with a world-wide surfing schedule this year. He placed 13th in the Florida Pro. At 14, Surfer magazine included him among the Hot 100 Groms to Watch.
* Noah Schweizer: Plugged in as a WSL wildcard entry, the New Smyrna Beach resident, 23, quickly became a household name in January, winning his first major contest by beating WSL series contender Evan Geiselman in the final at the Florida Pro in Sebastian.
Other locals to watch:Coleman and Speir, who compete in juniors, also will contend here; as will Cocoa Beach’s William Hedleston, a wildcard entry.
Schedule of events
Thursday, March 14
Ron Jon/Quiksilver/ROXY Surf Competitions – 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
WJRR Live Broadcast with Dickerman at Ron Jon – 3 p.m.-7 p.m.
Friday, March 15
Ron Jon/Quiksilver/ROXY Surf Competitions – 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Hurley Surf Training with Brett Simpson – 8-10 a.m.
WJRR Live Broadcast with Mel Taylor at Ron Jon – 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Meet Bob McKnight and Quiksilver Surf Team at Ron Jon – 11–11:30 a.m.
Open Skate – 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Meet Pro Surfer CJ Hobgood at Ron Jon ~ Presented by Salty Crew – 11:30 a.m.-Noon
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – Noon
Body Glove SUP Demo – Noon-4 p.m.
Hurley Art Wall – Noon-5 p.m.
Meet Timmy Curran and Colin McPhillips at Ron Jon~ Presented by Salt Life – Noon-1 p.m.
Hurley Surf Training with Brett Simpson – Noon-2 p.m.
Salty Crew Cookout with CJ Hobgood Outside Ron Jon – Noon-1:30 p.m.
Kala Live Music by Ukulenny at Ron Jon – 1 p.m.-5 p.m.
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – 2 p.m.
RVCA Bangers for Bucks Skate Practice – 2:15-2:45 p.m.
RVCA Bangers for Bucks Skate Contest – 3 p.m.
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 16
Salt Life/Costa Del Mar SUP & Kayak Fishing Tournament at Cocoa Beach Country Club – 6:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Ron Jon/Quiksilver/ROXY Surf Competitions – 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
ROXY Yoga – 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
Hurley Surf Training with Brett Simpson – 8 a.m.-10 a.m.
Oakley/Reef Beach Volleyball High School Challenge – 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
O’Neill / Mauli Ola Cory Lopez Surf Experience – 10 a.m.-Noon
Olukai Outrigger Canoe Experience – 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Kiteboarding Hydrofoil Race (Saturday or Sunday depending on the wind) – TBD
Open Skate – 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Meet Pro Surfer CJ Hobgood at Ron Jon ~ Presented by Salty Crew – 11:30 a.m.–Noon
Volcom Sea Oat Planting – Noon
Quiksilver Tow-At – Noon
Meet Rip Curl Team Riders at Ron Jon – Noon-1 p.m.
Hurley Surf Training with Brett Simpson – Noon-2 p.m.
Salty Crew Cookout with CJ Hobgood Outside Ron Jon – Noon-1:30 p.m.
Reef Urban Surf 4 Kids – 8-10 a.m.-Noon
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – Noon
Body Glove SUP Demo – Noon-3 p.m.
Hurley Art Wall – Noon-5 p.m.
Kala Live Music by Ukulenny at Ron Jon – 1-5 p.m.
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – 2 p.m.
RVCA Bangers for Bucks Skate Practice – 2:15-2:45 p.m.
RVCA Bangers for Bucks Skate Contest – 3 p.m.
Body Glove Crusader Team Paddle Race -3:00pm
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 17
Ron Jon/Quiksilver/ROXY Surf Competitions – 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Body Glove One Lagoon Paddle Race – Cocoa Beach Country Club – 8 a.m.-Noon
Oakley/Reef Beach Volleyball High School Challenge – 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Olukai Outrigger Canoe Experience – 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Kiteboarding Hydrofoil Race (Saturday or Sunday depending on the wind) – TBD
Ron Jon/Instaramp Kids’ Skate Clinic – 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Meet Pro Surfer CJ Hobgood at Ron Jon ~ Presented by Salty Crew – 11:30 a.m.-Noon
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – Noon
Meet Pro Volleyball Athlete Alexa Strange at Ron Jon ~ Presented by Reef – Noon-1 p.m.
Body Glove SUP Demo – Noon-4 p.m.
Hurley Art Wall – Noon-5 p.m.
Salty Crew Cookout with CJ Hobgood Outside Ron Jon – Noon-1:30 p.m.
Ron Jon Skate Team Autograph Signing at Skate Ramp – 12:45 p.m.-1 p.m.
Ron Jon Skate Team Demo – 1-1:45 p.m.
Meet Ron Jon Surf Team at Ron Jon – 1-2 p.m.
Billabong Wakeboard Demo – 2 p.m.
Skate To School Mini Ramp Contest – 2 p.m.
More info: beachnboardsfest.com
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