Boardrider of the Month: Crystal Cooper
Interview by Scooter Newell

Name: Crystal Cooper
Date of Birth: March 17, 1983… St. Patty’s Day!
Hometown: Cocoa Beach!
Years Surfing: 14
Years Skating: 14
Current Surf Quiver: 9′ Stu Sharpe and a 5’8″ Peli by Bagel
Current Skate Setup: Still ridin’ my 10-plus-year-old Fish Longskates! I guess that means I don’t do too much damage on them!

Who got you into surfing and where did you first learn how to surf?

John McAleenan, the father of my childhood BFF, Shannon McAleenan — who’s now Shannon McGregor, wife of Nick McGregor of ESM. John is the one who encouraged us to start going out. We surfed at 13th and the Pier mostly. He was a great person and true surfer for sure.

What was your first board?

My dad bought me fun shape from a garage sale that turned out to be a Gordon & Smith. A few years ago, I gave it to a friend who restored it.

Where is your favorite local break?

Right now it’s behind the house in South Cocoa Beach. Love 2nd Light when its workin’, too.

How often do you compete in surf events?

I used to surf every single event I could, but that was before my daughter. Took a break when I had her, and just in the last few years getting back into it. It’s a different experience now than it was when I was younger. Now, it’s more about enjoying time with friends and family, not as much about winning.

Where is your favorite local place to eat breakfast?

In bed!

Lunch?

Slow ‘N Low.

Dinner?

Taco City.

Tell us about your new clothing line, Salty Sweet.

I’m so excited about this! Salty Sweet is a girl’s beach/surf brand. It’s about the balance between “salty” and “sweet” — with salty representing surfing, strength, and determination, and sweet representing the feminine aspect of the lifestyle… being beautiful, sexy, and feminine. It’s about going surfing with the boys, but having a pretty pedicure, too.

How was the recent launch party for the line?

The launch party was insane. Have you seen the pictures? (Laughs.) It was a fantastic night created to announce and celebrate the beginning of something I’ve been working really hard on for a long time. It’s something that means a lot to me and provides me with a way to express myself. I love creating something out of nothing.

What was it that inspired you to create your own brand?

Being sponsored for a lot of my life, it’s a natural desire to want to do your own thing, ya know? I started working on it in ’07. I was at a transition time in my life, and one night I had a long conversation with my father (and BFF) about building a career around my lifestyle, instead of the other way around. He really wanted me to do what I love, which is surf. He believed I could do it. He very unexpectedly passed away three weeks later. After that happened, I couldn’t even imagine starting it without him. I put it on the back burner until I was strong enough to do it on my own. Chad, my boyfriend, was the one who refueled the fire about a year ago. Losing both my parents so young has given me a different perspective on life. I want to look back and know — for better or worse — that I did what I wanted to do with my life. I use to be afraid to fail at something, and in turn, didn’t do things. I want my daughter to see that even if you fail, at least you lived it and learned it and will be a better person for being passionate about life and happiness.

If you could take the ultimate surf trip, where would it be and who would you bring?

Tahiti with Chad Carr and my daughter Emmy… And Kirby to watch Emmy while we surf! One day we’ll make that happen.

Where can we purchase some of your gear?

We are exclusively selling online at www.saltysweetclothing.com

I know the kids will want to know whether you have a team or not.

We don’t have an official team right now. I do have a group of models/surfers who work with us on photo shoots and promo events. I’m always looking to add girls.

Thanks so much! Any final words or thoughts?

2012 is going to be so exciting! We have our first full-page ad coming out in the January issue of WSSM (Women’s Surf Style Magazine) and there’ll be an editorial about us in the July issue. And much, much more fun!

Boardrider of the Month: Dylan Durkin
Interview by Scooter Newell

Dylan Durkin is an excellent example of the amazing boardriding talent found right here in Cocoa Beach.

Around the Skatepark, his name is synonymous with style. His effortless approach leaves people wondering how he’s able to make a highly technical trick look as simple as a kickturn.

He’s competed as a young teenager all over the state as a sponsored amateur and often did well. Dylan even graced our April 2008 cover blasting a “crail” over the hip as the Space Shuttle launched in the background. He also took nearly a year off of skateboarding only to come back and win the NKF Sk8 Jam. Dylan placed 1st in the Skatepark and 5th at the Pier, making him the inaugural champion of the NKF surf and skateboard crossover event, the Surf n’ Turf.

It seems Dylan can achieve anything he wants on his board, and lately it’s been great seeing him rip and just skating for fun.

Meet Dylan Durkin, our “Boardrider of the Month.”

Name: Dylan Durkin
Date of birth: April 29, 1994
Stance: Goofy
Current skate setup: Darkstar
Current surfboard: Bilt and WRV
Fishin’ setup: Lamiglas with a Stradic

Which did you learn first, surfing or skating?

My mom and dad would pull me on a boogie board. Both my older brother, Justin, and my mom surfed. I tried to stand up when I was two, and I was surfing on a boogie board when I was three.

What was your first board? 

My dad had my first board built when I was four years old. His friend Dan built it.

That must have been nice to have a custom board at age three! Why did you start skateboarding? 

I started skating because I loved doing it and wanted to do what my older brother was doing. I even entered a contest at Paradise when I was five. We moved to the beach when I was seven and I surfed all the time. When they first built the Cocoa Beach Skatepark I skated every day and I wanted to be a pro skater.

It seems that you’re able to take time off of skateboarding and then come back better than before. What’s up with that?  

Yeah, that’s kinda true. For me, not skating for a little while and going back is not hard at all. I just start where I left off.

What do you do when you’re not surfing or skateboarding?

I hang out with my friends or sometimes my friends and I will go fishing in Mosquito Lagoon.

Describe your idea of a perfect day of fishing.

A perfect day of fishing would be to grab about six friends and go fishing for cobia… and even catching a few!

What school do you attend? Do you have any plans for after?

I go to Brevard Private Academy. When I get out, I’m going to attend Brevard Community College for two years. After that, I’m not sure. I would like to do something so I can always surf, skate, and fish.

Any final shouts or thoughts?

I’d like to give a shout out to Dan Hatcher and Tyson Beswick for having the Graffiti and CBS Teams. We traveled all over the place entering tons of contests and they helped get me sponsored by Globe and Blind. I’d also like to give a shout out to the Morefield family and David for taking me to skate spots all over Florida. And to you, Scooter, for supporting me and taking my favorite pic. And of course my parents, my biggest sponsors.

Boardrider of the Month: Greg Meischeid

Greg Meischeid celebrated his 50th birthday this past September 4th, but that’s not why he’s here. He’s this month’s “Boardrider of the Month” because of his boundless passion for the ocean and his enviable mastery of virtually every boardsport out there.

Born in Melbourne, Greg went to Eau Gallie High and has worked with CSR for 25 years at multiple spots around the globe. Now living cozily in Cocoa Beach in one of the sweetest surf pads we’ve seen, Greg currently works on the Multiple Object Tracking Radar at KSC.

He first started surfing in 1974 at the Indialantic Boardwalk and Tampa Ave, but his local spot during the ’80s was Paradise Beach in Melbourne with the Eau Gallie crew. “I also skateboarded all over the place,” he says, “picked up windsurfing in ’84 or ’85, snowboarding in ’89, and kiteboarding in ’99. Now it’s paddle time with the SUP. What’s next?”

That next big thing could be seagull-harnessed water skates, for all Greg cares. As long as there’s a new way for him to satisfy his hunger for waves, you can bet he’ll be first in the lineup.

Describe how you felt when you caught your first wave.

Stoked. I had no idea how much it would change my life and relationship with the ocean.

What was your first board?

Either a 5’7″ Tombs and Reeves or a 6’4″ MTB.

What’s in your quiver now?

For kiteboarding, my go-to board in our normal mushy conditions is the 5’0″ Josh Sleigh Placebo surfboard. It will get going in light winds and has a full-on skate feel. It’s jumpable with straps. It’s like a moving skatepark out there, and this board is easy and fun. When the waves are on with nice sideshore conditions and some size to them, it’s back to the basic squash, and right now that’s a TL2 5’10″ JC SD model and a 5’6″ John Florance model for lit conditions. Those boards can take it pretty good for not being kite-specific. For flat water, I use an F-one twin tip. I want a new Hana Crew/Coil board, but I can’t find the guys who make them. For surfing, my longboard is a Bagel 9’0″ and my shorty is a 6’2″ classic Richie Rudolf Quiet Flight stinger, nice and yellow.

When did you first get into kiteboarding?

I’ve always been into trying new boardsports. Being a skateboarder, surfer, windsurfer, and snowboarder, I knew the kites were coming. After 15 years of windsurfing, I was looking for something new. In 1999, when the first Wipika kites hit the scene, my windsurfing friend, Michel LaFramboise, was the first guy around here who got one. He let me fly it and I was hooked. The rest is history. With kite technology taking leaps and bounds from those crude kites of the early days, today’s kites are better than ever, with a giant wind range and safety systems to keep it all cool. They de-power and let the rider take advantage of the wave power and become more in tune with the wave, allowing you to ride in a more conventional surfing manner. Big jumps will always be one of the easiest and most fun parts of kiteboarding, but wave riding is where it’s at for me. So for any surfers out there who’ve ever wondered what to do with those “wasted windy days,” try a kite! Get out there and carve away with all the other happy kiters. The wind and surf are more dynamic and three-dimensional with a kite.

What kites are you using?

F-one 14-meter Bandit Dos is my main kite here. As the winds pick up, I have a 12- and 10-meter Ocean Rodeo Rise. I need some new kites!

You have some pretty cool videos of you kiteboarding. How did you set up that system?

I’ve always been putting videos together since high school, and it’s amazing how easy it is these days with all the POV cameras out there. I’ve been shooting at 10 feet above me on the lines looking down. Great angle, almost like a floating camera. I level all the footage out when edited, and it’s very watchable, not shaky. It really shows the freedom of kiting on the waves here in Cocoa Beach.

Where can people check out the videos?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWvxGh-eLug

Ever competed before?

I competed in the ESA as a kid, and did some skateboarding contests in the late ’70s. When kiteboarding started in 2000, I did a few contests in the Keys and Hatteras. But there are more contests for me in the near future as I am more of a freerider. But if something local came up, I might join in.

Where’s your home break?

12th Street South is home and the main entry beach, but actually, on our fun north- wind, down-winder days, it’s from Cheri Down Park to the house or farther down to Neilson’s shop or the other way around for south winds. So, for the most part it’s the whole coast, and the direction I go depends on the wind direction. Our friendly trolley system has the perfect chairlift service for the hungry downwinder kiteboarder, and it’s easy and cheap — only $1.25 The only no-kite zone is Patrick Air Force Base, and of course, guarded beaches and heavily surfed areas.

Any chance you’d divulge a secret local spot?

How ’bout the Canaveral Shoals? Not much of a secret, but it could be an adventure. Get a boat, jet ski, or kite out there… if you have the balls.

Dream session?

Either One Eye in Madagascar or Lakey Peak in Indo, with perfect 6-foot grinders, offshore wind in the a.m. for surfing, and side-offs at 20 for the p.m. kite session. … Then repeat each day for the rest of the week.

Favorite surf trip destination?

A tropical island with perfect surfing and excellent kiteboarding when the wind kicks in. Sounds like Fiji, doesn’t it?

Most memorable day out?

Epic Peru with mile-long rides. But I must admit that Irene rocked the coast just last week, both for kiteboarding and surfing. Could we have another one those storms, please?

Your worst wipeout?

Windsurfing, December 17, 1987, at Hangers, PAFB. It was 6-foot, dumping, and freezing cold for this Florida boy. I got dumped and dragged really bad and drank way too much water. Spanked…

Tell us about some of the watermen who inspire you.

Of course Slater for surfing, Greg Loehr for getting me into windsurfing, and Ricky Carroll and Keith Notary for making awesome boards. Kevin Collins, Michel LaFramboise, Laitham Kellum, Kelly DeRivero, and Ben Wilson for kiteboarding. Bruce Walker for skateboarding… and he surfs good, too.

Have you put your son Adam on a board yet?

Oh, yeah. He was on a board at 6 months old — with my help, of course. He skateboards in the house a lot and he’s had a few rides on my SUP. He’s got the full- on belly flop perfected at the pool, so for a two-year-old, he’s well on his way.

What kind of advice will you be giving him as he enters gromhood?

To do what makes him happy, and I’ll back whatever interests he has in sports and education. If he goes the boardsport route, I’ll try to stress the importance of falling carefully. Injuries are no fun. Just look at my knees… I hope he does better than me.

Boardrider of the Month: Jonathan Morefield
Interview by Scooter Newell; Photos by David Morefield

“Jonathan Morefield… To make it simple, he is the future of skateboarding. I have seen Jonathan grow from the annoying little kid riding around on a scooter to the well-rounded skateboarder he is today.”

“Jonathan is the future of skateboarding not because he can jump down the biggest set of stairs or do the craziest trick on a flat ledg, but because when you see him riding his skateboard, it just looks ‘right’.”

“Jonathan has an amazing style and a great trick selection with the skill and determination to do any trick he wants.” — Clive Dixon, skateboarder.

We couldn’t agree with Clive any more.

Besides being ultra-talented on the skateboard with a potentially great future ahead, Jonathan Morefield has become an important part of the inner workings at the Cocoa Beach Skatepark.

His dedication and early-morning selflessness have helped close to 60 beginner skateboarders become demonstrably better, due to his having volunteered over 60 hours as an instructor at the summer skateboard camp each of the five weeks of its duration.

Cocoa Beach is lucky to have someone like Jonathan looking out for the next generation with us over at the Skatepark. He’s a respectable high school student from a great family with a positive attitude who just so happens to destroy it on a skateboard.

Meet Jonathan Morefield, August, 2011’s “Boardrider of the Month.”

Name: Jonathan Morefield
Date of birth: 1/13/1996
Stance: Goofy
Hometown: Cocoa Beach, Florida
Current set up: 8.0 Toy Machine deck, Thunder trucks, 53 mm. Blvd. wheels, and Bones Reds bearings

When did you start skateboarding and what was your first board?

I was like 7 years old, I think. And my first board was my brothers old Termite deck. It was pretty chipped and haggard, but I used it anyways because I didn’t really care.

It’s been a while since then. Are you driving yet? Where is your first official road trip gonna lead you?

Right now I only have my permit, so parents still gotta be in the car. Pretty lame (laughs). My first offical roadtrip will hopefully be to California. That would be pretty tight.

You worked at the skateboard camp as a volunteer instructor all summer at the Cocoa Beach Skatepark. What was your favorite part of teaching?

My favorite part was teaching a kid a trick, watching them put some time into trying it, and then seeing them land it. That’s a pretty good feeling.

Describe an ideal day in the life of Jonathan.

Wake up, eat a big breakfast, call up some homies, go pick them up, and then go skate the streets and film. And that’s about it.

What grade are you in and what plans do you have after school?

I’m currently going into 10th grade and I don’t have many plans right now. I want to make some friends in California and move there… work a job and just skate all the time.

Your brother David is a promissing filmmaker and photographer. How often do you go shoot footage or take photos with him?

Well, since it’s summer we try to go out a couple of times a week to film and get some photos, but during the school year it’s more of just weekends because we’re both busy with school.

If you could fly anywhere in the world to go skate, where would you go and who would make the list to go with you?

I’d probably go to Barcelona with my brother, Clive Dixon, and Scott Kramer just because I know they’re already planning that out. I’d bring Keith Baldassare along with me too. He could even pay his own way since he started working at Taco City…

What are your favorite spots to skate and what do you skate most often? Who do you session with most?

I don’t really have a favorite spot to skate. I street skate a lot and mostly just go with my brother and the guys over at “Commit or Quit,” like Clive Dixon, Shane Kassin, and Jonathan Hadley, just to name a few.

Okay, go ahead and plug it. What is “Commit or Quit”?

“Commit or Quit” is a full-length skate video coming out of Central Florida featuring all the guys who have been killing it here for years with little or no recognition at all. The video is gonna have full parts from Tyson Stripling, Shane Kassin, Kass Plummer, Jonathan Hadley, Dave Anderson, David Morefield, Clive Dixon, and Mat Call. Scott Kramer, Nathan Glenn, and Ricky Lester are all filming and editing it and it’s set to drop in Winter 2011. You can check “Commit or Quit” out on their Facebook page, or go to: commitorquit.blogspot.com for updates and details about the video.

Jonathan, thanks for taking the time to do this interview. Best of luck in the future. I know that skaters of the next generation were lucky to have your help over the summer. Any final words, thought, or shouts?

Shout out to my parents, my brother David, Dan Hatcher, Nathan Glenn, Ricky Lester, Evan Dougherty, all of my friends, the Cocoa Beach Skatepark, and you, Scooter.

Boardrider of the Month: Todd Holland
Introduction by Bruce Walker; Interview By Scooter Newell

Todd Holland is one of just a handful of elite surfers who has placed Cocoa Beach squarely at the center of international surfing attention over the course of both his amateur and professional surfing careers.

As an amateur Junior Men’s competitor, Todd won a slew of big contests and titles and benefitted heavily in receiving direction from some of the best coaches in the sport. Coaching icons like Florida’s Dick Catri and Australia’s Peter “PT” Townend and Ian Cairns were all instrumental to his upbringing in surfing. This was quite a big deal because back then, very few surfers had the good fortune of working with coaches of this caliber, and Todd soaked up everything he could learn from them. I personally had the honor of coaching the talented 17-year-old as the USA National Team coach at the 1986 ISA World Surfing Championships in England where Todd, along with USA teammates Sean and Kelly Slater, among others, helped win the ISA World Team Title for the United States of America.

What ensued was a very successful pro career for Holland over the following years as he surfed his way into and maintained his position in the revered “Top 16″ of the ASP World Tour. As an excellent guide for the younger generation that followed, Todd eventually retired from pro surfing and turned his attention to raising a family. Through all of this, his love of surfing and his ability level has remained strong, and his legendary status in this sport has not been overlooked. Recently a deserving Todd Holland was inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.

Holland’s next big chapter was written in late 2010 as an invitee into the Slater Brothers Pro Invitational surfing event in Cocoa Beach. Todd surfed directly against the highly talented current crop of East Coast pros as well as against other East Coast legends. Surfing his way to the finals, Todd came out on top, winning the entire event and helping give notice to the surfing world that serious surfing can be expected from an older generation. Setting an example along with current world tour surfers like Kelly Slater at 39 and California’s Taylor Knox at 40, Todd has now put another notch into the new onslaught of older surfers dominating the day, as his re-vitalized pro effort has helped shake the very foundation of professional surfing. It’s a new day, and the kids are going to have to work a lot harder at their own game, as they now have to face not only each other, but also the formidable presence of veteran surfers like Todd Holland.

The Beachside Resident was on it, as they dispatched Scooter Newell to sit down with the Florida icon for some questions and answers.

Name: Todd Holland
DOB: 12/11/68
Hometown: Cocoa Beach
Stance: Regular
Current quiver set-up: 5’9″ Peli surfboards shaped by himself; 5 ft. waves and under: 12 x 19-1/2 x 15-1/2
6’1″ Peli surfboards shaped by himself; 5 ft. waves and over: 11-1/2 x 18-3/4 x 14-1/2

Give us a rundown of what you’re doing these days.

These days I’m enjoying the family life with my wife Lauren and my son Calvin and daughter Chalee. The whole family surfs, so the best sessions are when we all get to surf together. Lauren and I have the School of Surf, so it’s really cool that we get to spend so much time together doing what we love to do.

Tell us a little about the School of Surf.

At SOS School of Surf we teach everybody, from beginners to advanced competition. We have hourly lessons and a week-long surf camp. We also teach everybody from 6 years and up. You can read more at: www.schoolofsurf.org

What is the typical day in the life of an S.O.S. camp kid, and how many kids per camp session do you allow?

The typical day at SOS starts with education on surfing in our classroom, then about two hours in the water. After that we return to the classroom for lunch supplied by local restaurant like Drifters Subs, Anacapri Pizza, Slow N’ Low BBQ, and Oasis Shaved Ice. We go over what we did in the morning surf, and then get back in the water till 3 p.m. Morning classroom education runs like this: Mondays are ocean safety/board safety and how to paddle and stand up; Tuesdays are surfing etiquette and the basics on bottom turns and cutbacks; Wednesdays are swell tracking and the difference in wind swell and ground swell; Thursdays are ding repair with Phix Doctor repair kits, and Fridays are surfboard design and quiver guidance. Our surf camp is designed so that someone can learn to surf and learn everything they need to enjoy a safe, fun hobby for a long time after.

What’s the average age for boys and girls in the camp? And tell us about the learning curve you experience in your students’ progress.

Our instructors acclimate to each person’s skill level. We’ve had great results, from some people riding their first wave to the beach, to having a student win a grom contest the following weekend after camp.

How about your competition schedule? I watched you win the Slater Invitational in 2010, and it was sick! How often do you compete these days? 

I don’t compete a whole lot these days, just some select events such as the Masters event last year at Sebastian Inlet, the Slater Brothers Invitational, and the King of the Peak. I’ve been thinking about doing more events this upcoming year.

Speaking of contests, looking back, can you give us one of your most memorable moments from your days on the WCT?

My most memorable moments on the WCT tour were definitely when I won the OP Pro in 1990, I think. Also when I won the Coke Classic and Pepsi “Surf the Edge” back to back in Australia in 1993.

How about one of your favorite times at a contest or just free surfing during the tour days?

I’ll never forget when I got to paddle out to a reef in Tahiti and surf six-foot perfect barrels by myself for two hours. Also when Wes Lane and I surfed the Box in Western Australia for the first time in 1987. (… I think.) Sick barrels.

How long have you been shaping surfboards, and where is the factory?

I’ve been shaping for three years now under the Peli logo, starting out just shaping my own boards. But now it’s starting to take off a little more. I’ve been shaping boards for a small crew of local kids and really enjoy their feedback. I let them come into the shaping room with me and see their board get shaped and put their hands on the board before it gets glassed. I also work them on their surfing when I can.

What’s your favorite way to cure the after-session hunger pains?

After a good session nothing bets a really good cheeseburger with some fries and a salad.

If you had to select a flight right now to go surf anywhere on earth for a few weeks, where would it be and who would you take?

If I could leave tomorrow, I’d take my family on a surf trip to Indo. Lauren and I got to go to Macaroni’s resort for our honeymoon and that place was unbelievable. Or I would jump on a flight to Costa and visit friends with my family. My one requirement would just to be get some barrels.

Thanks, Todd, for hanging out and talking… and thanks for all you’re doing for future generations of boardriders here in Cocoa Beach. Any final shouts?

The biggest one is to my Mom and Dad for all their support over the years. I would have never had a career in surfing if it wasn’t for them. And to all the people who have supported and followed my surfing, as well as the local support we have starting the School of Surf. Also the sponsors that still support me — Whalebone Surf Shop and Reef.

Boardrider of the Month: Greg Shaw
Interview by Scooter Newell

Sometime during the summer of 2000 I met a 10-year-old Greg Shaw. He came to the skate park one day with his dad, and I asked him: “Wanna skate this ramp with us?”

“Sure,” he replied, and we quickly became friends, skating together at the park on Merritt Island, hanging out in the shop, and even skating early morning sessions together before normal hours. We pushed each other to progress. I saw a tremendous determination in Greg that I’ve never witnessed before. He skated hardcore all the time and was a fixture of the Brevard skate scene until moving to Utah to pursue snow skiing and sled hockey.

Greg recently came home to visit family and I had the pleasure of catching up with him over lunch at Rusty’s. He told me about his adventures on the U.S. Ski Team, traveling to nearly every country in the globe, competing in sled hockey, winning a gold medal, and how he really wants to move with his family back to Florida, where he can still train for hockey and skate all the local parks.

Get to know one of Brevard County’s most influential skateboarders and our “Boardrider of the Month,” Greg Shaw.

Name: Greg Shaw
Age: 21
Occupation: Professional hockey player
Number of years skateboarding: 19
Current set up: Shop deck with tensor titanium trucks and spitfire wheels

Greg, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. Can you tell us a little about yourself and give us some insight into your condition?

Well, I like to be laid back and calm and I’m the happiest when I have a board under me or the beach in front of me. As for my condition, I have a disability called sacral agenesis. At birth, a cell “mis-divided” and caused a defect in the development of my legs. I’m missing two vertebrae in my spine. Other than that, I’m just a normal guy.

Tell us how you got into skateboarding?

When I was two years old, instead of having a wheelchair, my dad gave me a skateboard to get around the house. I would skate around the neighborhood and figure out how to get around. Then when I was about 7 or 8, my dad and I were driving past the skate park and I saw all the kids skating, and I thought to myself, “I need to do that.” After that I, signed up for skate camp, and the rest is history.

What prompted you to move out west to Utah?

When I was going into my freshmen year of high school, I took a vacation there to visit my sister who had been living there. I found this place called the NAC, which is a place for disabled people to get involved in activities they probably thought they could never do, and I started skiing. The ski coaches at the time were saying, “If you really wanted to, you could be on the paralympic team.” So then my dad and I decided that we were moving out there so I could follow my dreams.

How did you get into the skiing scene after that? Did you compete?

I got into skiing because it felt free and like nothing I’d done before. Yes, I competed and was on the national ski team for one year.

How you got into sled hockey?

I was biking with one of my best friends and he happened to be a hockey player. He convinced me to come out and try it, so I did. The first time I hit the ice I fell in love with it. From that moment on I knew I wanted to continue to play.

What is your current position and what’s your training schedule?

I play for the USA National Sled Hockey Team as a center and I train about six days a week.

Your training and discipline obviously paid off at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics. Tell us how it all went down on your “road to the gold medal”?

About six months after I started to play hockey I made the U.S. team. After that, I went on making the team every year from training and working six days a week for the four years leading up to the Paralympics. Then all our work paid off when we got the chance to play for a gold medal and ended up winning. It was one of the proudest moments of my life, and sometimes, I still get the same feeling when I see it sitting in its case. I honestly can’t put it in words how I felt that day.

I can’t even imagine. That must feel amazing! A gold medal! Are there any more Olympic plans in your future?

Yes, I plan on going to the Paralympics in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.

I keep hearing rumors that you may move back to good ol’ Brevard County. How true is this?

Yes, this is true. My plan is to move back to my hometown at the end of the summer.

How often are you skateboarding these days?

I skate almost every day, and I skate anywhere and everywhere I can.

Thanks for taking the time to talk with us! Do you have any parting words or shout outs?

Thanks to the crew of skaters at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park. It was fun skating with you!

Boardrider of the Month: Bruce Walker

Interview by Scooter Newell

In 1986, I got a job that would forever change my life. I was hired to work in the warehouse at Ocean Avenue, a worldwide skateboard distributor right next to the legendary Walker Skateboard Factory in downtown Cocoa Beach.

I skated to work after school and everyone there skated and or surfed. It was like a secret society, and we all avoided the outside world for our employment and socialization. Best of all the boss, Bruce Walker, skated and had been skating since before anyone was even making quality skateboards. We lived skateboarding at work. We took “skate breaks” in the middle of the day. Bruce would sometimes take us to parks and contests and even help us with our competition strategies. It was the life.

Always looking to the next generation, Bruce has coached many surfers and skaters over the last three decades. His pupils — who include skater Rodney Mullen and Kelly Slater — have gone on to win over 30 world surf and skate titles collectively. Both Rodney and Kelly were coached by Bruce during their early teen years in competition. And while he takes no credit for their unearthly talents, Bruce did provide insight, expertise, and a mental support platform that would help them to become the best they could be in their respective crafts.

Industry-wise, Bruce has been there through it all. And to this day, no matter what, he’s always stoked at any surf or skate session. Long overdue, but well worth the wait, Bruce Walker, May’s “Boardrider of the Month.”

Can you describe how and when you got into surfing and skateboarding, and what the scenes were like when you started?

I started skateboarding at age 11 in 1963 on the backside of Diamond Head and began surfing in 1964, also in Hawaii. Barbers Point is where I rode my first wave. My first surfboard was a 9′ 6″ Velzy, purchased in Honolulu for $85 brand new. The sport of surfing, still in its infancy, had become a very cool thing to do. The skateboard scene, on the other hand, was very primitive.  Hardly any manufacturers existed, wheels were made of steel or hard clay, trucks were made out of soft metal and broke routinely… The only available solution to a broken truck was to buy an entirely new skateboard, which back then cost about $5. After you owned a couple of boards, you could swap out the unbroken trucks, but they would all break eventually. Finally, in the early ’70s, they started using aircraft 356T6 aluminum to build skateboard trucks and it’s been that way ever since. Problem solved.

I know a lot of people, myself included, who list you as an early influence in their lives as skaters and surfers. Who were some of your early inspirations who pushed you in surfing and skateboarding?

People who inspired me early on in skateboarding were basically nonexistent. There was no sport, per se, and it wasn’t until the mid-’60s that the first known contests and gatherings started to appear. My first skateboard contest was in 1965 at the tennis courts in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where I got Third Place behind Gary Heisel and winner Robby Stoutner. I eventually became aware of some talented Californians who dominated the early contests on the west coast. Torger Johnson and the Logans come to mind. I eventually had the honor of skating with and competing against Torger at the Magic Mountain Masters Invitational in 1976. That’s also where I first competed against Tony Alva, Dave Hackett, Brad Logan, Pineapple Saladino, and most of the world’s best skaters at the time. In surfing, one of my early highlights was getting to meet Duke Kahanamoku. That was in 1964 at the Honolulu International Center, where he talked to my friend and me for about five minutes at our Boy Scout Jamboree display booth. The first well-known surfer I knew personally was Rory Russell, who I’ve known since he was in the 6th grade, before he became famous. He later went on to be a two-time Pipeline Masters Champion. Two or three years ago I was at the Rosen Centre bar, across from Surf Expo, and I looked up and there was Rory, standing at the bar drinking ice water. I hadn’t seen him in almost 30 years. He was back with Lightning Bolt, hand shaping limited edition Rory Russell signature models. It was nice to see and hang out with him again.

How did you get into the business-side of the industry, and when did you start Ocean Avenue?

I got into the surf/skate business on February 6, 1972 in Miami Beach while I was studying for a filmmaking degree at the University of Miami. My main mentor in surfing, Ted James of Fox Surfboards, got Lewis Graves and me to open Fox Surf Shop on 5th Street in South Beach. One year later, the building we were in got condemned, so we stepped up a notch and moved to 10 Ocean Drive, directly across from the South Beach Pier, home of some of the best-quality barreling waves on the east coast… We sold a lot of Fox surfboards and a lot of skateboards, even before the skateboard industry re-emerged from the ’60s skateboard crash. We had plenty of skateboards to sell, even though there were no manufacturers or skate industry yet, because we bought out a toy distributor’s 1960s inventory he was “stuck with” after the crash. From the very first day we put these skateboards up for sale, they went flying out the door… We later began manufacturing our own Fox skateboards and opened our second shop and factory in Melbourne Beach. We became the first modern-era skateboard distributor on the east coast, providing shops all over the country and the world with skateboard equipment. Around 1977, Lewis Graves and I bought out our partner Ted James, who continued to own Fox Surfboards in West Palm Beach and Cape Hatteras, N.C. With four Fox shops in existence, now with different ownership structures, we decided to change the name of our Miami Beach and Melbourne Beach shops and factory to Ocean Avenue Surfboards and Walker Skateboards. We did that mainly to avoid confusion for our suppliers…

The list of positions you’ve held in the surfing and skating worlds is far too vast to cover, but can you highlight a great moment or two from your days as coach of the U.S. Surf Team?

My coaching of the U.S. team spanned a 12-year period and six ISA World Surfing Games, in addition to many other international events, such as the Pan American Championships, the Caribbean Cup, and Australia’s Pacific Cup. My job was to coach the country’s elite amateur surfers with the goal of winning both individual and team titles in international surfing competition. I would work with these surfers to maximize their amateur careers and prepare them for their transition into professional surfing. Every two years I’d send most of them on to their pro careers and then turn back to the next batch of upcoming amateurs and start the whole process all over again. Some of the more successful surfers I had the pleasure of working with were Sean and Kelly Slater, Lisa Anderson, Cory and Shea Lopez, Donnie Solomon, Peter Mendia, Taylor Knox, Gavin and Shane Beschen, Bryan Hewitson, Ben Bourgeois, Cori Schumacher, Geoff Moysa, CJ and Damien Hobgood, and Gabe Kling, among many others. Over the course of coaching the U.S. team, we brought home seven ISA World Titles, two of which were World Team Titles (1986 and 1996), which also included the first-ever surfing trophy bearing official Olympic Rings — the IOC President’s Trophy for the First Place national team at the 1996 World Surfing Games. I had plenty of help over the years by enlisting the assistance of surfing coaches like Kevin Grondin, Sean Slater, Mike Parsons, and others. … Speaking of Sean Slater, some may not realize that Sean surfed his way through the U. S. Team Trials many times over a period of several years, each time earning a rare spot on the U.S. National Team right alongside brother Kelly. In fact, as a U.S. team member, Sean surfed his way into several international finals, most notably in Puerto Rico and Australia.

I hear that Sector 9 Skateboards will be releasing the “Bruce Walker”model longboard soon. Tell us about the dimensions and graphics.

Sector 9 plans to release my 42″ x 8.5″ pro model 8-Ply deck most likely in the latter part of 2011, heading into the Christmas selling season. I’m pretty excited because Sector 9 is now the number-one selling skateboard company in the world, and that’s ranked against all “short board” companies as well, from what I understand. … The graphics on my upcoming 2011 model were done by my brother, Steven Walker. He’s the same artist who did the Walker Mark Lake Nightmare graphic from the mid-’80s. He was also the art director for that world-famous Maxell poster showing the guy sitting in a chair in front of the speakers, being blasted by sound. I’d seen that poster for years without knowing that my brother had anything to do with it.

What’s next for Bruce Walker?

In 2005, I sold Ocean Avenue Distribution and retired from the surf/skate business after 33-plus years, which has allowed me to finally concentrate on my other main interest, which is filmmaking. I’m going to continue creating short films, mostly HD documentaries related to surfing or skateboarding. Most recent projects include my footage of the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards on ESPN2, contributing to the Quiksilver KS10 and 2011 video series, as well as short movies featuring Kelly and Skippy Slater surfing Central America, and a trip to North Carolina with Cocoa Beach legend Claude Codgen and Hawaiian Garrett McNamara where we scored perfect waves from Hurricane Igor. My next project will actually place me in front of the camera instead of behind it, as I work on my skateboarding film segment for an upcoming Sector 9 video.

Extended interview coming soon…

Boardrider of the Month: John Hughes
Interview by Dan Reiter

Chances are, John Hughes is more of a local than you are.

If numbers count for anything, he’s been here since 1954. And he’s surfed Cocoa Beach for the better part of 50 years.

He is that certain type of man who looks strikingly familiar, though you might be seeing him for the first time. Silver-haired, statuesque, his face perpetually beatific, he carries himself with the grace of a humble wizard, or perhaps a trainer of unicorns. There is something ethereal about him, something that suggests he might not belong here on dry land… And yet he is a third-degree black belt in Aikido (“the way of the harmonious spirit”). This might help explain his ease of carriage, but John shrugs it off, says it is something to keep him balanced, something to do when there aren’t waves.

John Hughes rides more boards than you do, too. From double-hulled stand-up paddleboards to shortboards, to logs, fish, tugs, paipos, surf mats… he’s ridden it, and ridden it well. He’s a trained Navy diver, a veteran of Hawaii’s north shore, and a traveler of the wide seas. But above all things, John Hughes is a Waterman.

His passion for the sea has led him to organize two of the biggest paddleboard races in the state — the Causeway to Causeway Challenge and the Florida State Paddleboard Championship. He also happens to be the President of the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum, which will open the doors on its most ambitious exhibit to date — a dedication to the world’s greatest surfer, Kelly Slater — on Saturday, April 23.

I joined John at his home, where we spoke under the canopy of some live oak trees speckled with orchids, and where I more than once heard the far-off whinnying of unicorns.

When did you start surfing?

In ’63 my family moved into a little neighborhood in Cocoa Beach, right across the street from this guy, Greg Pichel, who built the first surfboard I ever saw in his front yard. Pichel had a kid about my age who used to take me in the water on one of those little wooden paipo boards. I’m not sure why our parents let us stay out alone all day, being so young, but they did. When I was twelve, my dad got me a real surfboard for my birthday. He said it was the first and last one he’d ever buy for me. And he stuck to that.

What was Cocoa Beach like in the 60s?

It was an amazing place to grow up. A lot of families came in for the Space Program, with tons of kids all about the same age. The beach was accessible from anywhere. ou could ride your bike through town all day long without having to worry about anything. The islands and the river were right behind our houses, and just about every kid I knew had a twelve-foot john boat with a ten horse motor. That’s how we got around — boats and bikes. We’d run wild through the mangrove islands, or just surf all day. It was a good place to grow up.

Explain to me the “Waterman’s Ethic.”

The Waterman’s Ethic is an unwritten philosophy, sort of a yardstick to determine the worthiness of people who surf. Basically, a Waterman is expected to be knowledgeable in all aspects of the ocean. He should feel comfortable at any time, under any circumstances. He should be competent in any number of ocean-related skills besides surfing, including paddleboarding, spear-fishing, ocean swimming, sailing… He should be proficient and comfortable in any situation.

The Florida State Paddleboard Championship gets bigger each year. How has it been, adjusting to the rising popularity of SUPs?

It’s been fun. 2007 was the first time we saw stand-ups in a paddleboard race on the east coast. Two guys showed up, and I told them they could go ahead and paddle, but they wouldn’t get trophies or anything. The wind shifted that day, turned out of the north at 20 knots, and these guys made quite an impression. That same year, we had the first stand-up surfing event at the Waterman’s. The paddleboard community is different in some ways than the surfing community. There’s a lot of camaraderie there.

In the 60s we saw the shortboard revolution. Would you say in this decade we’re witnessing a stand-up paddleboard revolution?

There are a lot of parallels. If anything, the jump in technologies, the construction, the different directions paddleboards are going… It’s moving even faster than the shortboard revolution.

You’re known as a guy with a pretty eclectic quiver. What’s the most unique shape you’ve ever ridden?

A friend of mind, Mark Wessling, down in Miami, is one of only a dozen guys in the world still riding Greenough flexspoons. A flexspoon is what would you get if you took a longboard, cut the nose off it, and scooped almost all the foam out of the inside, leaving only enough to keep the thing from sinking. George Greenough was the father of shortboarding. He was riding these sub five-foot kneeboards in the early 60s — it was almost like somebody dropped out of Mars with an alien spaceship and started surfing. He wanted to be able to maneuver quicker than the longboards, so he designed a board that could flex and take on the contours of the wave. It was very advanced.

What are you riding today?

I’m getting into a 6’10″ Davo fish that I’m having a lot of fun with. I’ve also got an 8’4″ Stu Sharpe speed log, a couple of longboards I break out when it’s really small. Other than that, it’s my surf mat.

What is your dream surf trip?

Jeffrey’s Bay. Although it might be too cold for me. I love point breaks. That’s what you don’t get in Florida. Pavones would be on the list. Peru is flooded with barely ridden point breaks. I went there once, surfed a few of the places. There’s a lot of untapped potential in Peru.

What’s the most exotic place you’ve ever surfed?

Diego Garcia. It’s a little dot in the middle of the Indian Ocean, about as far as you can be from land and still be on the planet. I was stationed there. We had to hide our boards in the jungle, cover them with palm fronds, and sneak out to catch waves when nobody was looking.

How about the gnarliest wave?

What these guys are surfing nowadays puts what we were doing back then to shame. But it was Sunset Beach. That was my favorite break. Just a great wave. It’ll humble you at any time, without warning, regardless of how long you’ve been surfing out there.

The Surf Museum has done both classic and new school exhibits, ranging from the Duke to Kelly Slater. Which era of surfing history do you find most interesting?

I’m fascinated by early Hawaiin, pre-contact surfing. The ancient Hawaiians were surfing at least five or six hundred years before we knew they were there. I can’t imagine what was going on doing during all those centuries. We’ve got maybe hundred years that we consider modern surfing, but before that, there must have been some amazing things going on. The whole Hawaiian society revolved around the ocean and surfing. They were fanatical about it, to the point that our surfing culture looks tame in comparison. The common misconception is that the old Hawaiians were riding big heavy surfboards, just going straight, and that the boards weren’t very maneuverable. Now, with the revival of all the retro shapes, and these kids riding the little wood alaias… You see what they’re doing now, and you can just imagine that the ancient Hawaiians must have been doing that, and even more, for hundreds of years.

Because there’s no technological reason they couldn’t be riding alaias back then?

They undoubtedly did. Competition and betting was rampant in their civilization. I’m sure they were doing everything they could to outperform and outshine the other guy.

Are you suggesting the ancient Hawaiians might have surfed Pipeline?

Sure. The kings were doing tow-in surfing. They took their outrigger canoes and sixteen-foot olos out to these cloudbreaks in the middle of nowhere. They’d get the canoe up to speed and mount these monster waves .

What’s your idea of a perfect day?

It’d have to be warm. What I’d consider a perfect day now is downsized from twenty years ago. Head high, clean, glassy. I like speed, and I like to cover distance, so it’d have to be lined up and going fast.

Tell me about the grand opening of the Kelly Slater exhibit.

We’re expecting a big turnout. The grand opening party is 7 p.m., Saturday night, April 23. Easter surfing weekend. There’s going to be live music, drinks, food. A lot of well-known surfers are going to be coming out. It should be fun.

The Cocoa Beach Surf Museum is located in the Ron Jon’s Watersports building, at the corner of 520 and A1A. Tickets for the KS10 grand opening party will be sold at the door for $25. CBSM members are allowed free entry. (For membership applications, call Tony Sasso at 321-258-8217.) The Florida State Paddleboard Championship race runs a 7-mile course, and leaves from Cocoa Beach’s Shepard Park at 8:30 a.m. on April 23. For more on surfing history, the paddleboarding revolution, and the rest of Dan Reiter’s interview with John Hughes, you can tune in to the CBSM podcast at:

Boardrider Of The Month: Sharon Wolfe-Cranston
By Tobin Bennison

I’ve known Sharon Wolfe-Cranston for about four years now, but chiefly as a librarian for the Cocoa Beach Library’s Youth Department. And though I’d always figured that she may have surfed (most people around here do, after all) I’d never have pegged her as a bona fide legend.

I discovered her illustrious past last July, after noticing her name attached to the Cocoa Beach Surf Museum’s “Women of the Waves” exhibit. Prodding her for more information about the role she played in East Coast surfing’s Golden Age, however, proved fruitless. Because, you see, Sharon has never been one to boast.

Not that she hasn’t earned the right. Having spent her youth in Cocoa Isles, where she still lives with her husband Jeff, daughter Torrey, and faithful hound Tallulah, within spitting distance of the house she was raised in, Sharon shared her 4th Street home break with the cream of surfing’s crop — people like Matt Kechele, Todd Holland, Charlie Kuhn, and elder brother (and main inspiration) Barry Wolfe.

Encouraged by Kechele and her friends, Sharon began competing in earnest at age 14, and went on to win four U.S. Surfing Championships (spanning 12 years in four separate divisions and three coasts) throughout the late-’70s and ’80s, long before the sport began taking female riders seriously.

In 1979, the then 17-year-old phenomenon won the girls division at the U.S. Surfing Championship at South Padre Island, Texas, the first of a string of high-profile victories. The Junior Women’s title at Trestles and Oceanside, Calif., the Women’s crown at Cape Hatteras, N.C., and an East Coast Championship win followed in close succession. In 1990, Sharon took the U.S. title in the Senior Women’s division at Sebastian Inlet, and was inducted, along with several of her peers, into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame in January 2010.

Sharon continues to surf and compete (“As long as it’s for a good cause,” she says), but derives most of her pleasure from spending time with her family (which also includes stepdaughter Connie and granddaughter Avery) and from her involvement with the Girl Scouts and the Library, still the most indispensable tool for uncovering the secrets of the past.

How did you first get into surfing?

It was a family thing. We would all go over to the beach back then and spend the day there. Usually it was a big group of people — my parents, their friends, and all their kids — who would hang out there. They’d dig a huge pit and make a fire, and we’d be cooking on the beach all day long. I can’t stand just sitting around, so that’s probably why I started surfing. Plus, both my brothers surfed, and of course I had to try to keep up with them, so I’d go out with them and just try and do what they did. I first got out on the water at about five or seven — you know, goofing around and not really thinking much of it. I think I have a picture of me at five laying on a board just before my parents pushed me into a wave.

What was the scene here like back then?

I probably grew up with 20 or more kids from my neighborhood who surfed. We’d all meet up at 4th Street and, as I say, I was never one to just sit on the beach passively. I was a total tomboy… I’m still really close with the guys I grew up with — most are guys. There were only a few girls who surfed. There was one girl — Dorrie Stallings — and I have to give her credit because she was older than me and I used to watch her surf all the time. I remember this one day in particular when we were out at 4th Street. It was probably a five-foot day — really good and really glassy. I was probably 14 at the time, and I think she was 16. Anyway, this set came in and I was too afraid to go, so she took the wave. When she paddled back out, she looked at me and she said, “Hey, thanks for that wave! It was really good!” From then on I was like, Hell no. This is not going to happen again. I was always pretty competitive, and when she came out and thanked me for letting her get that wave, that was pretty much it for me.

Surfers had a pretty bad reputation then as well. What was that like for you?

I played sports from elementary school through high school, and yes, back then they didn’t like people who surfed. I actually got booted off the varsity basketball team because they didn’t want me to surf and practice. Basically, they didn’t like that I surfed. I think it’s so funny that the Minuteman is holding a surfboard now. I love it… So yes, we were not well liked. “Fleabags” is what they called us… They all thought we all did drugs. I was at my 30-year reunion recently and I found out that some of the clean-cut “jocks” were doing things I never even thought of doing. And here they were always hounding me for being such bad person… I was the one who was in bed by nine because I had a contest in the morning. I wasn’t out all night partying like they were. I took it very seriously when I was competing.

Were your parents supportive of your interest in surfing?

I’d always gone on lots of trips with my brothers, so it wasn’t much of a bother to them. They didn’t worry about me. In my acceptance speech at the Hall of Fame I noted that I was really afraid of doing something that would hurt my mom. I was a super good girl and I still am. I never was a troublemaker. I’m vocal more than I should be sometimes and I definitely stand my ground, but I don’t try to find trouble… I’ve never been a fighter. I never wanted my mom to hear that I did something bad, so I was really cautious. Even now, I’ll scan something and check it out and deem that it’s safe for me to do or not to do before I step in. I’m still really cautious about making decisions.

You mention your brothers, Barry and Jim, as big influences on your surfing. Who else did you look up to?

Matt Kechele was probably the other biggest influence on me during that time. He was really, really good when he was young — kind of like Kelly. I always surfed with Matt, Tommy Sharpe, and Tom “Troll” Black. Those were the ones I was always looking up to.

Did you ever experience any sexism out there among all these guy surfers?

No, not here. When I was co-curating “Women of the Waves” and reading some of the bios, it seemed way heavier up in places like in Jacksonville, where guys would give some of the girls a really hard time. But I never got that here; I got a lot of support. All the guys were watching out for me. If someone harassed me, I always had many guys around to protect me… Not that I really needed it. I never feared anything out in the water because I always had people around looking out for me.

But you must have had the occasional run-in…

Oh, yeah. There was one time when I was surfing the Inlet — I was probably a late teenager — and I took off on a wave and this guy dropped in on me, and he wasn’t very good. He fell off his board or kicked out — I can’t remember. The board ended up hitting me right in the stomach and knocked the breath out of me. When I grabbed my board and got back to the beach I was gasping for air. Mike Notary was out there that day, and after he came over to make sure I was okay he went over and just cussed that guy out so bad. He told him to leave and never come back out there again. That was one of the main incidents I remember.

You got into competing at 14, before the era of lucrative sponsorships. Do you think surfing has changed for better or for worse since then?

It’s definitely a lot better for the girls on the sponsorship side of things. They have way more sponsorship opportunities than I ever did or would have ever thought to have had. I don’t think they realize what they’re getting into today. I think a lot of girls get so much stuff that they get sidetracked. In a lot of cases, I don’t think that the majority of the money they’re getting is being used for its intended purpose. If I’d had a deal similar to the ones being offered today, all the money I received would go towards travel to other places or to other contests. I still owe a lot to Quiet Flight for all they did for me growing up. Jim and Ed Leasure were hugely supportive of me… I got boards whenever I needed them. I had a few other companies that would give me bathing suits and glasses, but when I had a contest out of state, I had to work my butt off. It wasn’t like, “Here’s a few thousand dollars for you”… I had to come up with that money myself. I’ve been working since I was 15 — and hard — to be able to do all things I’ve done.

What was your first board?

My very first was probably a hand-me-down from my brother… The very first board I bought was a Salick when I was about 15.

You’ve come a long way since then. How did it feel being inducted into the Hall of Fame?

I was nervous… But it’s such a huge honor. When I started surfing there was no Hall of Fame, so there wasn’t something you strove to get into. We just surfed because it was something we loved doing.

Boardrider of the Month: Freddie Grosskreutz
Interview by Barry Dix

In August 2010, local surfing legend and East Coast surfing Hall of Fame inductee Freddie Grosskreutz started feeling weak and losing weight. While visiting his daughter Tamsin, a second-year medical student studying in Kansas City, Freddie shocked her with the change in his appearance. Tamsin ordered a series of tests for him, resulting in a diagnosis of advanced carcinoid liver cancer. Since then, Freddie has had two surgeries and is scheduled for more soon.

On Saturday, March 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., friends will be holding a fundraiser at Café Surfinista in downtown Cocoa Beach to help allay Freddie’s rising medical costs.

Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1948, and having grown up in Virginia Beach, Freddie and childhood friend Bobby Chenman caught the surfing bug during the early 1960s. Both went down to the local sporting goods store and purchased Healthway’s pop-out longboards for their first session. Freddie progressed rapidly and was approached by the top surfboard manufacturers of the day — Hobie and Weber — to be on their East Coast Surf Teams. In the late ’60s, Fred was ranked 4A by the Eastern Surfing Association before the existence of any professional surfing organizations.

Surfing trips eventually expanded to Mexico and Puerto Rico and Freddie took his first trip to Oahu and Kauai in 1969. On Oahu, living above Velzyland in a shack, he surfed the famous spot frequently. When the surf stars and cameras came out, Freddie would venture to a nearby left, which he could usually surf by himself, or with other shack dwellers Phillip Irons and Ricky Hendrickson. After Fred departed Hawaii, Phil and Ricky named the Left “Freddieland,” which the break between Sunset Point and Velzyland is called to this day. No other east coast surfer has ever had a break in Hawaii named after them.

Freddie later settled in Brevard County and was approached by Sam Gornto to laminate for Happiness Surfboards on Manatee Lane, the same shop Pat O’Hare, Bill Eberwein, Bob Freeman, and Claude Codgen worked out of. During the early ’70s, boards were glassed with opaque resins, cut laps on both sides, pinlines, and high-gloss jobs. Fred also worked with Fox Surfboards (John Parton) of West Palm Beach, Ocean Avenue (Lewis Graves) of Melbourne Beach, and for many years, Dick Catri of Indialantic. For the last 20 years, Freddie has been laminating for Jim and Ed Leisure of Quiet Flight Surfboards in Cocoa Beach. Now 62, Freddie still rides a short 5’5″ fish, a shape he’s pretty much stayed with for over 30 years. Besides surfing, Freddie’s faith and family are his backbone and strength. He met his beautiful wife, Susan, after a visit to Australia in the early ’80s and the two wed here in 1984. They’re very proud of their two children, Tamsin and Morgan, an aspiring artist who works at a local produce store while taking classes at Brevard Community College.

When did you move to Brevard?

As soon as I was out of school. I got tired of going to jail for surfing… and being cold. So as soon as I graduated, I was gone. 1966. I had an old beater car and made it across the country somehow. It was a ’53 flathead Ford full of cantaloupes in the trunk. I was living with Tim Davies down by Taco City. Rent was like, 35 bucks a month. We were living off peanut butter and jelly and Kool-Aid.

I know you started shaping for Sam Gornto during that time. Who were some of your favorite shapers back then?

Back then, Pat O’Hare, Bill Frierson, Bob Strickland, John Parton. I consider all them the best. They could do stuff out of square pieces of foam… And they really tried to listen to do what they were told. They wouldn’t strive to put their trip on you — they’d follow orders and try to make you happy. They were extremely skilled and came up with some major breakthroughs. They weren’t just big egos with planers or big self-promoters. I think that’s a real big problem with surfing today, this self-promotion.

You found your faith at an early age. Tell us a little about that.

I had a Bible I was reading all the time. I was living out in Kauai, and I had to keep reading because it wasn’t getting through my thick skull. Nothing was registering past my eyes. I had to keep reading and re-reading. I wanted to understand, so it took some stick-to-itness. And then, one day, I was sitting on the porch and I was in front of this really good wave and I went, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” — the last verse in the Bible — and that’s when I first believed. You know where it says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing the word of God”? That’s how it came. It was a gift to even believe. And probably within an hour I got kicked out of the house and had to go live somewhere else.

How did you meet your wife, Susan?

I was living in a station wagon. Nat Young helped me get it in Sydney. I’d already been up the coast, to Queensland, drove it all the way south, and pretty much broke down in Victoria in front of a gas station. I asked someone if they needed a judge for the Bells, so I wound up with some food and some housing and money. Got the car fixed. I was judging the Bells, and I met my wife. She said to me, “You’re not getting rid of me.” We had a long-distance love affair, which was expensive — phone calls and letters — and one day she came here with her wedding dress and a suitcase. Best thing that ever happened to me outside of believing in Jesus. We were married in 1984, and we’ve been growing ever since. Two kids, 19 and 24, Morgan and Tamsin… They’re both snowboarding and bonding together right now in Vail, Colorado. With everything we’ve done, we’ve always thought that if it’s not good enough for the kids, then it’s probably not good for us. We always did everything together as a family.

Tell us about how a break came to be named after you.

I had a shack in front of the place. There was like a little tunnel leading from the shack, so you couldn’t see it from the main trail. Across the main trail, across from the main beach, Phil Irons and Ricky Hendrickson had a shack together, and we would just hang in the bushes and watch Velzyland peel. We’d take turns raiding it all day long, every day. Whenever all the surf stars and cameras came out in the channel all of a sudden we wouldn’t be getting any waves, so I’d slide over to the left and surf that break. And when the photographers ran out of film, I’d slide back over and surf Velzyland. Since it was predominately offshore, you could do this all day long. Phil and Ricky named it “Freddieland” after I left. I was always hanging there. I’ve never been much for crowds… We had a lot of fun surfing there.

And it’s still called “Freddieland” today…

That’s what they tell me.

Tickets for the March 5 “Shred For Fred” benefit are $25 each and are available through Barry Dix (321) 720-5964 (stixbydix@cfl.rr.com), Tracy Dix (321) 698-9025 (tracydix@cfl.rr.com), Bruce Reynolds (321) 613-3864 (thesurfinistas@yahoo.com), and at Café Surfinista (86 N. Orlando Ave. in downtown Cocoa Beach; 613-3864). Donations can be made to: Frederic Grosskreutz Medical Fund at any Bank of America branch. Ticket holders gain entrance to the benefit, which will feature live music, food and beverages, and door prizes. $50 tickets (only 100 of which will be available) include entry fee and the chance to win a 9’6″ custom Stix By Dix/Quiet Flight board shaped by Bruce Ragan in the surfboard raffle.

Boardrider of the Month: Mike Duffield
Interview by Scooter Newell

Mike Duffield is a nice guy. I’ve skated and surfed many sessions with him and he’s always in good spirits. I’ve never seen him get upset or mad, ever. I even broke the seat in his truck before an 8-hour road trip to see if he would get mad, but he didn’t.

Always smiling and a blast to be around, Mike D is sure to raise the fun factor at any session. On top of all this niceness, he’s been a great supporter of grassroots skate and surf events in Brevard County and beyond.

Meet Mike Duffield from Cocoa Beach, 2011′s first “Boardrider of the Month.”

Name: Michael Francis Duffield

D.O.B.: Finally old enough to know better (I think)
Stance: Goofy
Current skate set-up: 8.25 Cocoa Beach Skate Company. Indy trucks. OJ wheels.
Surf: Quiet Flight. All sizes. Bruce Reagan is the man.

Give us some background on how you got into surfing and skateboarding.

I grew up in Lakeland, so surfing wasn’t an option. I started skating at age 12 on my own and never really stopped. I learned to surf later at 15, but didn’t really start to get it until I moved to Cocoa Beach in 1988.

What is your favorite wave on earth to surf?

My favorite wave has got to be Restaurants on the island of Tavarua, in Fiji. It’s an amazing wave.

Where is your favorite spot to skate?

The Bro Bowl in Tampa is special to me because it brings back so many memories. SPOT is always so fun. But I have to say that Cocoa Beach Skatepark is amazing.

As someone who has seen many different eras in boardriding, what do you think are some of the differences between today and the past when it come to the scene?

I guess the major difference is the technology for all boardriding sports — better equipment and better designs for parks and ramps for skate and snow. Surfing has changed because of the technology to get to the waves. Also the amount of skate parks that are available Florida. When I first started to skate, you had to build it yourself. My friends and I owned a 40 ft. wide vert ramp for three years while I was in high school, so we were lucky. Now there are so many different spots to skate… it’s so good.

Who is your all-time favorite surfer or skater?

Skippy Slater is my favorite surfer because he’s not afraid of Chupacabra. Mike Peterson is my favorite pro skater because he flat-out rips on a skateboard and is a great human.

You’ve been working for Nixon for quite some time. Can you break down an entire watch to springs and gears then reassemble it into working order?

Yes, I’ve been with Nixon for 10 years now, so that would make me a watch specialist.

What other brands do you work with?

I also work for a company my friend started out in Utah three years ago called Gold Coast. They’re making insane longboard skates and retro shapes. Look for them soon in a store near you!

What are some of the biggest perks associated with working as a sales representative?

I really enjoy the people I work with. The job is rewarding when you see business grow. I also like to have my own schedule to plan trips for the things I love: snowboarding, skateboarding, and surfing.

Give us an idea of your perfect surf session and skate session.

Me my beautiful lady Sharon and friends in the Caribbean on a boat anchored next to a prime point surf break for two weeks. As for the skate session, it happens all the time at Cocoa Beach Skatepark.

For some strange reason, you remind me of Jerry Seinfeld. Do you ever get that from other people?

No, that’s a first!

What do you like to do when you’re not working, surfing, or skating?

I like to fish and golf.

Where are you from originally and who were some of your early influences while growing up?

I was born in Amherst, Massachusetts. I moved to Florida when I was five. When I was 13-years-old, I wrote a letter to Bruce Walker regarding sponsorship. Bruce wrote me a three-page letter back detailing things I should accomplish to get sponsorship and how to have fun doing it. I wish I still had that letter today… That’s inspiration.

If you were king for a day, what would be your first order of business?

I guess if I only had one day, I would make everyone plant a tree. Keep it simple.

Where’s your favorite after-session food spot?

Taco City. The food and the people who work there are amazing.

Where were you during the O.J. pursuit? And who would be your driver if you had to run like “The Juice”?

I’m not sure where I was. But my driver would definitely be Speedy.

BOARDRIDER OF THE MONTH: John Holeman

Interview by Alex Joy

I remember watching John Holeman surf back in the late ’80s early ’90s and thinking to myself, “Unreal.”

He was making moves that seemed impossible into reality. Truly an innovator of technical surfing, there is no doubt that John was surfing on another level.

John was born in Washington, D.C. and moved to Florida in 1967. At the age of five, he followed his brother and sister to the beach, and surfing just came naturally. In 1984, John started his professional surfing career. He’ll tell you that being a pro back then was not the same as it is today; it was tough and didn’t offer much money at all. But his love of the sport kept John going.

In the early 2000s, John hit a wall. He needed a heart transplant; a major blow, to say the least. In 2003, he got through the surgery with the help of family and friends. Not to be kept down, John got right back on the horse and started Professional Surfing Instruction. If he wasn’t able to surf, he would help others to surf better. Working with up and coming pro- ams and established pros, he put everything into being a coach. This was something new to the east coast, a surfing coach.

It’s been seven years, and lots of hurdles have been in John’s way. However, he stays positive about life and does what he can to help out in the world of surfing, whether by judging contests or giving helpful advice to any surfer. It’s been over 20 years since I first watched John surf, and I still say “Unreal” when I see him out there.  It’s not just because he’s still ripping like a frothing grom; with all the things this man has been through, John Holeman is a true motivator.

What was your first board?

A styrofoam belly board — the kind you could buy at Eckerd’s. First real board? A Baine 5-foot twin fin.

What boards are you riding now?

I’ve been riding epoxies now since the late ’80s… They’re stronger and lighter. Been riding twin fins for most of my surfing life. I never got used to or liked tri fins or four fins.

As a surf instructor, what do you think it takes to be a top competitor?

Hard work. Weekly training with professional trainers and coaches — a totally foreign concept to the east coast surfer and parent.

What do you see in surfing’s future?

Financially? Bankrupt. The world won’t accept it as a real sport and it will probably get neglected by big sponsors to carry it in a tough economy.

What do you think could help the local surfing economy?

If it were accepted as a real sport, then it would get multi-billion dollar backing like basketball or baseball.

Who are some of your favorite surfers?

First and foremost Kelly Slater, for combining performance tricks and power surfing and transforming surfing into what it is today. And also any surfer who doesn’t hassle me for a wave or sit right next to me when I’m out free-surfing alone.

Where’s your secret spot? (We promise not to tell.)

It changes with the sand bars.

If you could surf with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be?

My brother. He passed away when I was 16.

What is your fondest surfing memory?

When world-class surfers were coming up to me in the early ’80s and telling me that they’d never seen an air 360 before and that they thought it was impressive. There are at least five or more of them.

If you were stuck on an island and could only have three things with you, what would they be? (And yes, there are perfect waves on this island.)

A Bible, my family, and an endless supply of my heart meds.

If you were a superhero, what special powers would you have?

I’d be Superman. He has a mishmash of powers.

What’s been the biggest motivation for you in life?

To serve.

When you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing you do?

These days, I start by getting out of bed and listening to the noises my body makes.

What type of music gets you amped to go surfing?

Music doesn’t amp me anymore to surf. I’m just amped to surf when I get there.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

I wish I had my health back.

Words of wisdom?

Live every day as if were your last. Make your life count for something.

Time for shoutouts…

To anyone and everyone who ever touched my life and helped me get where I am today. Thank you!

Boardrider of the Month: David Morefield
Interview by Scooter Newell

As I’m a film student, I was checking out some of David’s skateboard videos online and immediately noticed some well-composed shots with extra time spent on lighting — impressive, even by skate video standards. I was so impressed that I thought I should get out the camera and steal some of his ideas. That was back in 2008.

David has been such an integral part of the skate and skate/video scene in Brevard and beyond that I’m not sure why it’s taken so long to do this interview. David’s top- notch video production skills are only rivaled by his amazing skating abilities.

Long overdue, but well worth the wait, is this November’s Boardrider of the Month: Cocoa Beach’s David Morefield.

Name: David Andrew Morefield

Date of birth: Mar 16, 1990

Hometown: Born in Los Alamitos, CA, but calls Cocoa Beach home

Current setup: 8.25″ Workshop, 8″ Indys, 54mm SPFs

Stance: Goofy

Hello, David! Give us a little background on how you got involved in skateboarding.

I got my first board for Christmas when I was 8. CJ (Dixon) and I would skate our gutters, my plastic rail, and kicker ramp whenever we could. And we both progressed from there — from Paradise Funplex to our killer Cocoa Beach Skate Park. I started working at CBS when I was 16 and have ever since. (Though I wouldn’t mind a few more hours; hook it up, Scoot…) But I really am thankful for Dan initially asking me to work and having faith in me.

When did you first become interested in video and film production?

It was a gradual interest in working with cameras. I started with a bulky Hi8 video camera probably every family has. Then I got a Sony Handycam, but I started becoming serious with it when I bought my current Prosumer Sony camera. I’m in the works of selling it and buying a Canon DSLR, so I am super psyched about that. I started wanting more creative control, and with my budget each camera was a significant step up.

What are some of the skate videos or films that inspire you?

The two most influential films I’ve seen and still own are VHS copies of “eS Menikmati” and Habitat’s “Mosaic.” I could watch both of those forever and still be inspired to skate and film. If you haven’t seen these, I highly recommend you get your hands on copies. The artistic direction and level of skating in each are what makes them classics.

Describe the perfect skate session.

It would be skating in the streets at a cool spot, not getting heckled by security or cops, everybody landing their tricks, and having fun all the while.

What’s your take on the contest side of skateboarding. Do you ever compete?

Contests are great. They can really propel your skate career if you do them right. I have placed in a few contests, but I’m not the best at them. Personally, I find the most satisfaction out of filming for a montage or video part.

Your brother Jonathan is destroying it lately. Do you ever secretly want to sabotage his board so he can’t keep progressing so fast?

(Laughs) I don’t think that makes a difference. He skates his boards until they’re dead anyways. Yeah, he is getting really good and developing an awesome style. If I could only learn how to do “Impossibles,” then maybe I could beat him in a game of skate… someday.

Who do you feel is among the up-and-coming in Brevard County?

Hmmm… On the come-up, I would say Jonathan, Dylan Durkin (when he’s not fishing,) and definitely CJ. CJ is always fun to skate with.

I was impressed by your video-autobiography. Where online can we check out some more of your vidoe and film work, and is anything new in the works?

The easiest would be: www.youtube.com/user/davidmorefield, or you can check my brother’s blog: www.jonathanmorefield.blogspot.com. All my camera projects are on hold, seeing as I’m trying to sell my current one.

Any video parts?

In fact, I will be having a part in a video two local filmers are creating. Ricky Lester and Nathan Glen are compiling footage for a two-year project that will debut fall of next year. I can already tell they are putting together something great. If you would like to look at their blog, then check this out: www.commitorquit.blogspot.com

You’ve traveled pretty extensively. What is your all-time favorite place, park, or spot to skate?

Yeah, I returned a month ago from a two-week stint visiting my sister, who teaches English in South Korea. That was probably my most memorable experience. Just the simple stuff like sitting in a subway, staring at a foreign city, with no one who can speak English, or meeting new and interesting people. But my favorite place would be the Sajik Gymnasium in Busan, South Korea. It was a large granite-floored plaza with ledges, stairs, and hubbas of all different sizes. And the best part was that it was completely accepted to skate there.

I know that you commute to UCF. What are you studying?

I’m in the Cinema Studies program and am actually enjoying the plethora of knowledge being crammed into my brain. It’s definitely a different style than when I was in BCC. But, all in all, it’s a great experience and I’m thankful I can go here.

Final shouts or thoughts?

I would like to thank Mom and Dad, my brother and sister, Dan Hatcher, Nate and Ricky, you, Scooter, for the interview and all your help at the park, and most importantly, God for all his many blessings.

Boardrider of the Month: Sean Duncan Slater

Sean Slater was once my neighbor. He was a good neighbor. He always had beer and would sometimes let me shoot arrows at his surfboard. We eventually became good friends and drinking buddies. But one day, the waves came up and we decided to go for a surf. During that surf I remembered that Sean was indeed a Slater. The oldest of the three. I had forgotten that this beer-bellied man wh is usually seen with a cell phone stuck to his face and a beer can stuck in his hand, shapes great surfboards and posesses some freak family gene that allows him to reach Mach 3 on small, mushy waves and proceed to tear their tops off.

He’s still tearing the tops off of waves, but he’s lost the beer can and replaced it with a laptop. The cell phone is still there, but the call history has changed. Last year, along with younger brother Skippy, Sean realized his dream and started the Slater Brothers Surf Company. I guess after working for Volcom for a hundred years, you start to get ideas of your own. The brothers are working hard to reflect the passion they have, not just for surfing but for everything beachside living represents in their products. So far, it’s started with the simple t-shirts and hats, but the future sees them delving into all things Slater — surfing, skating, fishing, camping, and more.

Next month, Sean is taking the plunge and marrying his longtime girlfriend April. But not before holding their fifth annual surfing competion in Cocoa Beach in front of Coconuts. Check out the “Word on the Street” section on page 10 for the lowdown.

And April, we’ll all be praying for you…

How come you guys can’t grow hair?

We can grow hair. Since we’ve been in Florida our whole lives, we’ve somehow gained the skill of only growing mullets. So when the choice came to look like the three Joe Dirts, or the three stooges, we chose the stooges.

When was your last session?

Yesterday and everyday for the last two weeks. Been waiting to get my surfing bug back and I’ve got it in a big way again.

Describe your dream session.

Any day I can get tubes and a small group of good friends together… Most likely I would pick Soup Bowl in the Lesser Antillies.

There’s an ice cold Busch can and a $100 bill laying in the street. Which one do you grab first?

Hmmmmm, let me think. If it was winter and the can was cold because of the weather and was empty of beer but full of $100 bills, I’d have to choose the can.

What do you foresee being the best part of being married?

The mutual support and respect, and being able to go forward instead of backwards. Great to have someone you love being around even when you’re mad at each other.

Which of your mom’s qualities is most pronounced in your life?

Honesty.

What prompted you to start the Slater Bros. Surf Co.?

I’ve always wanted to have a family business derived from our family and friends’ lifestyle as a whole. Our surfing lifestyle is made up of much more than just surfing, which the majority of Florida and East Coast surfers live in their daily routines… Surfing, fishing, diving, camping, sailing, shrimping, anything… Boats, sun, beach, wildlife… We aren’t building a typical surf company, we’re creating a brand that represents more than just surfing. It represents what we’re about. Although surfing is our foundation and love, there is more to life than just surfing, and our Right Coasters take advantage of that every day. The reason we even started surfing at 3rd Street North was because our Dad owned a shop called Beach Tackle and Sporting goods (which is now Surfer’s Sports Pub) and I used to make fishing poles with my dad and torment the shrimp man when he made deliveries in the ‘70s. My Dad had me PADI certified and scuba diving when I was 11, offshore and in some of the springs near Blue Springs, shooting guns, fishing, shrimping, camping. It makes too much sense to me not to create our brand around the way we grew up as brothers, and with almost everyone we know. I can’t think of something better to put my energy into then this.

Where do you see it going in the future?

A range of products that we designed and created as a family being used by other families around the globe. …Building our business where we were born and raised in Cocoa Beach… … Creating some jobs for our area (God knows Obama hasn’t done us any favors on the Space Coast). …Staying true to our roots and making a decent living for my family so I can stay in the water until I’m 100.. And being recognized as the first lifestyle crossover company of its kind. I see us and our friends having a lot of fun. We are so excited about our company. Check www.slaterbrotherssurfcompany.com

Name a favorite quality from each of your brothers.

The way Kelly carries himself knowing he will always lose the race with me in getting older, and Skippy’s rare and brilliant sense of humor.

If you were afloat on a sea of beer, alone on a boat, where would you pee?

How big is the boat?

Who is your favorite surfer of all time?

Both of my brothers. Same DNA , so I figure I can consider them one.

Have you ever seen Bigfoot?

I think I have, but he was blurry and it was late.

Do one, marry one, kill one: Miley Cyrus, Bea Arthur, Erik Fifer circa 1986?

I’d Marry Bea since she passed away in 2009, God rest her soul. Then I might get an inheritance. (I know that’s shallow, but she’s not here any more). If I did, I’d buy the rights to all the “Golden Girls” episodes and watch them every day.

Kill one: Fifer. Remember that fight we almost got into in 1986 in the record store? I don’t.

Do one: I will “do one” favor for Fifer and set him up with 18-year -old Miley Cyrus, soon to be 19.

Boardrider of the Month: Kelly Branagh
• Interview by Alex Joy •

Kelly Branagh has been surfing the local waters since he got his first taste at Surf Road in Melbourne Beach back in the ’80s.

From Gemini to Mel High, Kelly fully embraced the surfing lifestyle. His first sponsor, Spectrum Surf Shop, helped him get to contests up and down the East Coast in the Spectrum Team Van. With Trip Freeman heading things up as the Team leader and trainer, good times and and many a crazy moment were the highlights of every road trip.

Kelly has seen many changes in surfing, but one thing has remained constant for him: getting stoked. He has lots of respect for his mentors and told us that John Holeman was one of his biggest influences; watching Jim invent airs like the 360 and a variety of others must have made for great inspiration and entertainment.

But Kelly also loves seeing talented young surfers on the rise, many of whom keep him stoked on the future of surfing. He’s a great surfer with loads of talent; his smooth and solid surfing makes him stand out in any lineup. Kelly has also worked within and around the periphery of the surfing world his whole life. About three years ago, he started the indispensable used surfboard source www.anotherride.com. Check it out, and give Kelly a hoot next time you see him ripping it up.

What’s the best part about living here in Brevard County?

It’s laid back and not too far from Orlando International Airport when you want to get away.

What was your first surfboard?

An $8 custom 4’8″ round-nose concave-deck single fin found at a garage sale. And I still have it.

Where was your first surf trip?

First trip out of the country was Costa Rica in 1988.

What would be the best surf trip ever?

A boat trip though the Mentawais with my best mates.

What makes a good surf shop?

A good, knowledgeable staff that knows the product lines and a great selection of boards.

What boards are you riding right now?

… Lost.

Do you think fins make a difference in how well a board works?

The right fins for the right rider will and do make a huge difference. FCS has helped with one board being able to handle more conditions.

Who would you like to see make a big name for themselves in the surf world around here?

Tommy Coleman.

Where is your secret spot?

2nd Light.

Best local surf spot?

2nd Light.

How would you react if we had a similar disaster to the BP Oil Spill here on the East Coast?

I’d move. I couldn’t bear to see all the animals die.

If you were the president for a day what would you do?

Find an engineer who could design and build a real wave pool in Florida and hold events there year-round.

If you could pick one spot to surf forever where would you choose?

Restaurants or Pavones.

Do you think the other Kelly will make world title number 10?

I think he gets underscored in critical situations in heats, so I like “yes,” but “no” if the judging is not in his favor. We all know he’s an animal and still the king.

Local hero?

C.C. Rider.

Any words of wisdom for all the groms out there?

Be happy… SURF!

Any last shout-outs?

Quack quack!

Boardrider of the Month: Jim Voeste
• Tobin Bennison •

It’s not unusual for our monthly Boardriders to be well versed in more than one type of boardriding.  We’ve featured skaters who excel at skating, but also love to jump into the surf when the conditions arise and we’ve profiled passionate surfers who hit the skate parks when the Atlantic turns off. Some tear up boat wakes in lakes and others strap a damn kite to their backs to fly up and down the beach. But I can’t remember the last time we covered a boardrider who pretty much rides everything.

Boardhead Jim has achieved ripping status within just about every form of riding that requires a board. When the surf is pumping you’ll find him either shacked tightly into a jade-tinged tube or wiggling his toes off the end of his longboard. When the tide changes, instead of packing it up for the day, he simply switches his surfboard for a skimboard and continues his assault in the thumping shorebreak. But despite his mastery of several varied boardsports, I believe Jim’s true callling might just be the cutting board.

When he’s not surfing, skating, skimming, or just putting in time on his Indo board, Boardhead Jim makes some of the best sandwiches on the beach. Jim’s Boardheads Deli has filled a much needed niche in the downtown Cocoa Beach area, where he takes great pride in building delicious, affordable subs of all kinds to satisfy your hunger after whatever kind of session you’ve had. Ride on Jim. Ride on.

What is your preferred boardsport?

Skimboarding would be my first choice, depending on conditions. Otherwise, progressive longboarding.

At what age did you first put feet to board, and what was it?

Sandskimming as a grom on an old Myers woodie.

Of all your sessions, is there one in particular that has stuck in your mind?

A double-o surf session down south about 10 years ago, all alone with just the video to prove it. Super fun. Yeah!

When was the last time you took a really hard spill?

At the Slater Invitational a few years back. After doing indo board demos and teaching hundreds of people all weekend, I wanted to catch some fun skim during my last hour on the beach. The third wave wasn’t a charm. I hyperextended my MCL and was out for like 6 months in a knee brace.

Out of all your boards, which one do you see yourself still riding into your golden years?

If I can’t run when I’m 89, I guess I’ll still longboard.

Who is your favorite boardrider of all time?

Bill “Beaker” Bryan. If you don’t know who he is, stop by the shop and I’ll throw in some skim videos that will blow your mind.

What do you think is the most important issue facing all boardsports today?

Etiquette — on any board at any age.

What would be your dream vacation?

Wherever Rick Piper’s shorepound paintings are.

What mantra does Boardhead Jim live by?

You don’t stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing.

How did you get into the sandwich biz?

I couldn’t find a great sub anywhere, so now I make them all day long. Opening my own shop got me out of corporate kitchens and in touch with real people… real hungry people.

What’s the most important ingredient in a good sandwich?

Pride. That’s the most important ingredient in anything you do. If you put pride in it, it should always be great.

What’s your most popular seller?

By far, the Italian sub. We’re the only shop around that makes them real!

Any shout-outs?

Big shouts to D from Boardheads2.com; Bob at Zap Skimboards; Indoboard Hunter; Freak Kech; all my crazy boardsport friends, and to all our customers who appreciate a great sub and a good laugh.

Last question: Could I get an 8″ Italian with all the fixins?

Sure! Drop in on Boardheads any time.

Boardheads Deli is located at 24 N. Orlando Ave. Call 785-2700 for more information.

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Boardrider of the Month: Connie Arias
• Interview by Alex Joy; Photos by Don Eggert •

Born in New York, Connie Arias moved to Florida as a child. She learned to surf at the age of 7 and was immediately hooked. Going on to participate in some of her first surf contests shortly thereafter, Connie won the East Coast Championships at 12.

Connie currently surfs and does promotional events for Billabong, something that’s taken her all over the world — to countries like Australia, Tahiti, South Africa, and England, to name just a few. From July 25th to the 31st, she’ll be giving surfing lessons at the Blue Surf Sanctuary in Costa Rica. When in Florida, she rocks out and pours drinks at Lou’s Blues. During the rare moments when Connie’s not surfing or working, she can be found fishing with friends or lounging quietly at home planning her next getaway.

But despite this fun-filled life of traveling, Connie says, “Most of all, I just love being at home and hanging out with family and neighbors.”

What type of board have you been riding lately?

Local Motion, made by Ricky Carroll — the most amazing shaper ever!

Name one of the best contests you’ve surfed.

The World Junior Surfing Championships. It was so amazing because I got to compete for the U.S. with some of the best juniors in the world.

There are a lot of new surf tricks out there these days. What’s your favorite?

Anything I happen to land.

What’s your favorite surf spot?

Home! There’s nothing better then being able to surf behind your house.

What’s the biggest wave you’ve wiped out on?

In western Australia I took off on a set wave and ate crap. I came up and realized my leash had broken and my board went half a mile into shore. Luckily there was a jet ski out there to take me in.

When you’re going on a surf trip, what’s the one thing you never forget to bring?

My phone.

Do you see any up-and-comers around here in the pro girl surfing scene?

Yes, Jasset Umbel and Nikki Viesins are both young girls you need to watch out for.

What keeps you motivated?

The accomplishments I’ve made and surfing keep my ADD in check.

What other hobbies do you have?

I love to fish, go on Facebook, text, and run around town doing something different every day.

How many times a day do you check Facebook?

At least 20 times a day.

Do you use your computer to check the waves or go to see for yourself?

Both, but I always check www.thewavecaster.com first because he’s always right and I may be a bit lazy.

Which do you like better, dawn patrol of evening sesh?

I’m not much of a morning person, so definitely evening sesh.

Which tunes get you amped before surfing?

I love Country.

Where do you go for grinds after surfing all day?

I go to the Indialantic Seafood Company for some fresh tuna to take home and cook myself.

Do you think we should start looking for other types of energy in light of the Gulf Oil Spill?

Absolutely. We should always be looking for new resources and forms of energy.

If you were president for a day, what would you do?

I wouldn’t want to be president. Too much work.

Do you have any pets?

Two dogs, Sadie and Dakota. Dakota is my baby; I dress her up and take her everywhere with me.

If you could do one thing over in life, what would it be?

Nothing. I love my life!

Last words or shout-outs?

Thanks to everyone who has helped me — my family and my sponsors, Billabong, Local Motion, and DNA Energy drinks. And I love my brother! I’d also like to give a shout-out to www.breathebelieve.com.

Boardrider of the Month: Eddie Guilbeau
Interview by Alex Joy

Eddie Guilbeau is one incredibly solid surfer.

He does things in the surf most of us have only dreamt of, which isn’t all that surprising, seeing as how he’s been in and around the ocean since his life began. Raised by a family of surfers in Melbourne Beach, surfing has always been a way of life for Eddie. His parents and his Uncle Brian did what ever they could to help him progress, and Eddie was part of a group of groms who always pushed each other to go bigger and bigger.

Eddie participated in his first competition, the Melbourne Beach Founders Day Pineapple Surf Contest, in 1994. Soon after, he was brought into the ESA and was noticed by longtime friend Barry Pasonski, who hooked Eddie up with the …Lost Team. “When he (Barry) set me up with …Lost, I feel in a way that he changed the whole way my life has played out. Surfing became a major part of my life,” says Eddie.

Since then, Eddie has traveled all over in pursuit of his passion, has surfed in the WQS for the last few years, and became Quicksilver’s King of the Peak at Sebastian Inlet last November. But as many hours  as he spends in the water, somehow Eddie still finds time to work and study.

I always enjoy watching Guilbeau rip it up. He’s a really good guy who is mellow both in and out of the water, and he always makes having fun a top priority.

If you never surfed, what type of lifestyle do you think you’d have?

If I didn’t surf and I hadn’t won the King Of The Peak, then I probably wouldn’t be doing this interview. Surfing has changed my life and I would be naive to think any differently. The gnarliest memories I have are mostly all from moments that had something to do with surfing. I would have never gone to Tahiti if I hadn’t dedicated my summer to qualifying for the U.S. Team. I would have never been asked to go to the Dominican Republic with Hollister and I would have never gotten hooked up with …Lost. Basically, if I never started surfing then I’d probably be in debt and I wouldn’t have been through half the things I’ve been lucky enough to experience.

When racing down the line on a wave, do you have a plan in your head or do you just go and see what happens?

I’m always thinking about what I’m going to do on my wave before I even drop in. All surfers make decisions based on the wave before they ever even start to paddle. Ever notice how no one goes on a close-out but everyone wants a good lined-up wave? Well, I look for the close-outs so I can do airs. Before I stand up I have a very good idea of how far away certain sections are and how long I have until I get to that part of the wave. I definitely make decisions before and during the wave riding process.

What’s the biggest air you ever pulled and landed?

There have been a couple of times I’ve found myself baffled on whatever just happened. I usually try to spin faster rather than go for height on my airs, but I threw a standard backside air a few months ago that must have been about 3- to 4-feet high. The shove-it at King of the Peak was around 2 feet. I’ve landed a ton of airs at Ocean Ave. that were easily 3-feet high or more, so the biggest air I ever landed was probably about 4 feet at the most.

What do you do to keep in shape?

I do stretches and I try to eat somewhat healthy. I work doing general labor, so I stay pretty fit for whenever there are waves.

Where’s the best wave you’ve surfed?

The best wave I ever surfed was probably somewhere in Hawaii. There are so many little bays, coves, reefs, and sandbars out there on those islands that it’s impossible not to get the best waves of your life. I would have to say that either Pipe or Sunset had the best waves I ever surfed.

What and where is the perfect surf trip?

The perfect surf trip is whatever you want it to be. For me it’s no drama, good weather, fun waves, and friends.

What other hobbies keep you busy when you’re not in the water?

I don’t know if college is considered a hobby, but I am taking online classes at BCC right now. I have five classes left until I get my AA and I’m super-excited that I’m working on obtaining a college degree. Other than schoolwork and surfing, I pretty much just try and relax.

Who has been the biggest influence on you?

My biggest influences have been my family and friends. I’ve learned a lot from observing people around me and how they handle themselves in certain situations. I feel I adopted a lot of character from my Dad because I notice we both have a laid-back but proactive style.

Do you have a hero?

I respect a lot of guys, but as for a hero, that could only be my Dad. My Dad is the man.

We live in a place with a lot of really good surfers. Who do you see going big?

Brevard County is full of guys who can win heats at any given time. I just saw that Kelly Slater won the Rip Curl Pro in Bells Beach… But as for all the local groms making the push, I would have to say that Jasset Umbel, Corey Howell, Giorgio Gomez, and Luke Marks are the next in line for their generation. These surfers have exactly what it takes to make a name for themselves, and in most cases they already have. These kids will be leading the next group of über-groms coming out of Brevard County for sure.

Who is the most underrated surfer, locally and pro-wise?

Mark Dawson has been flying under the radars of the industry for way too long now. I try to make it a point to surf with Mark every day because I know he’s one of the best surfers in Brevard County. I see him landing the same moves the best guys in the world are trying to do. He’s also one of the most positive and motivated people I’ve ever met. He’s above all the negative aspects that come with growing up in a small town and he’s made it apparent that he doesn’t want to get caught up in the wrong scene. Mark just wants to go surf, whether it’s flat, cold, 10-foot or snowing. I am stoked that I get to surf with him because he rips and he’s always amped to paddle out. In my opinion, Mark Dawson is the best uncontracted surfer in Brevard County for sure.

When thinking of the future of surfing, do you think there will ever be another Kelly Slater?

I can definitely imagine some crazy little kid winning 12 world titles sometime in the future, but as of now it looks like the level of surfing has reached a plateau of sorts. It seems like even though the level of free-surfing has gone up, the people competing feel more comfortable playing it safe. Competitive surfing can’t progress until someone has the confidence to do huge tricks while the pressure is on in a heat. The scores from the Bells contest reflect that surfers are being judged lower for surfing safe and are judged higher for taking risks.

If you could be mayor of Mel Beach for a day, what you do?

If I were mayor of Melbourne Beach for one day, I’d build a handicapped ramp so people could go down onto the beach at Ocean Avenue. As of now, there is no handicapped access that goes down to the beach at all in Melbourne Beach. I don’t know how this has never been done, but people have been talking about it for years.

What’s your favorite TV show?

“Let’s Make A Deal.” I think it’s funny because the host is always trying to scam people out of whatever they win. It’s hilarious how the contestants are never happy with winning and they always want to keep making deals even though they already won something. It’s sad though when you see a little old lady lose tons of money that she literally just won two minutes before.

What are the best tunes to get amped for a sesh?

I usually surf with Mark Dawson and he has some classic music on his iPod. Recently I’ve been getting amped on whatever soundtrack is on “Modern Collective.”

After surfing all day, what’s the best place to feast?

After surfing I hit up one of the usual spots on Ocean Ave. It’s always either Boscos, Beachstreet or Friendly Toast, no questions asked. They make incredible food and they are all run by great people.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I see myself doing some more school and finishing a few degrees. I only have five more classes until my AA, so that goal is actually only a couple of months away. My long-term goal for five years from today is that I want to wake up in a house I pay the mortgage on and can walk to the beach from. I see myself starting some sort of business geared toward helping reliable college students find local part-time work.

Where’s the best secret surf spot in Brevard? Come on, we know you know.

I have heard that supposedly there is a wave at the end of the Cape that is the best left in Brevard. I’ve heard people who work at the Cape say that there is a sandbar from the very end of the cape that wraps out for hundreds of yards along the beach to the South. From what I understand, the left follows the sandbar just firing off barrels and wraps into a cove where it slowly dies out. I have also heard that there are deer and other animals out there since it is a nature preserve. The place sounds like a paradise from all the stories I’ve been told.

What good advice would you give to any grom coming up?

The best advice I can give to groms is to try and enjoy school. You have to be there anyway and all your friends are around, so try to think about the positives. Plus, the chances that you’ll make more money in the future increase with every day you attend school. That’s why everyone who tells you to stay in school has more money than you do.

Last words or shout-outs?

You (Alex Joy), Mark Dawson, Chicky, Harry, Bergz, Dylan, Reola, Jeremy, Eric, Catalyst, …Lost, Freak, and anyone who has ever helped me in any way. Rip rip! Go surf! Rip!

Boardrider of the Month: Carl Beaulac
Interview by Alex Joy

Carl Beaulac has been a major part of the local surf scene for quite some time. He got started with help from his dad when he was about 12-years-old or so, back when a shortboard was an 8’6” and weighed a few pounds.

He started out surfing Miami’s South Beach, moved to Fort Lauderdale during high school and opened his first surf business, a retail store, shortly thereafter. In 1987, Carl moved to Brevard where settled down to raise his family and started RDI, a wholesale surf distribution company.

Carl has traveled to many surf destinations all over the world and has made many friends along the way. Years spent surfing, windsurfing, and stand-up paddleboarding has made Carl a true boardsport enthusiast, and he’s either directly or indirectly helped many stay stoked on surfing. And that’s why Carl Beaulac is our Boardrider of the Month.

When did you start surfing?
1968 in Miami, South Beach. We would rent a board on the weekends. My Dad had to help me carry it — I think it weighted 50-plus pounds…

What was your first board?
9’6 Surfboard Hawaii triple stringer. Step-down deck, pintail… yellow. I bought it used from some guy going into the military.

You’ve seen many different surfing trends come and go in your time. What’s one of the craziest you’ve witnessed?
When the short board revolution hit. Boards went from 9′ something to 5′ something in approximately three years.

What’s the best thing about being a surfer?
Staying in physical and mental shape! Also connecting with nature.

Who or what has been the biggest motivation for you?
My family and friends.

If you could go on a surf trip with anyone, anywhere…?
I did that. I did a family surf trip to Maui. We called it “Hawaii 5-0.” (I had just turned 50.)

What’s been your best surf trip to date?
I went to Nicaragua with the Boardworks crew — the most awesome guys’ surf trip ever: great place to stay, great food, and great surf and adventures. (Thanks, Miles.)

When you’re not out riding a board of some type, what do you do for fun?
Play guitar or work (yes, work is fun to me).

Do you think today’s high-tech surfboard construction has made a big difference in the fun factor?
Yes! Most new boards are stronger, lighter, and perform better, which equals more fun!

What have you been riding? Both SUP and surfboards?
Yes. SUP when it’s small or flat (it’s a great way to stay in shape) and surf when it’s over 2 feet.

When did your compete in your first contest? Do you have a favorite contest?
I don’t remember the very first, but it was sometime during the ’70s. I joined the ESA. There are so many contests nowadays… it’s difficult to choose one. Whichever event gets the best waves is the best.

What’s your favorite local surf spot?
The secret one.

What’s the best after-surf feast?
Coming home to my wife’s cooking!

Top three songs before your surf sesh?
Rodrigo y Gabriela doing “Buster Voodoo,” almost any Led Zeppelin, and some Leo Kottke stuff.

If you could surf one spot for the rest of you life, where would it be?
A point break in El Salvador — one of the longest rights I’ve ever ridden.

Do you think SUP catching on here? Is it more popular elsewhere?
It’s starting to get popular here in Florida. It’s blowing up in Hawaii and California.

Is it hard to get in to SUPing?
On flat water it’s easy. You can learn in 30 minutes. SUPing in waves is a much steeper learning curve. It helps to be a surfer first.

What’s are the best conditions for SUP?
For me, a nice long, flat water paddle or a nice 2- to 3-foot mushy, low-tide wave.

Do you still take out the windsurfer?
Yah, but not as much as I used to. I really like to jump and ride waves, but the right conditions are few and far between.

Do you think windsurfing will ever enjoy the kind of popularity it once did?
No, not in the near future. Hopefully I’ll be around when it does!

Who will win the 2010 ASP world tour this year, any thoughts?
Well, Taj is on a roll right now…

Any shout-outs?
Yah: to all my friends and family. I hope to see you in the water soon!

BOARDRIDER OF THE MONTH: Britta Schlagbaum

Britta Schlagbaum moved to Satellite Beach from Colorado and started surfing soon after at the age of 13 when Dad took her and little brother out on his board. She started doing some local competitions and joined the ESA when she turned 15, and has been really ripping it up lately.

Britta is always outside, working out, surfing, skateboarding, and riding her bike. But though she is also a veritable ray of sunshine, she’s not just a pretty face; her other interests include reading and writing poetry. Britta truly has a love for being young and living life to the fullest. This solid surfer seems to be always happy and stoked on life.

In Britta’s own words, “I just go with the flow because everything happens for a reason.”

Name: Britta Schlagbaum
Age: 17
Hometown: Satellite Beach
Stance: Regular

How long have you been surfing?

About four years.

Do you have any sponsors?

Ricky Carrol surfboards!

Do you have a “best day ever” claim?

I’d say a while back when I drove up to Ponce Inlet with my friend and there was a perfect right pretty much all day with clear blue water. I felt like I was ripping every wave.

What are your favorite surf conditions?

Head-high chunky waves with some barrels on a sunny day… yaaa!

You’ve been doing some modeling lately. How’s that going?

It’s good… mostly just for fun to have photos for later when I might get more serious with it.

Do you see yourself looking at surfing as a carer or just a lifestyle?

For me surfing is more of a lifestyle and a sport I love doing for fun. Just being in the ocean with friends is like an outlet for me to think about life and soak up the sun. I love the fast rush and feeling of riding a wave made by nature. It’s just you and the ocean.

Have you been planing any surf trips for the near future?

I am planning on going to Eleuthera, Bahamas some time soon when I get some time off from work, with my boyfriend. That’s his home island, so I’ve got a free place to stay, which is sick!

Which local shredder do you see going big around here?

Hmm… That’s a tough one, ’cause there are alot of shredders around here. But I definitely see Peter Polanski going big some day. He rips for sure, and he’s one of the most determined guys I know.

Who shapes your surfboards?

I get my boards from the greatest shaper in the world, Mr. Ricky Carroll. He is absolutely awesome, and he shows it with the great boards he makes. I love every board I ride, and I’m sure you will too.

Where are the best waves in town?

Come on, we won’t tell anyone! 2nd Light, Inlet, and the Pier — haha! I’m not telling my secret spots. There are enough people out there already.

When the waves are flat, what do you do to fill the time?

Well, when there are no waves and I don’t have work, I’m either at the beach with friends, at the gym, reading by my pool, riding my bike, or just doing anything outside. But I’d still rather be surfing any day.

Do you have a training workout to stay in surf shape?

I go to the gym all the time and I run around my neighborhood, and from time to time I use my Indo Board. Also, having a healthy diet helps a lot. But I’d say that surfing is the best workout there is.

Where’s the best after-surf grinds place to hang out and chill?

Dakine Diego’s is a hot spot, but I’m already there all the time so I like to go home and jump in my pool and go back to the boardwalk. I roll insane burritos at Dakine’s and make hungry people happy, ’cause we all know everyone is grumpy when they’re hungry.

The environment is a big concern for most surfers. Do you think there’s anything we can do locally to help?

I think everyone should recycle. Any time you’re at the beach or anywhere else and see trash on the ground, pick it up and throw it in the trashcan. Even if it’s a little, it adds up. If everyone does, it can make a big difference.

If you could be the President for a day, what law would you want to get passed?

I would illegalize offshore dumping.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

I see myself still in college, and of course, still surfing.

Any big holla outs?

Definitely my family for all their support, the crew at DKDs, my girls Sloane and Tess, Perks crew, IHB boys, and my boyfriend, Warren.

I had no idea that Jaime had an injured wrist when we set out to take pictures for this piece. He had broken the growth plate in his right arm a couple of times and is currently healing, and by the look of the photos he’s obviously still able to skate. I’ve seen Jaime destroy contests, and when he’s free-skating with the crew he can be noted for his unique style and large bag of tricks on all types of terrain. Jaime has lived from one end of Brevard to the other during his 15 years and now lives in Cape Canaveral. Say hello to our Boardrider of the Month: Jaime Ceruti.

Name: Jaime Ceruti
Age: 15
Resides in: Cape Canaveral
Stance: Goofy
Years Skating: 7
Current Setup: World Industries Deck 8.0; Destructo trucks; Darkstar 52mm, and Ninja bearings.

How’s it going Jaime?
Good. I’ve been trying to skate a lot. I’m back in school and it’s going good. I skated a lot during the break — I went to Miami.

Did you go to the MIA Skate Park?
Yeah, the new course is a lot of fun.

How long have you lived in the ‘Nav?
I moved here around the beginning of the summer. I go to Cocoa Beach High School.

Did you know anyone from CBHS before you went there?
Yeah, people from skateboarding, like CJ Dixon, were already going there. And Sam Rooks, Chris Spohr, and Keith Baldassare started going there too. It’s fun going to school with people you skate with every day.

What grade are you in, and what kind of grades are you getting?
I’m in 10th grade. I’m pretty much getting all As, Bs, and Cs. All passing!

Any subjects giving you trouble?
Mostly English 2. We have so much to do and we write papers every day.

Where do you mostly skate?
I skate street on the weekends and after school. I skate the bank in Cape Canaveral with the 3 flat 1. I try to skate Graffiti when I can.

Have you been competing lately?
I’ve skated some contests in Tampa and Kona, but none too recent. There’s one coming up at Graffiti, the “Goofy vs. Regular.”

Is that where you started, at Graffiti?
Pretty much. I lived next door to Michael Wolfe and we started skating the streets of our neighborhood. Then I think Mike went to Graffiti and ended up bringing me there the next time.  And I just kept at it and eventually got on the team.

There’s a lot of local history behind Graffiti and some rippers that have been on that team, don’t you think?
Yeah, it was such a good thing for Dan to get that team started. That was a long time ago… We would all just would skate together and have fun.

What kind of music are you listening to?
Rock — AC/DC, some rap like Biggie, Tupac, and Arkaydia, my friends from Graffiti. They all skate and rip; we have fun skating together while playing their CD.

Any last words of wisdom or shout-outs?
Never give up. Keep Skating. Hang out with your friends and have fun. And thanks to Dan, Graffiti Skate Zone, my parents, all the friends I skate with, and you for the interview.

After surfing for roughly 7 years in the Florida Panhandle and spending a month living in Australia, Jessica Williams decided to leave everything she knew behind to move to Satellite Beach in search of more consistent swell.

Thanks to her broad background in aquatic sports, lifeguarding, beach service, training and certifying lifeguards, and teaching swim lessons and water aerobics, Jessica had no problem finding a job teaching surf lessons in
Cocoa Beach shortly after her arrival in the area.

Jessica then started competing in surf contests throughout the County and soon became a member of ESA. At the end of her second season with them, she ranked 1st in the Central Florida District for Womens’ Longboard. Most recently, she has picked up a few sponsors and has worked with Sticky Bumps and Gravity Skateboards.

Along with of her love of surfing and the ocean, Jessica also plays the guitar and composes music. She competed in the Cocoa Beach Library’s Singer/Songwriter Contest two years in a row, winning 1st Place overall in 2008 and also taking 1st for the People’s Choice Award in June 2009.

Jessica says she’s already accomplished a lot of things she’s really wanted to do, but still wants to travel as much as she can.  Still though, you get the sense that Cocoa Beach will always be the place she’ll call home. “Cocoa Beach simply defines my life,” she says. “Surfing defines my life.”

If you had to surf and play music in one place for the rest of your life, where would you choose?

It could very possibly be Cocoa Beach. I love it here. But if I could find a little island in the South Pacific where the surf was at least decent everyday and people just ate rice and beans for their three meals a day and worshiped cows, that’d be pretty sweet.

What’s your favorite local surf spot?

The Cocoa Beach Pier or 4th Street South. I’ve always lived in the 4th Street area, so it’s like my “home break.” But I’m really acquainted with the Pier and I enjoy knowing everyone out in the water — it makes for a better surfing experience, for sure.

How would you describe your surf style?

I prefer the old-school way of things, like heavy single-fin noseriders and retro fish. I prefer vulan cloth on any board, and heavy glass is always a pretty good thing too. It’s so smooth — like riding in a blimp or something. But I have to be careful because if it gets too heavy I can’t turn the darn thing! I love watching Alex Knost surf. He has this amazing style that is so modernized (yet totally not at all). I can’t put it into my own words, so I won’t try.

What’s your best surf maneuver?

Although I’m constantly working on better noserides, I still think I’m safer saying S-turns and cutbacks. I like knee paddle entries too, and I hardly ever see anyone else doing them!

Your favourite all-around board is… ?

I could say a fish or a longboard in general, but that’d be too easy. I like a good noserider because I’ll surf it in the smallest surf, and I’ll still be riding it in the gnarliest of hurricane swells. I like riding a lot of different styles of boards, but my 9’4″ O’Hare (vulan cloth; triple stringer) is my favorite board.

Do you have a favorite artist or group you listen to before paddling out?

It depends on the surf. If it’s head-high and glassy, I want something to stoke me out, like Damian Marley… or “Freebird”! But if it’s just another day, I like something good and mellow, usually reggae. Sometimes I even like to listen to Bluegrass before I paddle out just for spits and giggle — and just because it makes me feel a little more goofy and creative out in the agua.

How long have you been into writing music?

I can remember making up my own songs when I was just a little girl, but it wasn’t until I was in high school that I really started composing music on my guitar with my lyrics. I quit for several years and then started again about 2- 1/2 years ago. My dad was a composer and a writer as well. I never really played for anyone until the Singer/Songwriter Contest at the Cocoa Beach Library a couple of years ago when I won First Place overall, and then won the “People’s Choice” and everyone loved it! That’s when I really realized that I actually had something going on.

Coffee or tea? Beer or wine? Electric or acoustic?

Sweet tea is God’s gift to mankind, as far as I’m concerned, and I prefer imported beer or rum. And acoustic has way more soul… so does rum.

Dream sponsor?

Billabong. I really appreciate the fact that they donate a portion of their profits to the Surfrider Foundation and ocean protection efforts. And I’m a pretty eco-minded person, so the idea of making wetsuits out of old fishing nets is pretty rad. They’re doing all kinds of neat stuff, like making us “shark-proof.” Plus, I love the style. It’s very “me”.

Who’s on your shout-out list?

The people who’ve made the biggest impact on my life in the respected order: my Grandpa, Hal Tarpley, the Walker Family, Tom Grant, Dennis Griffin, Sean O’Hare, Rob Arrouet, and my girls. I love you all.

BOARDRIDER OF THE MONTH: Casidy Marks

I’ve known Casidy for a few years now. He’s always pushing himself to go bigger and better, no mater want he’s doing. At 20 years old, Casidy is focused on school and keeping his head on straight — a total “No Drama” kind of dude.

Casidy’s enthusiasm is powerfully contagious. You have to love a guy who says, “Looks real fun. I’m going out,” whether the waves are 2-feet high and choppy or 10 feet and bombing. Originally from Kalapana, Hawaii, Casidy, a goofy foot, now lives in Satellite Beach, and inspires all who come in contact with him to aspire to his same level of childlike zeal.

Name: Casidy Marks
Hometown: Kalapana, HI. Currently resides in Satellite Beach
Years surfing: 6
Years skating: 5 (off and on)
Years wakeboarding: 4

When did you start surfing?
When I was real young in Hawaii, but never really cared about it until I turned 15.

What’s the first thing you do in the morning?
Take a shower.

What’s your favorite grub after a long day of shredding?
Pretty much any fruit, mostly mangoes and orange juice.

What’s the best part of your day?
Right when my last class ends and I can go do what I want. I would say surfing, but we rarely get waves.

If you had to surf one spot the rest of your life, where would it be?
Macaroni’s in Indo.

Tell us your favorite secret surf spot.
If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret.

Surf, skate, wake — what takes the cake?
Surfing, for sure. I enjoy skating, but I’ve broken too many bones, so I stopped charging. Wakeboarding is too expensive; I always have to jump on other people’s boats.

Speaking of which, what’s your favorite kind of cake?
Ice cream cake.

What boards have you been shredding on lately?
BATs.

What’s been your best surf trip?
A trip I took back to Maui for 15 days one recent winter.

Do you have a hero?
My older brother.

Name the best local surf break?
Right up my street here in Satellite.

Where do you see yourself in five years?
Having a good job and being able to surf. Probably still living in Satellite Beach.

If you were president for a day, you would…
Go surfing. The press would probably get really pissed and turn it into some crazy story.

What do you do when you’re not shredding?
Hang with friends. We’re always doing something random.

Any shout outs?
Shout outs go to: Alex, Trav, Mike, Snake, Roob, and the Perks Crew.

If you’ve ever found yourself on a distant shore or in some strange and alien land, there’s one kind of person you’re almost certain to meet.

Australians are natural travelers. The walkabout is bred into them. You’d be hard pressed to find a true Aussie scrambling for a career job or jumping directly into a university after high school. After graduation, they’re pushed from their nests, set loose to traverse the globe and soak up an education of life.

For the most part, Australians are a polite breed and usually capable of performing tasks and undergoing trials that would make the average man recoil in fear. They’re also loyal friends and valuable allies. But they also drink like there’s no tomorrow, they leave no stunt or dare unchallenged, and have an uncanny knack for turning the most perverse of profanities into poetry.

Years ago, while on surf safari in mainland Mexico, I met an Australian who had just broken his board and I loaned him my 6’8” gun as I was on my way home. He was due to visit Florida after his Mexico trip and promised to bring it back. Not only did he bring it back, he moved in.

For three years or more, he worked, surfed, ate and drank his fill here in Cocoa Beach. He finally went back to his homeland, but still makes annual pilgrimages back to Brevard to see his friends and drink as many Busch cans at The Beach Shack as they’ll sell him. Usually on these visits he brings along a mate or two who soon become more like ex-pats than foreign visitors.

One such bloke, Aaron “Azza” Graham, is due in this month for a brief stay. Azza is as Australian as they come. He lifeguards at one of the most densely populated beaches in the world, Bondi Beach in New South Wales, just outside of Sydney. He’s a good dude and a charger of any size wave that comes his way.

So this month we’ve selected Azza for our Boardrider of the Month, not because he’s a hell-man in and out of the water, and not because he’ll steal our girlfriends and drink us under the table, but because he told me he’d punch me in the stomach if I didn’t.

So if you see Azza out and about, be sure to say “G’day.”

And it wouldn’t hurt to buy him a Busch can either…

How old were you when you started surfing?
My old man threw me amongst the waves when I was about four..

Where is your favorite wave?
Desert Point in Indonesia.

Where was your best session?
Cocoa Beach, 1-foot wind swell and 200 people on one peak. It’s still stuck in my mind.

Describe your dream trip.
Deserted island with a few mates, perfect waves and plenty of Busch cans.

What’s your favorite thing about visiting the states?
Catching up with all my mates from Cocoa Beach and drinking a load of margaritas.

Where is your favorite place to eat?
Slow N’ Low. They have the best ribs in the world.

What’s an Aussie’s best quality?
They love a beer and are pretty down to earth. They’re also very good at taming kangaroos.

As an Aussie, what are you most proud of?
Our country is so beautiful and untouched — it has amazing waves and beaches. To all you Yanks who havent been here yet, renew the passport and come for a visit. You want won’t to go home.

What would you say is the biggest problem with the States?
Crap waves.

With Australia?
Too many good waves.

What made you get into lifeguarding?
I think it was just a natural progression from surfing.

Describe a typical day on the job.
It can range from doing up to 200 rescues in a day, first aids, body retrievals, resuscitations, thieving and perving on lots of hot chicks. If you want to see what we do, you can watch our reality TV show on www.ten.com.au, and go to “Bondi  Rescue.”

What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you on a shift?
I paddled out to rescue this guy and when I got out there and put him on the rescue paddleboard, he was in the nude. It wasn’t a pretty sight. He had red hair as well.

What do you miss most when you leave the US?
Barbecued ribs, margaritas, Bennison’s barbecues, Busch cans, “The Woof Man,” the Cocoa Beach crew, the junk food, Slow N’ Low, and really cheap beers. Actually, I dont know why I ever go home. I love America…

BOARDRIDER OF THE MONTH: Chris Osborne

Interview by Lindsay Perry

There are many words you could use to describe Chris Osborne — humble and talented, to name a few.

Often mistaken for a young, twenty-something grom, Chris is really something amazing to watch. You can usually find him down at the beach, blasting massive airs, busting kick-flips, or throwing more spray than a person his size really should. I caught up with him in between his hectic schedule of metal detecting and buying knickknacks off eBay to ask him a few questions…

Name: Chris Osborne

Age: 30

Homebreak: Satellite Beach

Board: 5’8 Mayhem

Stance: Goofy

Years surfing: 18

How did you get your start in surfing?

Well, I guess I could say: “Thanks, Dad, for buying me my first board… instead of a sponge.”

What brought you to Satellite Beach?

I ran out of gas on my way to Key West.

Who or what motivates you?

“Thriller.”

Recent travels?

Central America, the Indian Reservation and that short stint in Australia.

Best trip ever?

Canada.

Do you compete?

No.

What keeps you from surfing competitively?

My job.

Other hobbies, outside of the water?

Following my shadow around the room.

What are you currently jamming on your iPod (or tape deck)?

I’ve got the funk in a box.

Any pre-paddle out rituals?

Coffee and Jack.

Describe your style.

“It was a real good race.”

What do you think makes you stand out?

Probably my speedo.

Over the last two years, I’ve been relentless and downright mean to Sam Rooks.

Every time I see him land a trick I tell him it was sketchy, or weak, or that he should just go home. I never mean it, and actually wish I had just a fraction of his ability.

The truth is that Sam is one of the most talented young skaters I know. He has a naturally relaxed style, whether on the street, in the park or in the bowl. After receiving impeccable marks on his final report card last June, Sam also volunteered a good amount of his summer days to help teach the next generation of skaters at the Cocoa Beach Skate Camp. On top of all that, Sam is an all-round good human. He’s humble and has fun while he skates, and he’s one of the nicest people I know. He’s is a true skater on all levels and has earned his position as the Boardrider of the Month.

Name: Sam Rooks
Age: 14
Stance: Regular
Current Set Up: Blind board, Origin trucks, Autobahn wheels, and Ninja bearings
Sponsors: CBS, GSZ, Origin Trucks
Years Skateboarding: 4
Hometown: Cocoa Beach

Hey Sam, how’s it going?

Its going great, Scooter.

It was good seeing you at the Tampa contest today, how did you do?

I did pretty good. I got 9th Place, but I’ve done better.

Do you skate a lot of contests?

Yes I do. There mostly, at Skate Park of Tampa.

Any recent victories?

Yes, I’ve had numerous victories. One this year was the Spring Fourth Contest at Cocoa Beach Skate Park.

Who is hooking you up with gear and helping you get to all of these events?

My Mom of course, Dan my team manager, and Origin Trucks.

Nice to have good people on your side. What do you like most about contests?

What I like most about contests is skating with kids who are really good, because it helps me to progress and pushes me to excel.

What do you like least about them?

My least favorite thing is falling during a run or jam.

You did a good thing this summer helping all those kids at the Cocoa Beach Skate Camp. Tell us about how you started skating.

I got started when I watched my brother skating outside. It looked like fun, so I tried it and I loved it.

What was your very first setup, and where did you get it?

My first setup was a MiniLogo with Tensor trucks and Spitfire wheels. I got it at Ron Jon’s.

Who do you mostly skate with these days?

I mostly skate with my best friend Luke.

 May the force will be with you. (Sorry, I had to.)

What are some of your favorite spots and parks?

My favorite spot to skate is in front of my house. My favorite parks are Skate Park of Tampa and Cocoa Beach Skate Park.

What’s your favorite skate video?

“Fully Flared.”

Who are some of your favorite pros?

Torey Pudwill, Sean Malto and Ryan Sheckler.

What is the sickest thing you’ve seen at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park, and who was it?

It would probably be a kickflip, back lip, down-handrail by Timmy Knuth.

 Knuth rips and he recently graduated.

What’s up at school with you?

I go to Cocoa Beach High. I’m in ninth grade, and I’m getting straight A’s.

Straight A’s? That’s great! Do you ever skate in the halls at school?

No, but I wish I could. It would be so fun!

They should let you since you get such good grades! What’s the worst thing about skateboarding?

The worst thing would have to be falling.

What’s the best thing about it?

The best is landing and learning new tricks.

Thanks for hanging out and taking some photos today. Any last shouts or thanks?

I’d like to thank my family for supporting me, Dan for showing me the right way, all my friends, and you, Scooter, for doing this interview.

Boardrider of the Month: Girard Middelton

Ever since Justin DeBree completed his record-breaking 389-mile stand-up paddle journey from Key Biscayne to St. Mary’s, Georgia last year, we’ve noticed a surge of interest in this grueling and beneficial sport.

Called simply SUP by enthusiasts, stand-up paddleboarding employs a variety of techniques and offers an intense holistic workout. But another of its draws is the sport’s versatility; stand-up paddleboarders can tackle waves much the same as any surfer, and can explore other water environs like rivers, lakes and streams from a truly unique perspective.

Perfectly situated between two rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, the Space Coast lures stand-up paddleboarders from all over the world, and one in particular, Brevard native Girard Middleton, recently rediscovered his love of the area through his devotion to the discipline. Enticed back from a spell in Miami by the beachside’s picturesque vistas and teeming wildlife, Girard spoke with us about SUP and the ways in which its changed his life. He took a break from his extreme workouts in the ocean and solitary sightseeing among the Thousand Islands to become August’s Boardrider of the Month.

What are your impressions of Brevard County after having just returned from a long absence?

I grew up surfing and fishing here in Brevard, and last month moved back up here from Miami Beach… It was a very special homecoming. There is so much wildlife here in the river and ocean, and much more consistent surf. The people here are so real, and generally water lovers — just my kind of crowd. Living here, I’m much closer to my parents, who live in Lakeland. One of the main reasons I moved back was to be able to spend more time with them and help them out.

What are some of the biggest differences in stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP) conditions you’ve noticed after coming from so far south?

It’s so much more peaceful stand-up paddleboarding here. You don’t get the massive population of South Florida like the boat traffic, etc. And there’s much more wildlife to see while you’re paddling — dolphins, manatees, and so many fish on the grass flats. And, of course, the ocean is just across the street. It’s like a private beach. There aren’t as many people out in the surf to dodge, and I’ve been able to paddle surf more waves in the last four days than I was able to in a month or more down in Miami. It’s paradise for me here, and Cocoa Beach is the perfect location for my SUP and surf school, rentals and tour business. The sunsets are amazing, and I’m excited about establishing sunset paddles in the evenings to celebrate the end of each precious day.

What are some of the benefits of stand-up paddleboarding?

SUP is by far the best holistic workout I’ve ever experienced. It really forces you to use your whole body in unison while focusing on your core and body awareness. It’s improved my ability to concentrate and my athleticism tremendously. It’s also a much more user-friendly activity for all ages than most other extreme sports in that you can become proficient fairly easy. It’s a great high-rep workout, without the high impact physical stress on your body and it’s the only workout I do now, along with some yoga-type stretching and an occasional beach run. I’m in the best physical condition of my life.

What would you say is the biggest difficulty to overcome in SUP?

The expense of the equipment can be the biggest difficulty in getting into the sport. The boards and paddle run anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000, not like buying a surfboard. However, once you make the investment, it’s equipment you’re more likely to use consistently, all year long, without the need for waves or even an ocean. It can be done anywhere there’s water — anywhere in the country.

What is your ideal surf/SUP destination?

Right now I’m enjoying paddling the Banana River, seeing all the wildlife, and fishing from my board. And at any time of the day I can cross the street and catch some waves. It’s the perfect environment for me to teach paddle surfing and keeps me passionate about helping others enjoy the sport and change their lives for the better. That said, it’s always awesome to paddle anywhere new in the world, especially islands, exploring reefs, or the nooks and crannies of various lakes and rivers. If you want waves, Hawaii and Tahiti are great places. We just started offering SUP adventures in the Dominican Republic, using the Quiksilver house in Encuentros. The world is full of new adventures on a stand-up paddle board!

Do you think SUP has become more accepted by surfers out in the lineup?

Another reason I’m passionate about teaching SUP is to make it safer for everybody. People who learn from me learn from the start to respect others in the water, to respect the locals, and to put other people’s safety first. You don’t paddle surf in crowded lineups; the large boards are much harder to stop or keep from hitting others. If paddle surfers practice respect and courtesy, they in turn will be accepted and respected in the lineup. If you’re a surfer or paddle surfer that’s being a jerk or putting others at risk, no one should accept you in the lineup. That’s not what it’s all about.

Describe your best-ever SUP session.

Last March, a north ground swell made it down to South Beach, Miami. When it actually beaks there, it’s amazing — fast, A-frame barrels. I must have caught at least 10 overhead barrels on my 11′ board. Some random, very cool chick on the beach captured one on film. I was so stoked, as it was almost certainly the first tube ride on a paddle board in South Beach.

How has SUP equipment evolved since you’ve taken it up?

I began paddle surfing almost five years ago, just as the sport (in the modern-age form) was getting started. A 12′ soft top was my first board, and I made several wooden paddles myself… and broke them all. There were only two SUP companies in existence then, C-4 Waterman and Paddle Surf Hawaii. I soon became a dealer and sub-rep for C-4 Waterman (I’m still a C-4 Dealer) and visited the C-4 HQ in Oahu before teaching SUP as a part of my surf school in Miami. The paddle boards back then were designed for riding waves in Hawaii…lots of rocker, etc. I designed a board that’s more practical for South Florida flat waters…less rocker, straight lines, and more stable for cruising and small waves. In the last few years, the sport, and the amount of manufactures has exploded — all kinds of models. There are even SUP boards with a place for a windsurfing mast. C-4 has come out with a 9’3″ paddle surfboard that is as stable as their old 10-footers — and they’re great for wave riding. What’s important is getting a board that is right for your weight, skill level and goals.

What advice would you give to SUP newbies?

Get some good coaching. It will make you safer, more proficient, and keep you from forming bad habits. Also, try out different boards before buying. It’s too big of an investment to make on an impulse buy. Find friends with boards you can try or contact me at SoBe Surf to arrange to demo different models. Paddles should be custom-cut to 7 inches taller than your height. Don’t impulse-buy a paddle either — get expert help. Paddles cost from $200-$350 and there are various models out for various goals.

Call Girard at SoBe Surf (321) 926-6571. They’ll be starting “Sunset Paddles” in the area for $15 per person including equipment rental, or $30 per person including a lesson 30 minutes before they head out. Bring you own drinks for post paddle celebration. Starting time for the sunset paddle is 7:30 p.m. and the pre-lesson begins at 6:30. Please call or email to reserve your spot — www.sobesurf.com. SoBe Surf offers private teaching for paddle surfing and surfing; private group lessons; SUP board rentals and sales and honest, expert advise even if you don’t buy from them. They also provide ecology tours using their stand-up paddle boards, canoes, and kayaks and fishing clinics.

I first met Josh Stundon in the summer of 2008 while he and his family were visiting from Ireland.

I approached him, introduced myself, and asked him if he skated. He told me he’d never tried it, but wanted to learn. We exchanged phone numbers and soon began meeting at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park to practice. I must admit that I was amazed by Josh’s determination and ability right from the start. The fact that Josh is blind made it even more amazing.

We began at square one, by walking around the park while Josh “looked” at everything with his hands, feeling each surface and, most likely, drawing a mental picture of how the park was shaped. As soon as we started, he was learning faster than most beginners. In those first days, he was Tic-Tacing, turning frontside and backside, riding down, turning on the banks and connecting some lines. To this day, I’ll swear that all I’ve ever done for Josh is talk to him and run next to him while he skates. He took the skateboard and showed all of us there that blind people really can see the beauty and fun the rest of us enjoy — and often take for granted — while skating.

His family owns a home in Cocoa Beach and it’s that time of year again: Josh is back! If you happen to run into the Stundon Family at one of the local skate parks, restaurants or shops, say “What’s up?” to Josh, The Resident’s newest Boardrider of the Month. He really is a talented skater. In fact, he rips!

Name: Josh Stundon
Age: 15
Hometown: Limerick, Ireland
Number of years skating: 1 year
Stance: Regular
Favorite place to skate: Cocoa Beach

Welcome back to Cocoa Beach, Josh. How long will you be in town?
I’ll be in town for two months.

Who do you travel with?
My family: My Dad, Donal; my Mum, Mary; my brother, Luka, and my twin sister, Robin.

What are some of your plans while you’re in Florida?
Skateboarding, swimming, working on my tan and monitoring the weather.

It was good to see you at the skate park again. When did you first get interested in skateboarding?
I first got interested in skateboarding when I heard the sound of the wheels while kids were skating back home in Limerick. I wanted to try it myself because they seemed to be having great fun.

Was it something you knew you could do?
No, but I’m willing to try anything.

Can you describe what goes through your mind or how you feel when you’re skating?
I feel happy when I’m skating; it makes me feel like I fit in with the other kids skating with me. Sometimes, when people see that I’m blind, they think I can’t participate in the things they do. But after all, I am a typical teenager and I like to try all the fun things just like
them.

Does the balance come natural to you?
I had to work on that for a while, but I seem to have fairly good balance now.

What other hobbies or activities are you interested in?
I have an obsession with the weather here because our house got struck by lightning a few years ago and it made me realize what the weather can do. We don’t have the extremes of weather that you have here in the U.S.A.,. so I find it fascinating. I can keep track of weather conditions throughout the U.S. via the internet. I also love swimming and music — I like Pop and Rap music and I also like Irish music. I play the piano, and I also like bowling and rock climbing.

Where do you go to school?
I go to Castletroy College Secondary School in Limerick. It’s a mainstream school with 1,100 students and I’m the only blind student.

How do the kids at school react to you being there?
Lots of the kids are unsure of what to make of me until they get to know me. Some of them don’t want to take the time to get to know someone who’s different, but I’m a very friendly person and will talk to anyone.

What grade are you in? And what are your favorite subjects?
I’m in fifth year, which means that I have two years left at secondary school before going on to college. My favorite subjects are Geography, Music, Home Economics and Spanish.

Ah, que bueno! What kind of grades do you get?
I average As and Bs. I love to do well and I study very hard.

It’s really hot in Florida this time of year.

How do you keep cool during the day?
I go to the pool a lot. Without air conditioning, it would be very hard to cope with the heat. The shops my Mother drags me into are air conditioned, though I don’t like shopping.

Do you ever play any practical jokes on people?
I was bored one day when a replacement doctor was filling in for my own doctor. He was checking my eyes and asked if I could see the light he was shining in into them. I thought I’d have a bit of fun with him and told him that I could see the light. He was getting very excited until my Mother told him I had no sight at all and that I was pulling his leg. My Mother asked me why I’d told him I could see, and I said “Could he not take a joke?” I didn’t get that doctor again.

If you could say one thing to educate readers about blind people, what would you tell them?
I’d tell them that blind people are the same as everybody else, and that people should look at ability, not disability. I have the same needs and wants as sighted people, it’s just that I can’t see, and need people to give me a bit of a break.

Thanks a lot for talking to us, Josh. You really are an inspiration for lots of people! Do you have any shout-outs?
I want to thank you, Scooter, because without you showing me how to skateboard, I’d still be listening to the sound of the wheels and not experiencing how to skate. Also, to the kids here at the Cocoa Beach Skate Park and Paradise Skate Park: Thanks for all your help and for making me feel very welcome. And thanks, Scooter, for the YouTube video. It’s a babe magnet.

Check out Josh on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJmx4QwTOC0, or search for “Blind Skateboarder: Josh Stundon”, or check it out below:

Interview by Scooter Newell; Photos by Donal Stundon and Scooter Newell

Behold, our first windsurfer has been crowned Boardrider of the month. His name is Loic Legallois and he hails from Brest, on the northwest coast of France. But, you could probably tell just by his name that he wasn’t from around these parts. He was here nearly 3 months training and competing and occasionally popping into a few of the local eating and drinking establishments. You may of recognized his heavy french accent when he would exclaim his favorite American catch phrases such as, “What’s up man?”, “Yes! Very many girls!” and his favorite one that usually accompanied a shot of liquor or a beer, “Let’s do it!”.  His enthusiasm and love for our rivers and beaches was hard to ignore and he exuded a genuine happiness to be here. This was enough for us to make Loic our honorary “Boardrider of the Month”.  To which he replied, “ YES MAN! VERY COOL!”

What’s your age?
I just turned 30 on May 5th

Where are you from?
Brest, France on the Northwest coast (Brittania)

When and how did you start windsurfing?
I began at age 12, but seriously at 15. My dad was doing a little bit boarding and I followed.

Where did you learn and start?
At home in Brittany. A region with strong winds and where it’s cold. I really began in the south of France in Hyères. Plage de l’Almanarre, well-known for the World Cup of windsurfing.
When did you start competing and at what level?
My first competitions at age 8 were riding Optimists (small, single-crew sailing dinghies for children up to age 15) where I was for a number of years competing with the French national team. Then there was a regional board race at age 18 with the best French riders and I placed 6th. I didn’t compete after that until age 22 because I was working.

What type of board do you ride?
There are 4 general disciplines in windsurfing, Wave riding (like in Hawaii), Freestyle (skate-influenced), Slalom (essentially speed), and Racing – I mostly focus on the latter two. The equipment used for Slalom are small boards made of carbon-fiber, and medium-sized sails shaped like a plane’s wing. While racing, I use a really big sail – sized 11m2 – and the board is 1m wide with a fin length of 70cm. We use larger sails when the wind is light, like it is here in Florida, with 10mph wind I can go up to 20-25 knots (23-28mph).

Who are some of your sponsors?
For my sails, the French shop Notik Equipment, for my boards its AHD (Advanced Hull Dynamics), but for my trip it was mostly my mom and my friends – my greatest sponsors.

What is your relationship with Exocet? How did you start working for them and doing design?
I started buying boards from them and little by little, when confidence was established between us, they asked me to test boards and give them my advice. In 2007-2008 they asked me to work on their new race board. The board is now the French Champion, European Champion and Second World Champion. But I worked for free and when we discussed compensation for the upcoming years we didn’t find common ground, so I left.

What brought you to Cocoa Beach? How did you decide to come here?
I have a friend that spends her winters in Cocoa Beach and she trains on the olympic-class board and there was also a big upcoming windsurfing competition. Since I’m trying to learn English, I might as well be doing it in the sun and windsurfing. The weather is very agreeable, its like its summer here all year long, and the locals (not the spring-breakers) are genuine, generous, and they love and respect their city.

What have you done since you’ve been here (competitions, training, etc)?
First of all, I learned English and I met a lot of people. I completed 2 races in Cocoa Beach, 4 in Miami, and 1 in Stuart. I’ve travelled all over Florida for training, and also to give lessons in exchange for a place to stay. I was well-received everywhere I went and was never really treated like a “tourist”.

What are your projects in the upcoming months? What are your short-term and long-term plans?
I am going back to France for a big competition in the South of France, in Gruissan (close to Toulouse) for the WIND challenge, 900 participants on one starting line. Then I have the French championship coming up at the end of May. For the long term – traveling and returning to Florida, perhaps working in Windsurfing.

Other than Cocoa Beach, where else do you like to windsurf?
Bay of Biscayne and offshore of Key Biscayne, where the water is turquoise and the landscape is magical – head to head with giant Sea turtles and Black Rays. I found myself amongst millionaire yachts, but I was luckier because I was free.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
New Caledonia, Hawaii (Maui), Paris to shop, Miami for the parties and the girls, and Cocoa Beach to rest from my trips.

What is so special about Cocoa Beach that you can’t find anywhere else? What are the specific reasons for practicing windsurfing here?
Cocoa Beach has the river on one side – very flat and windy with the sea breeze – and the ocean itself on the other side for surfing and offshore riding. It is one of the best places to train overall.

Who are your favorite athletes in windsurfing – who inspired you / who are your heroes / who do you admire?
I have no heroes, but there are 5 people that inspire me. The first is French and world-champion for 4 years, he is the fastest rider, Antoine Albeau. Then Bjorn Dunkerberk with 35 world championships in various disciplines (wave, slalom, race..), he has the most medals of all sports. The American Robby Naish, the legend. I am writing from the WIND Challenge and yesterday I ate with him! The last is not a windsurfer, but a legend, a high level competitor, the first time I saw him the crowd of people was going wild watching his hits, its the surfer Kelly Slater.

Do you have a particular style, your own way of windsurfing?
People have always told me I fly over the water with my board – certain training partners in Florida tried to discover my secret, but I can’t explain it – its a natural feeling I have.

Do you have a particular maneuver that is yours that you are proud of?
I don’t have any specific moves but what I am proud of is the determination I put into what I do, enabling me to win the race even with a broken sail or broken board. This determination allows me to overcome obstacles and travel alone 15,000 kilometers from home with no money and not speaking a word of English.

If you’re a Space Coast surfer, it’s likely you’ve seen Mama G somewhere on the beach with with her camera.

If not, you’ve definitely seen her work featured on several local and international surfing websites.

Lorraine Guthrie has quickly become one of our area’s most talented surf photographers. Her love for surfing and people shines through each of her images. She spends countless hours at Sebastian Inlet, capturing “the stoke” of beach culture in all its manifestations.

That “stoke” is something she clearly knows about and lives everyday.

How’s life treating you, Mama G? How will Mother’s Day be treating you?

I’ve had a wonderful life! My husband and I met in Eleurthra on a surfing trip, and I now have 4 grown children who all surf –  Daniel (31), Matt (28), Jesse (24), and Marissa, who is 20. I’m currently a 5th grade science teacher and have the BEST class in the world!

What’s the greatest thing about being a mom?

Everything! I’ve loved every minute of it from the cuddly baby stage all the way up to the grown ups planning marriages!

What’s the most challenging thing about being a mom?

When problems occur — and for sure they will. Sickness is one of those things that makes me crazy.

Here’s an age old question: On Mother’s Day, do you like to be left alone to relax, or do you like to do something special with your kids?

Definitely be with my kids.  Always — not just on Mother’s Day!

I’ve seen your surf photography on numerous websites. How did you get started in the field?

Steve Terry (another surf photogrpaher) and I would sit together and I would video while he took pictures.  One day I tried out a camera and loved capturing the moment.

What drew you to surfing?

My sister and I surfed, and even competed back in the 1970s in Palm Beach County. My husband and I surfed together until we had kids, and then introduced each of them to the life of surfing.

If there were such an honor as “Most Local” at the Sebastian Inlet, it might just be you. Do you go there every day?

Pretty much every day that there are waves.  I have a few lil buddies that call me after school with a beach report, so if it’s good I head straight there.

I’ve seen some photos of you surfing at the Inlet. How often do you put the camera down and surf yourself?

Only once a year. I just have to make sure I don’t forget how, then I’m back behind the camera….

Who are some of the surfers you enjoy photographing the most?

I love the groms and the gals the best. Watching them develop a love for surfing has been such a joy. But there are also some extremely talented men and women who surf there quite often and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to capture their talent.

You’ve watched most of the local kids grow up at 1st Peak through your lens. Have you archived or saved all your photos throughout the years? If so, you must have a great collection of Sebastian Inlet surfing history.

I’ve only been taking pictures for two years. However, I do have hours of video I’ve taken since 1999.

Not everyone knows how much work goes into shooting, editing, and uploading photos — and you do it almost everyday. Thanks for sharing thousands of your photos for everyone’s enjoyment. I’ll take the liberty of speaking for the entire Space Coast surf community by telling you how much we appreciate it. Any final motherly words of wisdom for our reading audience?

Motherhood is the most rewarding “profession” of all. Women should take it very seriously and try to be the best they can be.  99% of the time, if you just follow your heart, you’ll end up making the right decisions.
For more photos, be sure to check out Mama G’s MySpace page:  http://www.myspace.com/larguthrie