Arnette Cash Pot Surf Series Stop #6 Stays Alive In Small North Central Florida Conditions By Ryan Marks; Photos by Duce Smith
TURF: Arnette Cash Pot Surf
Series Stop #6; Ponce Inlet, Ponce Inlet, FL; August 12th, 2011.
ENERGY: One- to two-foot mixed-direction
ground/windswell. It was also hot, hot, hot with a slight southeast wind
blowing. An early high tide in the morning made it plenty rippable for the
groms who showed up. The older guys had a little trouble, but found plenty of
opportunities to rip. As the tide ebbed out the waves deteriorated, but it did
remain barely contestable all day.
FIRST
TIME AT FIGHT CLUB: Cam
Richards continued his charge through the summer months, while the Barbados
contingent of Dane Mackie and Chelsea Tuach showed up with style.
Matthew Glenn is about to exceed everyone’s expectations, and a Ponce Inlet
surfer will win this event next year — I’m calling it.
SLIDE: The Arnette Cash Pot format
is what makes this a cool contest to participate in, watch, and cheer for your
favorite surfer. Free to all comers, the contest is broken up into two divisions:
16 & Under and Pro-Am. Because each surfer could only get cash by surfing
in one division, the first competitive decision had to be made early for some
of the groms: take the chance at more money against big dogs like Blake Jones,
Noah Schweizer, Wayne Satterwhite, Brent Lamprecht, and Pete Polanski, or face
a hungry pack of frothing groms. For some it was easy — for others, it
was not.
Headliners in the 16 & Under division
included Cam Richards, Tristan Thompson, Robbie Merrill, new Arnette teamer
Matthew Glenn, Eros Exarhou, Bajan-bred Dane Mackie, and Cobie Gittner. Heat
winners in Round One each received $25, and the highest quarterfinal heat score
received $50.
The final of the 16 & Under was a
12-round decision going into the last seconds to decide the winner. Eros was on
fire all day, handily winning three of his four heats and pulling a superman in
Round One. Robbie Merrill was as consistent as he always is, placing 2nd in his
first three heats leading up to his finals berth. Dane Mackie earned his spot
in the finals off a 2nd and two 3rd-place finishes in his first three heats.
Tristan Thompson added a couple of heat wins and a 2nd to advance to the finals.
California’s Colin Deveze cruised through the early rounds and secured an
advancing position to make it through to the finals. And man of the hour Cam
Richards barely squeaked through his quarterfinals heat in 3rd-place, but other
than that won all of heats, including the finals. A couple of air-reverses and
a shove-it in the finals netted him the 16 & Under win.
In the Pro-Am division, the stakes
doubled. Heat winners in Round One each received $50, and the highest quarterfinal
heat score received $100. Except for Blake Jones, Daniel Glenn, and Noah
Schweizer, the locals cleaned shop in Round One. Glenn entered the finals after
making it through a couple of stacked heats. Recent Ponce Inlet returnee Tommy
Grooms willed his way through to the finals after 2nd-place finishes in his
prior heats. Blake Jones was the man to beat in the finals after scorching his
way through three heat wins. But it was Noah Schweizer who won every heat,
including the finals, taking home the largest portion of the cash pot. He
meticulously wrapped carves and blowtails in the variable conditions. With five
minutes remaining, it was virtually a wrap when few sets appeared on offer,
providing limited chances to go on offense against Noah.
THE
PAIN: Affable MC Travis
Ajay was forced to spend all day announcing his home contest after a Round One
interference call secured his position at the announcer’s table. But he’s still
the go-to guy for Arnette’s young talent, and it shows. Pete Polanski even nabbed
a 7.5 for an air-reverse, but bowed out in the semis in 3rd-place. Dude looked
super determined all contest and would have been dangerous in the finals after
destroying his competition in his first two rounds.
THE
MAN: The entire Arnette
crew. These guys are executing their game plan perfectly, and it bodes well for
East Coast surfers.
YOU
DO NOT TALK ABOUT FIGHT CLUB: “It’s been a busy summer for me, but everything seems to be coming
together. Hopefully I can keep it going into the next few contests and then go
rip in France at the KOTG.” –16 & Under champ Cam Richards
“Hopefully with that key I can unlock a
day for all the kids to get a holiday to go surf. That’d be pretty crazy.”
–Cam’s response when asked about the recent key to Surfside Beach, SC,
he received
“I’d like to thank my Mom.” –Pro-Am
winner Noah Schweizer’s response when asked about his win
“Feels good to be home. After a few
months in California, taking away a little cash feels real good.” –Ponce
Inlet loc’dog Tommy Grooms on the 3rd-place Pro-Am finish at his homebreak
FINAL RESULTS OF THE ARNETTE CASH POT SERIES STOP #6:
16
& UNDER 1. Cam Richards, $250 2. Eros Exarhou, $100 3. Colin Deveze, $100 4. Dane Mackie, $75 5. Robbie Merrill, $50 6. Tristan Thompson, $25 Round One winners: Robby McCormick, Knox Harris,
Eros Exarhou, Cam Richards, Hobie Sears, Tristan Thompson, Dylan Martin, Cobie
Gittner, $25
PRO-AM 1. Noah Schweizer, $500 2. Blake Jones, $300 3. Tommy Grooms, $200 4. Daniel Glenn, $100 Round One winners: Daniel Glenn, Kyle
Jacobus, Pete Polanski, Chris Fulton, Brent Lamprecht, Noah Schweizer, Blake
Jones, Nathan Colburn
16
& UNDER HIGHEST QUARTERFINAL HEAT SCORE Eros Exarhou, $50
South Carolina’s Cam Richards Steals 12th Annual
Tommy Tant Memorial Classic Men’s Pro Title From Florida Vets; Cody Thompson, Amy Nicholl,
Noah Schweizer, And Dan Worley Also Win Big
VQS
HITS THE JACKPOT AT CASINO PIER Jellyfish Surf Series Winners Include Local Boys
Hammer, Schmidt, Vanaman, And Siganos, Along With Florida Girl Emily Ruppert
DUBIOUS RECORD The WRV
Outer Banks Pro Presented By Hurley Offers Locals Genuine Perspective & More
Money Per Square Foot Of Wave Than Any Surf Contest In History
Sweetwater Leaves It Up To The Grom At Oakley Surf Shop Challenge Mid-Atlantic Regional Qualifier; “Uncle” Andrew Gesler Drives Heritage Win Home In Northeast
By Matt Pruett and Nick McGregor;
Photos by Matt Lusk
