Photos, captions, story and bonus photo gallery by Tom Dugan @tomduganphotos
The 20th Annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic Presented By By The Surf Station was held November 13 & 14 at the Flagler Beach Pier in Florida. The contest celebrates the life Flagler Beach local surf standout Tommy Tant who passed away in 1998 from an aortic aneurysm.
The friends and family of Tommy Tant grab a lineup shot of the participants at the 20th year paddle out in his memory. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Hundreds of surfers competed in Pro, Open, and Amateur Divisions and the event attracted thousands of spectators from across the East Coast and locally. This year the event started out with a very foggy Saturday morning. Waves were in the 4 ft range, glassy, with no wind, very long lines, and a little tube thrown in every now and then. What this means is it was very contestable and when the fog started to lift around 8:00 the contest was on.
There were a few nice tubes coming thru from time to time. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The first day saw incredible waves and surfing with all the Pro Divisions being completed. By the end of the day all heats had been run and a new record was set – all of the Pro Finalists who took a first place were from Flagler Beach and call the iconic Flagler Pier their homebreak. The first ever Tommy sweep by locals only had never been done before but it was a super crowd booster for the locals and contestants alike.
Robbie McCormick surfing at his home break, doing what he’s done a million times, and pulling it off with style gave Robbie the edge and the win. GIF sequence below of Robbie punting yet another rad huck. PHOTO & GIF by TOM DUGAN @tomduganphotos
Rasta Rob Mc Cormick By Tom Dugan from www.easternsurf.com on Vimeo.
Sunday day two, was a little different with a bit of a drop in surf size and more wind from the north. The waves still had good size and clean sections but for sure Tommy Tant sent his blessings Saturday for the start of his Memorial Surf Classic. The contest was a bit shorter Sunday, ending around three when all the amateur divisions got their trophies.
After two long days of great surf and good vibes, the 20th Tommy Tant was almost over . One more hour giving out the trophies and shaking some hands along with a few hoots will close the books on another event. Thanks go out to all who helped, the surfers, and with a warm heart the Tant family. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
As in years past at 12 noon, a paddle out was held for Tommy with his whole family, Mom Barbara, Dad Tommy, and brother Will making their way out to the lineup along with many friends to form a circle, throw flowers, and say a prayer for Tommy.
The memorial circle in honor of Tommy Tant on Sunday at noon. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
You have to give the family, friends and contest helpers and all the sponsors, including title sponsor Tory Strange at The Surf Station, huge thanks for their commitment and all they do each year to support the Tant family and the memories that have been made over storied it’s history. You can always feel the love and support of not only the local surfers, contestants, and beach goers, but the community too that always steps up to help out any way it can.
For the first time in its 20 year history, the winners in all the Pro Divisions are from Flagler Beach. Will Tant surrounded by Pro Winners Haley Stephens, Ryan Huckabee, and Robbie McMormick. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The 20th year is in the books and as many years past the weather was beautiful for a day at the beach and the waves could not have been better. Great days with fun waves are a winning combination that again blessed the Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic for its 20th year celebration. – Tom Dugan –
One of the three locals that swept the finals for an all Flagler Beach win for the first time in it’s 20 year history, Haley Stephens. Haley won both the Women’s Open and the Women’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Noah Schweizer
Since he was already in town for other commitments, Cam Richards decided to enter the contest as there just so happen to be an open slot. Cam was glad he did as he ended up with a third in the Men’s Pro and a hefty check. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Logan Coluccio
Ryan Huckabee is one of the three local surfers who set a new precedence by winning all the Pro Divisions and giving Flagler the hometown “SWEEP” this year for the first time ever in the 20 yrs of the Tommy Tant. Ryan Huckabee took the win in the Pro Jr’s and a 3rd in the Pro Men’s. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Jamie DeWitt
Womens Pro winners: ( L to R ) Jamie DeWitt 4th, Madison Malizia 3rd and Haley Stephens 1st. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Tristan Clarke
Logan Radd throws some spray on his way to winning the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
4-Emily Skripko
The Tommy Tant contest venue overview with the Women on deck for the next heat. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Surfing his usual all out with power moves like this thru the lip. Carl Burger’s 12 o’clock backside got him a 3rd in the Pro Jr’s. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Saturday November 13th saw head high sets with clean glassy conditions. You could not ask for a better day of surf to hold a contest. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Another Flagler local Sky Blumenfeld nose rides away from the pier on Sunday. Sky got a 5th in Men’s Longboard. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Stephan Nipple lives just a bit south of the contest venue so he’s familiar with the waves in the area. Stephan snaps one on his way to a 2nd in the Grandmasters 45 to 59 division. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Devin Ricky’s drop knee cutty’s gave him the win in the Open Bodyboard. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Cam Richards down from South Carolina picked up his girl Saturday morning from the Orlando Airport and then made the 1hour and 30 minute drive to Flagler Beach and it was on. First things first, they both went surfing. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Making a name on the completion stage is what you do at events close to home as you move up the ranks. Remember the name Athan Robinson as he will be in more and more finals as he gets older. Athan took home a 1st in U14 and a 2nd in the Boys / Girls U11. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The Men’s Pro saw absolutely explosive surfing and one of the many who were on fire was Eros Exarhou shown here. Eros with a killer air throwing caution to the wind. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Robbie McCormick and his best bud celebrate his Pro Win minutes after his heat was over. Hometown support is a good thing. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Each division had excellent surfing due to the waves . When the surf shows up the performances go up. Kyan O’rourke surfs the Boys U18 heats. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Women’s Pro finalist Jamie DeWitt rips an off the top in the semi finals heading towards the pier. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The Jr Men’s Pro is one of the hardest divisions to move forward all the way to the final. Certain surfers have the ability to consistently make heats and advance. Logan Coluccio has the needed ability shown here heading to the finals for a 4th in the Jr Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
How good were the waves? Boys U14 competitor Owen Wood eyes a clean empty wave on his way out. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Matt Zaccaria slides the coping in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
The Tadpoles Division is always a gas to watch and sometimes it gives a look into the future of where surfing is going. Easton McCoy rail grabs into a backside runner. Perfect style and execution got him to the finals and a 4th place finish which might just be a small preview to the next generation of East Coast surfers. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Zetland Star pulled double duty with two 3rd place finishes, one in Boys U11 and one in U14. Zeland’s backside attack. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Evan Tyson drop wallet during his semi final heat in the U18 Pro Jr’s. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Double shakas from Noah Schweizer and Cam Richards. Cam was hanging in New Smyrna with his good friend and since he was in town decided to surf the Tommy Tant. They both took home a few hundred dollars so these smiles while waiting for the awards to start are from pure STOKE ! PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Living near the Flagler Pier has its advantages, you learn the wave, how to go into it, under it, over it and sometimes inside of it. Ben Lacey skims over the lip at high speed to win the Grandmasters at his home break. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Another Flagler local on the rise is Benji Lacy seen here in one of the Boys U14 semi heats. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Saturday November 13th saw head high sets with clean glassy conditions. You could not ask for a better day of surf to hold a contest. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Another surfer hitting the radar is Zeland Stahr. He got two 3rd’s, one in the boy’s U14 and the other in the Boy’s / Girl’s U11. He rips and will be someone that will be hard to beat in the years ahead. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Jr. Men’s Pro Winners: ( L to R ) Logan Radd 2nd, Logan Coluccio 4th, Carl Burger 3rd, and Ryan Huckabee 1st. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
Men’s Pro Winners: ( L to R ) Cam Richards 2nd, Noah Schweizer 4th, Ryan Huckabee 3rd, and Robbie McCormick 1st. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos
