28th Annual Wave Masters Pro Am Surf Contest Jacksonville Beach
Jacksonville Beach Pier/ Contest Director Mitch Kaufmann
- May 19, 2011
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- By Story/Photos By Matt Diamond Jax Bch Guru Reporter
When I arrived at the Jacksonville Beach Pier for dawn patrol, the waves didn’t look quite ready to offer any Wave Masters contestants the ride of their life. The contest was scheduled to begin in less than an hour and people were already crowding the beach. I paddled out to survey the scene and get a closer look. The surf was soft, mushy, and good waves were few and far between.
However, the Wave Masters contestants would be far from disappointed. In addition to the waves picking up, the competition saw Jacksonville Beach lined with surfers, spectators, photographers, sponsors, volunteers and competitors in the hundreds by the start of the contest on May 7th. Over the weekend, the event grew dramatically. This year’s event drew over thirty sponsors and was the biggest contest yet since Wave Masters inception almost three decades ago.
There were sixteen different competitive categories in which top surfers would be rewarded with valuable trophies and prizes. The event had something for everyone, with contestants ranging in age from five to sixty years old. There was certainly a positive vibe all weekend long and a very family oriented atmosphere. After the waves picked up on the incoming tide, surfers really started to showcase their skills. Short-boarders were shredding any wave they could get their board into and long-boarders walked in style up to their noses.
“This is Jacksonville's showcase surf event,” said Wave Masters Contest Director, Mitch Kaufmann. “It draws North Florida's top competitors, and many surfers who have never even competed. Many pros and amateurs come from all over the state. It is a family affair, with up to three generations from the same family competing.”
“Although the competition can be a very high-stress affair for a lot of people involved, the competition really ends up turning into a great two-day beach party,” said Mitch.
The event raised almost two-thousand dollars for local charities including the American Red Cross, Beaches Watch, and Jacksonville Beach’s Carver Center. Although the turnout for the event was impressive, the recent economic downturn has made fundraising more difficult. “Despite the challenges, this event always comes together successfully, and by the grace of god, we somehow always have waves,” said Mitch.
“The contestant package alone is worth more than the entry fee, so no one loses,” Mitch said. “What all this means is that everyone, surfer or not, walks away with the feeling that surfing is a really good, healthy sport.”
Thanks Matt Diamond / Surf Guru Jax Beach Reporter...
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