Posted by EasternSurf | Nov 9, 2022 | Competition, Photos | 0  |     

Story and captions by Tom Dugan, Photos By Dugan and Ducer 

The 21st Annual Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Contest was held October 29th & 30th at the Flagler Beach Pier in Flagler Beach, Florida.  Always the best weekend of the year, the community looks forward to it, and support has supported it every year since inception.  The weather started out Saturday morning with the heavens opening up with pouring rain coming down.  Sunday started a bit foggy with at least three fog banks moving from north to south, the third one coming through around two in the afternoon. Despite the rain and fog, but both days ended with beautiful Florida Fall weather, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-eighties.

Friday night, ready for the weekend event. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Heat by heat surfers were whittled down, with two advancing, and the rest packing it up for the day.  The caliber of surfing at the Tommy Tant year after year is just outstanding, and it shows with the amount of surfers surfing in seventeen separate divisions this yea .  From the Tadpoles to the Pro Divisions, and every amateur heat, the surfing was top tier.  One wave in particular stands out from Jr Pro  Carl Burger.  With the ride consisting of two top turns, a cutback, and an air to finish it up, Carl received the only ten of the event. I have a sixty four shot sequence of it start to finish.

Carl Burger pulled off a trifecta, winning the Open Men’s, Boys U18, and a 2nd in the Men’s Jr Pro. It probably helped it’s his home break. Carl posted the only 10 of the event. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

Each division saw great surfing from Tadpoles’ winner James Davis to the Women’s Pro winner Callie Hertz, to the last heat of the day, Men’s Pro Final.  The winner, Luke Gordon  came down all the way from South Carolina.  Luke was simply on a mission and could not be stopped after getting a second in his first heat to World Tour surfer Gabe Kling.   He won his next two heats, with the third being finals and the one that really mattered.

The 21st Tommy Tant Women’s Pro winner Callie Hertz surfed clean and fast into first place. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

The crowd of supporters that  showed up both days thru rain, fog, wind and sunny skies were amazing, and stayed until the very end when the last heat was over. A mid-day paddle out for Tommy Tant was as always the highlight of the memorial event, with over sixty-five surfers forming the traditional circle. Good vibes surrounding the 21st Tommy Tant can only be measured by the smiles on everyone’s faces and the community turn out. – Tom Dugan –

The Circle Of Honor paddle out in memory of Tommy. PHOTO : DuceResults Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic

Open Men’s1st Carl Burger2nd Mako Musilunas3rd   Ben Lacy

4th  Evan Tyson

Both days had overhead waves and North Carolina’s Mako Musilunas used this one in the U18 final to help him get a second place finish. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosPro Juniors1st Ryan Huckabee2nd  Carl Burger3rd Logan Coluccio4th Benji Lacy

Aerials get points, and Ryan Huckabee knows how to do them Airs like this got him a 1st in the Pro Jr’s and a fourth in the Men’s Pro. Ryan fins high. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosWomen’s Pro1st Callie Hertz2nd Delaney Spruill3rd Sage Pytel

4th Maggie Demsey

Women’s Finalist Sage Pytel demolishes this wave for the heat win that put her into the final for a 3rd place finish. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosMen’s Pro1st Luke Gordon2nd Chauncey Robinson3rd Robbie McCormick4th Ryan Huckabee

South Carolinian Luke Gordon and his Dad, Tommy drove thru the night to be at the event. Even without a goodnight’s sleep, Luke was able to put it all together and take the win in the Men’s Pro and the $2,400 dollar check back home to South Carolina. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

OPEN MEN’S LONGBOARD

1. Skye Blumenfeld
2. Bubba Tyson
3. Mako Musilunas
4. Jay WolfingtonMen’s Longboard winner Sky Blumenfeld having fun at his home break. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos

GRANDMASTERS 45-49

1. Jimmy Blumenfeld
2. Stephan Nipple
3. Chad Brasol
4. Travis AjayLocal Jimmy Blumenfeld was on fire during his heat and had the hometown crowd on their feet, clapping and yelling out with his every turn. One of the funnest heats of the day. PHOTO : DuceScaffolding view of Flagler Beach. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosBrevard county’s Chauncey Robinson had one of those days you can never expect. He surfed three heats and got second in all of them at least earning him the runner up check in the Men’s Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosSpeaking of checks, Pro finalist Ryan Huckabee and winner Luke Gordon pose for their big check photo with event co-founder / organizer Will Tant. Not too darn shab for a couple of hours “work”. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosSpeaking of Will Tant …. as a former top East Coast pro, who is still very much in form with a singlet on, Will always surfs the event he started to honor the memory of his beloved brother, Will. Here Tant lays it on a rail and fingertip turns his way into a clean left. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosRobbie McCormick as usual was firing on all cylinders, but this year was not to be his. He posted a 3rd in the Men’s Pro so at least he did not go home empty handed. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosThe Pro Judges. These guys worked a two day marathon of heat after heat, wave after wave, to make sure there was a clear winner for 2022. ( L to R ) John Brokaw, Chip Hall ( standing ) Barry Pasonski and Todd Frazier. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosWorld Tour Pro surfer Gabe Kling drove down with his son and they both competed in the event. Gabe was on a tear but was stopped by getting a 3rd in the Semifinal with a score of 14.07, tough heat. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosFamily affair. Gabe Kling heads out with his son Shane ( in yellow ) for the Tadpoles final where Shane got a 3rd place finish. Start them young. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosShane Kling heading for a 3rd in the Tadpoles. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosKyan O’rourke drove down from St. Augestine to surf the Jr. Pro and pulled the manuver of the morning with this drop wallet that had the crowd cheering. PHOTO : @tomduganphotoPre-heat concentration…. Carl Burger. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosOne gets by un-ridden Saturday. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosBeing the announcer at many events puts Travis Ajay in the position to surf many different waves. Along the way, entering contests is also a plus, it keeps his words and surfing current which translates to good times. Trav walking it like he talks it with this searing off the top. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosBeach-time Sunday after the fog. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosA clean turn on a clean wave at home for local Benji Lacy. With waves and clean conditions, the surfing performances were at an all-time high. Benji heading for a 4th place in the Men’s Jr Pro. How fun does that wave look? PHOTO : @tomduganphotosSpeed run for Logan Coluccio on his way to a 3rd in the Jr Pro. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosThe judges view of Ryan Huckabee throwing tail. PHOTO : DuceWomen’s Pro winners: ( L to R ) Maggie Demsey 4th, Delaney Spruill 2nd, Callie Hertz 1st, and Sage Pytel 3rd. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosFlagler Beach local Bob Lindsley throws some water at his home break for the first place win in the first heat of the Grandmaster’s. PHOTO: @tomduganphotosThe groms lined up waiting for the hardware to be handed out. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosThe crowd both days where standing room only right up till the Final Final. That the fans stayed till the end shows what great support the Tommy Tant has had for 21 years. PHOTO : @tomduganphotosWhen everything was over and done, it was time for a quick photo of the people who made things happen. ( L to R ) Tommy Tant, Phil Jackson , Barbara Tant, Will and wife Clarissa Tant. PHOTO : @tomduganphotos