Source:  ESM

The 2010 ESA Southeast Regional Surfing Championships went hunting for treasure on April 17th-19th, venturing south from past territory in New Smyrna Beach and Sebastian Inlet in favor of Ft. Pierce Inlet. And although waves trended downward over the three-day period, starting out in the fun, punchy three- to four-foot range on Friday before eventually falling off into knee- to thigh-high range for Monday’s finals, the best surfers in the ESA’s 11 Southeast districts still put on a strong showing. “Ft. Pierce has pulled through,” said Charles Williams, owner/shaper of legendary South Florida label Impact Surfboards and ESA-Treasure Coast District director. “The user-friendly waves have been really good, [giving surfers] a chance to do lots of maneuvers.”

Division winners included household Sunshine State rippers like North Florida’s Keto Burns, Chelsea Gresham, Haley Watson, and Daniel Glenn, Space Coast standouts Luke Marks, Corey Howell, Chris Tucker, Ami Berg, and Nikki Viesins, and South Florida longboarder extraordinaire Patrick Nichols. North Florida dominated adult competition, with Mitch Kaufmann, Bill and Kate Whatley, Rodrigo Miranda, Garrett Carmichael, Kevin Leary, Nick Isabella, and George Alford winning their respective divisions, while South Florida’s Keahi Kam, Jim Miller, and Cheryl Williams also tasted victory. And North Florida shined in Bodyboard and Tag Team heats, with Cannon Embrey and John Day lodging boogie wins and ESA-NFL winning the team event.

All in all, it was a successful gathering for 450 of the Southeast’s best surfers — but the real work lies in the future, when the top six finishers from each division travel to Cape Hatteras, NC, along with finalists from the upcoming Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regionals. That will give them a chance to shine on the grandest East Coast stage in the comp surfing world — the ESA Eastern Surfing Championships, which will enter its 43rd year crowning the best of the East.