The Eastern Surfing Association will kick off its post-season championship events with its Southeast Regionals presented by Long Doggers beginning tomorrow and running through the weekend at Paradise Beach Park in Melbourne Beach, Florida.
This is one of the three qualifying events for the ESA’s Easterns® that is held every September in Nags Head, North Carolina. Competitors qualified for the Florida event by surfing in their local ESA districts from Georgia and Florida during the 2016 season.
“Competition is fierce in the Southeast among the youth and adult divisions,” said Michelle Sommers, ESA executive director. “Melbourne Beach is an ideal location for our regional event because it’s centrally located for all of our southeast districts, and it has some of the most consistent surf breaks in a Florida.”
ESA executive director Michelle Sommers, ESA Southeast Regional Director Pam Hill and Central Florida’s director Mario DeLuca prepare for ESA’s Southeast Regional on Thursday. Photo: Mez / ESM
The ESA is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and Pam Hill, ESA’s Southeast Regional Director, has been involved with the organization since the late 1970s as a competitor, an Easterns® champion, long-time volunteer and current director.
“I am so proud to be a part of the ESA and everything that is has stood for over the past 50 years,” Hill said. “The events this year, beginning with the Southeast Regional, will be a bit more special to all of us.”
Commemorative division awards by Plak That incorporating photos from East Coast photographers, along with daily recap videos of each event produced by Shoots Media will make these championship events stand out. There will be a live webcast beginning Friday at 8am available to view at www.surfesa.org.
Mickey McCarthy taking a break during the ESA’s 2016 Southeast Regional with All-Star mentor Haley Watson (L) & ESA executive director Michelle Sommers
There will also be regional paddle-outs at each championship event (weather permitting) in memory of ESA’s official photographer Mickey McCarthy who passed away in December 2016.
“Mickey was such a special part of the ESA,” Sommers adds. “Everyone along the east coast truly loved him so we want to offer a way for our members to say goodbye,” Sommers said.
The ESA wants to thank the Southeast Regionals sponsors for 2017:
- Long Doggers
- Crom Equipment Rentals
- The Doubletree Suites Oceanfront by Hilton Melbourne Beach
- Sharkbanz
- Phunky Apparel
- Pepsi
- OluKai
- Ron Jons Surf Shop
- Unsinkable Polarized
- GoPro
- Rip Curl
- Chums
- Surfco Hawaii
- Swellinfo.com
- Shoots Media