January 6, 2025 – The Eastern Surfing Association is proud to announce that the ESA’s Doc Rock Award returns and Central Florida’s director Mario De Luca is the first to receive this prestigious award in many years.
ESA’s SE regional director Pam Hill presented De Luca with the award at a Florida event since the announcement was made at the 2024 Easterns but he was unable to attend.
De Luca has been an integral part of the ESA since he brought his son to his first ESA New York contest in 1990. That experience brought Mario to compete himself in the ESA’s Legends Division and volunteer at local ESA events.
In 2000, Mario became co-director of the NY district. When we decided to retire to Florida to escape the cold winters in 2012, he stepped in a co-director of the Esa Central Florida district.
Mario continues to run events in central Florida keeping the ESA strong in one of the East Coast’s most popular surfing areas, He is also a favorite beach marshall and CFL district cheerleader at our Southeast Regionals and Easterns events.
Congratulations Mario – well-deserved! We will see you soon on the beach!