SURFER Magazine is excited to announce that one of the most consistent teams in Oakley Surf Shop Challenge history, Sunrise Surf Shop, has won the Southeast regional qualifier. The eleven-time winners have secured a spot to compete at the National Championship event in Nicaragua with their sights now set on claiming a sixth overall Shop Challenge title.
Competitors were greeted with peaky 2-4ft waves and beautiful sunny Florida skies at New Smyrna Beach Inlet for stop two of the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge. Out of eight teams who took to the water for qualifying, the squad representing Red Dog Surf Shop led the opening round with a combined score of 37.61. Defending Southeast champs Sunrise Surf Shop squeaked into the finals with a fourth-place seed behind the teams from Aqua East and Quiet Flight NSB.
During the final heat, Sunrise Surf Shop displayed an ultra-consistent performance with no one on the team scoring a wave lower than a 6.67. Sitting comfortably on a total team tally of 37.27, a full 7.05 points ahead second place finishers Red Dog Surf Shop, their domination continued and they raised Southeast qualifier trophy for the eleventh time in Surf Shop Challenge history.
“This year was a little different,” said Sunrise Surf Shop’s Cody Thompson. “We squeaked through to get to the final so we had to figure things out and switch up our order. There was a lot of serious ripping this year so we had a more nerves than normal but were able to close it out in the final. We always really look forward to this event and we’re super stoked to be going back to Nicaragua to try and get some redemption this year!”
Congratulations to Sunrise Surf Shop team members Tristan Thompson, Evan Thompson, Cody Thompson, Adam Harrel on taking their eleventh Southeast win.
The Nixon Base Tide PRO-formance Award was presented to DJ Buchanan of Red Dog Surf Shop for his frontside full rotation air during the qualifying round.
New for 2019, the Nixon Base Tide PRO-formance Award is presented to the athlete who performs the most radical and progressive maneuver during competition at each event, as decided by the judging panel. Winners receive a custom 2019 Nixon Base Tide Pro watch and other Nixon accessories.
Special thanks to Oakley, SURFER and event partners Body Glove, Flexfit, Futures, Nixon, Mark & Dave’s, Merge 4, Reef, and Yeti for their support, without which the Surf Shop Challenge series would not be possible.
Up next is the Northwest regional qualifier at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz, CA where Berdels will look to defend their 2018 regional qualifying win to renew their ticket to the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge National Championships at Mark & Dave’s in Nicaragua.
