Article by Nate Dinger. Photos by Tony Caruso
The University of Florida’s (UF) Surf Club recently hosted their 32nd Annual Alumni Challenge at Marineland in Flagler Beach, Florida. The primary focus of the surf competition was not about winning heats, but rather fostering an atmosphere of community, good times, and rekindling friendships that date back as far as 1978, the year the club was founded. According to Andrew Trujillo, UF Surf Club’s President, the alumni and current members encourage each other to participate in the competition regardless of the individual’s skill level. Conducting events like the Annual Alumni Challenge is a critical part of the UF Surf Club’s purpose, which is based in fellowship and solidarity. Sabina Osman, a UF Surf Club member, says the club’s culture is a way of life that transcends generations and propagates the club’s goals and values.
Bradley Kutsmeda, the men’s UF Surf Team Captain, says the club acts as a gateway for its members to connect to the ocean and each other. Additionally, Bradley states that when he first moved to Gainesville for college, he didn’t think he’d be able to surf as much as he did back at home in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. His thoughts quickly changed once he found the UF Surf Club and began surfing in new locations that challenged him like never before. A similar sentiment was echoed by Shelby Williams, the women’s UF Surf Team Captain, who expressed that upon arriving at University of Florida, the campus seemed dauntingly large, having as many as 52,000 students at any given time. However, when she joined the UF Surf Club and met an amazing group of people, the school suddenly seemed smaller, in a good and more intimate way.
On the day of the Alumni Challenge, members of the UF Surf Team showed up in droves, including Zach Roberts, who was looking forward to paddling out with his fellow members whom he refers to as a “tight knit group”. Zach also asserted that in addition to surfing together, the UF Surf Club spends time serving the community. The club gives back by volunteering with organizations like Surfers for Autism and the all-female surf and skate club, Wahines of the Waves, who put on their annual “Barrels for Boobs” surf competition last April to raise funds for breast cancer research and awareness.
The Alumni Challenge was held on September 23rd, 2017 and kicked off at 8 a.m. with sloppy 4 to 5-foot surf. The unfavorable conditions resulted from three major hurricanes that recently impacted Florida’s fragile coastline. Despite the gnarly chop, nearly 80 competitors, 16 sponsors, including O’Neill, Flomotion, and Blue House Bikinis, and an estimated 300 spectators were in attendance. The contest consisted of divisions for men and women and competitors were allowed to use the board type of their choice.
While all the surfers performed well, only a few could take the title of “Best of the Day”. In the men’s division, Matt Novak placed first, with Kai Furgeson and JC Cox taking second and third place, respectively. Cierra Cunningham locked first place in the women’s division, with Shelby Williams taking second, and Sabina Osman snagging the third-place slot. Though the winners were awarded trophies and words of admiration, all who participated in the Alumni Challenge took away with them the spirit of friendship and camaraderie and earned a place in the pages of Florida’s great surf culture and cherished history.
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