UF Surf 36th Annual Alumni Challenge - Surf Station Surf Report

The Annual UF Alumni Challenge is met with Hurricane Fiona Swell

For the last 36 years, University of Florida students have challenged UF alumni for a surf-off. For all but one of those years, the alumni have been victorious in competition.

Hosted in St. Augustine Beach, the contest was held at the River to Sea Trail Preserve, more commonly known as Marineland. With over a hundred competitors taking part in the event, surfers were met with typical Florida fall surf. As Hurricane Fiona generated her sixth day of swell, the waves were in the two to three foot range. There were occasional chest high sets to be had, with fair surface conditions that slowly deteriorated throughout the day.

The men’s division was dominated by Alumni Kai Ferguson for his fifth year in the row, as he handled the powerful surf with ease. For the second year in a row, student Braidyn Cunningham was victorious in the women’s shortboard division. Overall, the University of Florida student team did themselves proud, as Cory Gann took the win in this year’s longboard competition.

As we look toward next year’s competition, will Ferguson’s reign as champion end? Or will the alumni be victorious once again? We will be expecting another year of tight competition in 2023.