Unrepresented but not unheard

Flagler College Surf Team takes first at easterns, sets sights on nationals

By Dan Greene | gargoyle@flagler.edu

Well, not exactly. With the help of some unlikely financial sources offering support, the Flagler surf team was able to take down the likes of the University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North Florida, and Southeast/North division rival Daytona Beach Community College on March 28 and 29 in small but contestable conditions at Sebastian Inlet.

The four other college teams, largely funded by their respective institutions, never really came all that close. Surfers Adam Muller, Bill Stanley, Eric Taylor and Ben McLeod all qualified for the semi-final, with Eric and Ben advancing to the final where they would go on to place first and second, respectively.

Fellow teammates Andrew Gregorie, Mike Pimental and Marissa Guthrie provided ample support as well, with all advancing out of their first heats and contributing valuable points towards the team total.

Day two of the contest consisted of the college finals, where Eric Taylor and Ben McLeod would go on to dominate. With five minutes remaining in the heat, the two Flagler surfers sat in first and second place with all other competitors needing a combination of scores to even contend for the top spots.

The rest of the Flagler team stood nearby offering support as Taylor showed off his skills that had previously won him eight NSSA titles and McLeod landed multiple aerials to complement his stylish cut-backs.

With Flagler besting its competitors by double-digit point totals overall, the team is now focused on nationals, which is scheduled to take place this June in California.

Current team members Adam Muller, Bill Stanley, and Andrew Gregorie also qualified for nationals two years ago, but financial issues split up the team from making the costly trip to California as a whole.

Thanks to the efforts of several team and surf club members, funding and support for this years season came from indirect sources, most notably The Surf Station, Notti Clothing, The Bailey Group, Oakley and Reef. Surf Station owner Tory Strange proved to be a big help, providing everything from contest entry fees to wetsuits throughout the season.

Currently the team is faced with the familiar task of raising money for nationals; no easy feat considering the steep contest fees and airfare. The solution remains unclear as of now; however, talks of joint fundraisers between the Flagler Surf Team and The Surf Station may be in the works.

Should they raise enough money to compete in Nationals as a whole, look for Flagler College’s best sports team to do more than just participate this coming June.