Meet The
Staff & Judges
FSSC Staff
Number of Years Surfing: 28 Years; Started in 1994 at 4 Years Old
From: Orlando, FL; Sebastian, FL since 2005
Passion Outside of Surfing: My Kids, Traveling
Local Surf Spot: Sebastian Inlet, Wabasso, Ft. Pierce Inlet
Favorite Surf Spot: Wabasso Short Period & Windy
Local Surf Shop: Deep 6, Spunky’s, Kingdon Surf & Skate
Board Currently Riding: Omar Trenche Designs, Hand Made, Wave Bandit5′ 8″ Retro Fish
Favorite Board: Quiet Flight 5′ 7″ Marlin, OT Surf Designs Longboard
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Look up to: Joe Rogan, My Dad, My Employer Brian Davis, Ben Gravy, Phil Jackson, Bethany Hamilton. Favorite Surfers: Mason Ho, Kelly, Jamie O’Brien, Griffin Cola
Wax: Bubble Gum
Inspired By: My Children, All Youth Surfers, Ben Gravy
Advice: Life is a learning process. You never really lose… you just learn and try to improve.
Kids, you can do whatever you want wherever you want as long as you pursue and work hard for what you believe.
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Equality and change of scenery. Help produce, motivate and challenge youth athletes from and around Florida. Help progress and reveale their true potential even if surfing is not that. The surfing industry requires an army of employees all over the world. You can experience world cultures while making a hearty living and also surfing world class surf breaks.
Omar Trenche
VP / Head Judge
Number of Years Surfing: 45 Years
From: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Passion Outside of Surfing: Shaping, Bikes, Art, Weld
Local Surf Spot: Fort Pierce Inlet Indo
Dream Surf Spot: Indo
Favorite Surf Spot: La Selva
Local Surf Shop: Kingdom Surf & Skate
Board Currently Riding: OT & Chronic
Favorite Board: Linden
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Soni Garcia & Buttons K
Wax: Palmers , Ocean Monkey
Inspired By: My Sons
Hobbies: Motorcycles, Custom Paint, Art, Weld
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Integrity
Scott Spinale
Secretary / Assistant Director
From: Ormond by the Sea, FL
Passion Outside of Surfing: Skateboarding, Working Out, Hanging Out With My Sons
Local Surf Spot: Sebastian, FL
Dream Surf Spot: A Rith Point Break in Puerto Rico
Favorite Surf Spot: A Secret Point in Puerto Rico
Local Surf Shop: Kingdom Surf & Skate
Board Currently Riding: Mick Miller Custom
Favorite Board: Mick Miller Customs
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Felipe Toledo
Wax: Palmers
Inspired By: Surf Dads
Hobbies: Surfing, Skateboarding, Working Out / Yoga
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: An Air Division / Expression Session
Trent Glaub
Head MC
Read Bio
From: Originally Plymouth, IN; Live in North Palm Beach, FL
Passion Outside of Surfing: Fishing, Free Diving, Boating, Family
Local Surf Spot: Juno Pier
Dream Surf Spot: Uncrowded Spot in the Carribean
Favorite Surf Spot: The Mix, Puerto Rico
Local Surf Shop: Locals Surf Shop, Juno Beach
Board Currently Riding: Fire Wire Dominator 2
Favorite Board: Dominator 2
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Kalani Robb & Griffin Colipinto
Wax: FU Wax
Hobbies: Fishing, Spearfishing, Running, Reggea Dancehall Music
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Friendship & Good Vibes
Jordan Schwartz
Commentator
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: 38 Years; Started in 1985 at 13 years old at Pine Trees in Ft. Pierce
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Passion Outside of Surfing: Fishing, Family
Local Surf Spot: St. Lucia
Dream Surf Spot: Pavones, CR
Favorite Surf Spot: Pavones, CR
Local Surf Shop: Ohana Surf Shop
Board Currently Riding: Clean Ocean Longboard and Cronin Shorty
Favorite Board: Cronin Lance
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Anyone over 5’11” and Kelly or CJ
Wax: Any piece in my car
Hobbies: Slaying Fish, Slinging Foam, Apricating, Shooting
What Seems Cool: Blessed by the relationships that developed through the surf community
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: A little fun, compete hard but at the end of the day its all about people doing what they love
Judges
Cole Taschman
Head Judge
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: 21 years. I started surfing in 2002 in Stuart, FL.
From: Stuart, FL
Passion Outside of Surfing: Fishing, diving, helping people experience our beautiful state
Local Surf Spot: It’s very local, I’d rather not say, and exactly where I was raised! Best place on earth.
Favorite Surf Spot: Somewhere in Stuart.
Local Surf Shop: Ohana Surf Shop
Board Currently Riding: Flyer Channel Island
Favorite Board: Flyer
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Kelly…. Duh!
Wax: Super Sticky Sticky Bumps
Inspired By: Kelly, my father, and a few others
Hobbies: Fishing, surfing, travel, and loving life!
Anything to Add?: Nothing much, just want to be fair to contestants. Make sure things go smoothly, and have a great comp.
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Having the best and fairest judging possible. As you know I’ve done comps my whole life. The worst is favorable judging due to connections. That’s the goal of this, which is to have a fair (non-bs) environment for competition. We have all had that happen being a competitor, and I’m happy to make sure that does not happen here. I’ll do my best, yew!
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: Been surfing since I was 14 I’m 26. I started surfing in Volusia County with my dad, uncle and cousins
From: Florida born and raised
Passion Outside of Surfing: My dog, and other outdoor activities like hiking and wake surfing
Local Surf Spot: Been surfing satellite a lot right now
Favorite Surf Spot: Satalite beach, fort pierce inlet or NSB
Board Currently Riding: I just got a SB3BOARDS
Favorite Board: Rocket Wise
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Bethanie Hamilton or Moana
Wax: Sticky Bumbs
Inspired By: Being apart of COSTA surf thereapy seeing foster kids and military vets learn to surf has been increasingly inspring
Hobbies: Surfing, Wake Surfing, Hiking, Working Out
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: I want to increase the female surfing community!
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: 30 Years; Started in 1980 in Seal Beach, CA
From: California
Passion Outside of Surfing: Teaching
Local Surf Spot: Now Fort Pierce
Dream Surf Spot: New Wave pool in Fort Pierce
Favorite Surf Spot: San O California
Local Surf Shop: Spunky’s
Board Currently Riding: 9’ Torq
Favorite Board: FireWire
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Jamie O Brien
Wax: No Wax
Inspired By: Peter Mel
Hobbies: Working on my House
What Seems Cool: Author of New Book “Withstanding Ebb and Flow”
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Adaptive/Para Surfing
Hunter Roland
Judge
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: 15 Years; Taught myself how to surf at Stuart Beach
From: Stuart, FL
Passion Outside of Surfing: Fishing, skating, traveling and trying new things
Local Surf Spot: Jensen Beach
Dream Surf Spot: Indo
Favorite Surf Spot: Rincon, CA
Local Surf Shop: Ohana Surf Shop
Board Currently Riding: Depends on the day!
Favorite Board: Cronin
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Kelly Slater the 🐐
Wax: Fu
Inspired By: Too many to list
Hobbies: Surfing, skating, fishing
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: I would like to give back to the surfing community by being a honest and accurate judge. I’ve surfed many contests over the years and would like to be a part of something that can help push/ inspire the younger generations.
Erik Ingeman
Judge
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: 37 Years; Started in 1985 in Ft. Pierce, FL
From: Strong Island, NY
Passion Outside of Surfing: Eastof1, Swinging a Club 🏌️
Local Surf Spot: Stuart Rocks, FL
Dream Surf Spot: Lakey Peak, Indonesia
Favorite Surf Spot: La Salea
Local Surf Shop: All
Board Currently Riding: Lost RNF Retro
Favorite Board: Lost RNF Retro
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Kelly Slater
Wax: Sticky Bumps
Inspired By: The groms, will keep your perspectives in check
Hobbies: Making Shirts / Hats, Golf
What Seems Cool: Hate cold water, at home in freezing weather 🤷🏻♂️
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Just some FUN, keep things light🤙🏼
Dave Dixon
Judge
Read Bio
Started Surfing: 35 Years, Started in 1989 Ana Maria Island, FL
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Passion Outside of Surfing: Triathlon, Traveling
Local Surf Spot: Anna Maria Island, FL
Dream Surf Spot: Ujong Bacor, South Sumatra
Favorite Surf Spot: Ujong Bacor, South Sumatra
Board Currently Riding: Roberts Diamond Fish
Favorite Board: Roberts Pool Toy
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: My Father / Taylor Knox
Wax: Zoggs
Inspired By: Bethany Hamilton
Hobbies: Weightlifting & Eating
What Seems Funny: People who say they don’t need fossil fuels
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Non-political fair impartial place for surfers to excel. To be a possible mentor to anyone who may need one.
James Savage
Judge
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: 48 Years; Started in 1974 in Satellite Beach, FL
From: Satellite Beach, FL
Passion Outside of Surfing: Fishing
Local Surf Spot: Lums and RC’s in Satellite Beach, FL
Dream Surf Spot: Dream local surf spot is RC’s. Dream worldwide surf spot is the Mentawai Islands
Favorite Surf Spot: Pavones, Costa Rica
Local Surf Shop: Catalyst
Board Currently Riding: Chris Birch and Stu Sharpe
Favorite Board: Jeff Klugle Shape
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: Kelly Slater
Wax: Mrs. Palmers
Inspired By: My Kids
Hobbies: Surf Travel
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: Fun, my passion for all things surfing, and consistent, fair, impartial, and quality judging.
Mike Rhoads
Judge
Read Bio
Number of Years Surfing: About 12 or 13 years, started at Vero Beach around 94 -2002 started again in 2020 until now…
From: Little town near Philadelphia, PA
Passion Outside of Surfing: Playing Guitar
Local Surf Spot: Sebastian Inlet, Fort Pierce Inlet
Dream Surf Spot: Hightower, Paradise
Favorite Surf Spot: Makaha, Oahu, HI
Local Surf Shop: Kingdom Surf & Skate 🤙
Board Currently Riding: Peli
Favorite Board: Channel Island Rocket Wide
Looks Up To / Favorite Surfer: God & Slater
Wax: Sticky Bumbs
Inspired By: Dave Grohl
Hobbies: Guitar, Surfing, Contests, my morning surf report 🤙
What Seems Cool/Funny: Brandos Sandos 🥪
Wants to Bring to FL Surfing: More prize money for divisions 💸💸💸
