Presented By Sunrise Surf Shop
The sun rose over “The Power Plant” at Walton Rocks Beach and lit up a weekend that felt bigger than just a surf contest. Pirate flags snapped in the wind, longboards lined the dunes, tie-dye shirts waved through the crowd, and the sound of cheering surfers echoed down the shoreline.
The 3rd Annual Longboard Battle Presented By Sunrise Surf Shop became a full weekend celebration of Florida surf culture — competition, movies, music, beach families, rivalries, laughter, and community.
More importantly, it continued building a tradition along the Treasure Coast centered around one motto:
THE FUTURE IS LOCAL
From first heats to finals, the energy stayed high all weekend long.
TREASURE COAST MOVIE PREMIERE & PRE-PARTY
The Longboard Battle weekend officially kicked off Friday night at Sunrise Surf Shop in Jensen Beach with an unforgettable community gathering before contest day.
Surfers, families, filmmakers, groms, and longtime locals packed the shop for a night full of food, giveaways, music, tie-dye, and surf storytelling.
Gavin Idone Movie Premiere
Pre-Party • Free Food • Prizes • Giveaways
Tie-Dye Party
Sunrise Surf Shop – Jensen Beach
May 1st — During Longboard Battle Heat Draw
The night featured the official Longboard Battle Heat Draw followed by the premiere of:
“Down Under-ing”
A niche surf film following Florida and international surfers chasing waves, chaos, adventure, and the dream throughout Australia.
Good people. Good waves. Good chaos.
The crowd filled the parking lot and surf shop while everyone shared stories, tied shirts, watched clips, and prepared for battle day at Walton Rocks.
Special thanks to:
LMNT Electrolytes
Key Energy Drinks
Chaser Water
The movie premiere perfectly captured the spirit of the weekend — local surfers building something together.
HEAT 1 — BIG SCORES EARLY
The contest started fast.
Heat 1 immediately turned into a showcase between Ohana Surf Shop and Wasted Warriors as both teams opened the event dropping huge scores.
Ohana Surf Shop posted a massive 36.84 and became the only team in the opening heat to successfully finish on dry sand and collect the valuable +3 bonus points.
The beach crowd instantly knew the level of surfing this year was going to be different.
TEAM MYSTO BRINGS THE VIBES
One of the standout crews of the weekend was Team MYSTO featuring:
- David Voss
- Emily Surmont
- Ariel Letcher
- Augie Ruiz
MYSTO represented exactly what the Longboard Battle stands for — local creativity, surf culture, healthy living, and community connection.
Inspired by surfing and the sea, MYSTO creates all-natural hair and skincare products crafted right here on the Treasure Coast using pure ingredients and mindful small-batch production.
Their tent stayed packed all weekend long.
HEAT 2 — PIRATES, PRESSURE & HEARTBREAK
Heat 2 brought serious rivalry energy.
Returning finalists Fort Pierce Surf & Skate faced off against Sunrise Surf Shop in one of the most emotional heats of the event.
Fred “Flintstone” Fitz Jr., two-time TCBR Club Longboard Champion, helped shift momentum after another team suffered a costly priority mistake.
Meanwhile, TCBR Club President Brandon Taylor assembled a surprise PIRATES squad featuring Surfers With Autism MVP Ron Bova.
As the clock ticked down, Brandon sat deep outside hunting a last-second double-whammy score to push the team into the semifinals. After narrowly missing two critical sections, he waited alone in the lineup as the buzzer echoed across Walton Rocks and the beach waited for scores.
It was one of those classic contest moments everyone remembers.
HEAT 3 — KULCHA SHOK TAKES CONTROL
Heat 3 featured East of 1 veterans battling Stoke Surfboards and KULCHA SHOK in one of the most strategic heats of the entire contest.
A costly priority error opened the door for Stoke Surfboards to sprint for the beach bonus, barely reaching dry sand in time.
But KULCHA SHOK stayed dominant throughout the heat and controlled the momentum from start to finish.
HEAT 3 RESULTS
KULCHA SHOK — 30.63
Stoke Surfboards — 17.37
THE SEMIFINALS DELIVERED CHAOS
With Sector 9 skateboards, finals spots, and a chance to fight for a trip to Pavones Surf Camp in Costa Rica on the line, the semifinals raised the intensity to another level.
Every wave mattered. Every beach sprint mattered.
SEMI FINAL 1
Ohana Surf Shop — 34.13
Loco 4 Locals — 21.74
Stoke Surfboards — 18.13
SEMI FINAL 2
Wasted Warriors — 36.37
Sunrise Surf Shop — 26.50
KULCHA SHOK — 21.36
By finals time, Walton Rocks was packed with cheering families, pirate flags, cameras, coolers, beach chairs, and nonstop energy.
The whole beach felt alive.
WASTED WARRIORS CLAIM THE TITLE
After a full day of dramatic heats and nonstop momentum swings, Wasted Warriors captured the 2026 Longboard Battle Championship.
Their reward:
A 1-Week Bed & Breakfast Stay at Pavones Surf Camp, Costa Rica 
Home to one of the longest left-hand waves in the world.
FINAL RESULTS
Wasted Warriors — 34.56
Ohana Surf Shop — 31.86
Sunrise Surf Shop — 24.91
Local 4 Locals — 23.35
THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
The finals featured some of the strongest longboard surfing seen on the Treasure Coast in years.
WASTED WARRIORS FINAL SCORES
- Noah Williams — 2.33
- Malia Ilagan — 8.10
- Gavin Idone — 16.86
- Peyton Lima — 4.27
Dry Sand Bonus +3
NSSA National Champion Gavin Idone dropped one of the biggest individual scores of the contest and helped carry Wasted Warriors to victory.
OHANA SURF SHOP FINAL SCORES
- Eric Biordi — 6.90
- Curren Schwartz — 4.83
- Brent Meinhold — 5.13
- Pat Kelly — 12.00
Dry Sand Bonus +3
Ohana Surf Shop stayed dangerous from the very first heat through the finals and remained one of the most complete teams in the event.
FREESTYLE WATCH SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD
One of the most meaningful and emotional moments of the entire weekend came during the presentation of the 2026 Freestyle Watch Sportsmanship Award to Jon Harless.
For over 43 years, Jon has represented everything that makes Florida surfing special — positivity, fairness, humor, passion, mentorship, and community.
About Jon Harless
- Jensen Beach, Florida
- Local Spot: Stuart Rocks
- Dream Wave: Cloudbreak, Fiji
- Favorite Waves: Playa Dominical & Lower Trestles
Inspired by legends like Occy, Clay Marzo, Kelly Slater, and Novak Djokovic, Jon continues inspiring surfers both in and out of the water.
One of Jon’s favorite outlooks on life says it best:
“Find humor in the journey. Laugh at the absurdities, cherish the funny moments, and appreciate the lessons learned along the way.”
As surfers, families, and friends gathered around during the award presentation, the beach went quiet for a moment.
It reminded everyone that weekends like this are about far more than scores and trophies.
They are about preserving local surf culture, lifting up the next generation, building friendships, and creating traditions that last long after the waves are gone.
IMPACT SURFBOARD GIVEAWAY
Another major highlight of the weekend was the Impact Surfboards giveaway.
This year’s winner was local Treasure Coast sponsor Subs & Suds — the beachside sandwich-and-beer hangout in Jensen Beach known for handcrafted subs, beers from around the world, funky sodas, and nonstop good vibes.
Just steps from the ocean, Subs & Suds has quickly become a favorite stop for surfers before and after sessions.
MORE THAN A SURF CONTEST
The Longboard Battle continues growing into something much bigger than competition.
The event helps support:
Surf lessons
Scholarship opportunities
Beach cleanups
Ocean safety education
Community competitions
Video nights & local gatherings
From longtime legends to first-time competitors, the event brought generations of surfers together under one shared love — surfing.
THANK YOU
Massive thank you to all surfers, families, volunteers, judges, sponsors, photographers, beach fans, and community supporters who made the 2026 Longboard Battle unforgettable.
And special thanks to our presenting sponsor:
Sunrise Surf Shop
Serving South Florida’s surf community since 1976.
See you next year at The Power Plant. 
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO TC CREATIVE
A huge thank you to TC Creative — Treasure Coast Creative Consulting — for bringing even more creativity, color, and local culture to the 2026 Longboard Battle weekend.
Founded by Vero Beach creative entrepreneur Emily Snow, TC Creative continues to empower local artists, entrepreneurs, and small businesses throughout the Treasure Coast through art, collaboration, and community-driven experiences.
From murals and custom surfboards to live painting, workshops, commissions, and immersive art experiences, TC Creative represents the artistic energy that helps make Florida surf culture so unique.
Their presence during the Longboard Battle added another layer of authenticity and creativity to an already unforgettable weekend at The Power Plant.
Because events like this are about more than waves — they’re about building community, supporting local talent, and creating a culture where surfers, artists, musicians, businesses, and families all grow together.
THE FUTURE IS LOCAL
#LongboardBattle #SunriseSurfShop #FloridaSurfing #TreasureCoastSurfing #WaltonRocks #JensenBeach #Longboarding #SurfContest #SurfCommunity #SurfLife #PavonesSurfCamp #SupportLocalSurfing
Scores: https://www.liveheats.com/events/505079/divisions/916520/draw
Photos: https://www.mattboundsmedia.com/Surf/2026/Longboard-Battle-26-TCBR