Kona Pro Jax & Autoline Jr fire up Florida

Jesse Hielman © Kona Pro Jax

Kona Pro Jax

Jacksonville Beach, Florida
3 - 4 November 2012

Jesse Hielman takes top honors while event favorite Aaron Cormican falls

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 6 November, 2012 : - - Jacksonville’s $20,000 Kona Pro Jax and the $2,000 Autoline Jr. Pro, both presented by Mellow Mushroom, crowned Jesse Hielman and Noah Schweizer champions during a weekend of contestable surf. Despite worries from competitors and contest directors about the lack of swell forecasted for the week, the Kona Pro Jax was held in clean waist to rib high surf at the Jacksonville Beach Pier on Saturday, November 3 through Sunday, November 4.

The level of talent at the event was unprecedented as every quarterfinal could have easily been a final. There were upsets, such as three-time event champ, Aaron Cormican getting put out in quarters due to an interference call, and triumphs, like 16-year-old Tristan Thompson’s wave in Pro Men’s round two that scored a 9.17 to lead him into quarters, then semis.

Thousands of people packed the beach to watch the exceptional talent in the water, and the action on shore was just as exciting. Social media photo contests allowed for spectator interaction, while a visit from an alligator from St. Augustine’s Alligator Farm, made for quite a unique experience. The Kona Pro Jax was also an official drop-off site for hurricane Sandy relief efforts and was able to collect numerous donations.

Plus, new to this year, for people who couldn’t make it out to the beach, the contest could be watched, and still can be, from the event website, voidlive.com/konaprojax. In the end, Daytona Beach local, Jesse Hielman emerged victorious and took home $7,500, a Vestal watch and the prestigious 2012 Kona Pro Jax “If you ain’t first, you’re last” trophy.

Michael Dunphy © Kona Pro Jax

Thank you to all the competitors and spectators who came out, and of course, the event sponsors who made it possible.

KONA PRO JAX
1st Jesse Hielman $7,000 + $500 (Western Atlantic Surf Series)
2nd Michael Dunphy $3,500
3rd Evan Thompson $2,000
4th Ryan Briggs $1,200
=5th Asher Nolan $900
=5th Jeremy Johnston $900
=7th Blake Jones $600
=7th Tristan Thompson $600
=9th Cody Thompson $400
=9th Oliver Kurtz $400
=9th Chris Tucker $400
=9th Kyle Garson $400
=13th Nils Schweizer $300
=13th Chris Duff $300
=13th Aaron Cormican $300
=13th Keto Burns $300

AUTOLINE JR PRO
1st Noah Schweizer $1,000
2nd Tanner Strohmenger $500
3rd Jake McGuire $300
4th Dustin Richardson (DQ)