Eco Pro Surf Series Competition Regulations

Part of the Eco Pro Surf Series mission is to be a stepping stone for Florida’s finest Amateur and Pro competitors on the rise to the next level in their surfing competition and potentially their career. All decisions that are made are done to further that goal. Please note that when registering for the Eco Pro Surf Series, there will be public media exposure and photos could be shared and/or published on a variety of social media platforms as well as web and print publications. Local media photographers are not employed or hired by the Eco Pro and covering the event(s) on their own accord. If you do not want your photo(s) used in any publications, please let us know. 

Accomplished & Respected Paid Judges: Our judges are compensated for their time so we can attract the best. If anyone has a concern or questions about a score or judging criteria, they must first talk to the Contest Director who will then set up a private conversation with the head judge. You can be assured 100% of our Pro division judging staff are ISA/WSL Certified. We also rotate Head Judge responsibilities between WSL North America Head Judges Gordon Lawson or Jeremy Saukel. 

Excellent Venues & Best Conditions: Multiple venues are selected each season to give a variety of break types and conditions to attract local area surfers to compete and provide travel experience for those outside the chosen geographical range. 

Contest Waiting Period: Each contest is held over a Saturday or Sunday with a two-day waiting period.  If conditions are not contestable during that period, the contest will be postponed to the next weekend or appropriate swell window. We strive to hold on the day with the best conditions.  If both days look equally contestable, we will run on the first day (Saturday).  Because surf forecasts are most accurate closer to the day of the contest, a decision for which day to run will not be made until noon on the Thursday prior to the scheduled competition. That should allow competitors and families time to adjust their travel arrangements if need be. Please note, however, there may be times when, due to the unpredictability of weather and surf conditions, the contest may be cancelled or postponed ANY TIME prior to or even the day-of the contest.  If a contest is cancelled or postponed to a different weekend and a registered competitor cannot make the revised date, entry(s) will be refunded, NOT forwarded. If you are able to surf if the contest is held on Saturday but not Sunday, you should enter regardless.  Cancellations are allowed up to Friday at noon so if the call is made to run on Sunday, you have time to cancel. Those waiting until the day of competition to register will pay a $15 late fee and will not be guaranteed a spot in any division.

 Entry Deadlines and Rules: All entries must be received prior to 2pm on the Friday before the contest. Entries must be made online at the Surf Sign Up links provided. No one will be put into a heat until full payment for the entry is received. Please read the cancellation and refund policy and the seeding criteria for more information about entry deadlines.

Each division will have a specific number of allowed entries. Once a division is filled it will be closed. If  all slots are not filled, contestants can enter on the beach on a first-come-first-surf basis. WE DO NOT ACCEPT CALL IN ENTRIES REGARDLESS OF WHO YOU KNOW. Please keep in mind as mentioned above, there will be a $15.00 beach entry late fee.

 Cancellations and Refunds: Cancellations and refunds will be granted up to the registration deadline (2pm on Friday before the contest). If you have registered, there is no penalty other than fee's collected by Surf Sign Up for cancelling as long as you do so prior to the entry deadline. There will be NO REFUNDS for no-shows or cancellations that occur after the cut-off unless there is a documented reason such as health issues or a family emergency. Decisions for refunds will be at the sole discretion of the Eco Pro staff.

 Seeding Criteria: Seeding of heats for Pro categories will be based on the previous year’s ranking first, then by order of paid entry.  If a ranked surfer entering a Pro event misses the entry deadline (requiring a beach entry), they will not be seeded. If a surfer did not surf the previous season, and therefore is un-ranked, they will be seeded based on when their entry was received.

Seeding for Amateur divisions will be based on both the prior and current year ranking as well as date and time of sign-up.  Contestants that are in the same age division as the previous year will be ranked based on the previous year. Contestants that are moving up in age divisions will have their rank weighted based on the previous year rank and current year standings.  Un-ranked surfers will be seeded based on the time of sign up. 

Age Divisions:  The age divisions were selected to give surfers the best competitive experience. Over time, every competitor will experience being at the top and the bottom of their age bracket. Amateur divisions separated by age are as of January 1 of the current season.

Amateur Divisions

Polywog: This division is for surfers that need adult assistance only.  Surfers that are able to catch waves on their own must surf in their appropriate age category. Surfers that compete in Polywog will not be eligible to surf in any other division.

U12: Surfers UNDER the age of 12 as of the January 1 will be allowed to surf in U12 and U16. If a surfer is already 12 on January 1, they cannot surf in the U12 Division. Surfers under the age of 12 may surf in the U16 Category.

U16: Surfers age 15 and under as of January 1 of the current season may surf in this division.

Open: Surfers of all ages are encouraged to surf the open divisions.

Pro Divisions

Mens/Womens Pro: The Pro division for both men and women is open to any age.

Jr. Pro:  Only surfers under the age of 18 may surf in the Jr. Pro

Masters Pro:  Surfer must be at least the age of 45 as of January 1 of the season to surf this division.

Pro Purse(s):

The Eco Pro Surf Series is proud to financially support Florida's Pro division competitors. We put 100% of all Pro entries in every division right into a prize purse of that respected division, meaning, prize purses are determined by the number of entries in each division. For example, if the Mens Pro in any individual event has 32 competitors, the purse would total $3,200 and payouts would go to top 8. In the event a division is not maxed out, the Competition Director  will determine if purses are paid out to top 8, 6, 4 etc. based on the total number of entries in that division of that event.

Competitors that collectively total earnings above $600.00USD for the current year will be required to provide personal information such as a social security number to file a 1099 in the following year.

Cash prizes are paid out at the end of the final heat(s) at the end of the event day via check post dated to the Monday following the competition schedule. The only exception to this is following the final or third event where the Eco Pro staff and sponsors will host a season awards ceremony at a location near the contest site determined prior to the scheduled final event by the Eco Pro staff. The awards ceremony will consist of both Amateur and Pro division event awards from the final event day and the season points champion awards.

If there are any questions regarding division purses, please reach out to [email protected]

Questions or Suggestions on these rules should be directed to [email protected] and the appropriate administrator will respond within 48 hours