It's not unusual for brothers, or even entire families, to surf together or dominate their local break. But no family has dominated local competition quite like Jacksonville Beach's Thompson brothers.
In the spirit of giving back to the community, Trey, Evan, Cody and Tristan Thompson have teamed up with their longtime sponsor, Sunrise Surf Shop, for the second annual Thompson Brother Classic at the Jacksonville Beach Pier on Aug. 29.
The event is one of the most fun in the surfing world, and it doubles as a fundraiser for cancer patients. The format differs from most competitions: Everyone surfs twice, so there is no elimination round. Surfers' top two waves from both heats are added together to determine the winners.
Last year's winners were surprised to receive not just a trophy, but a cash prize as well. Even though the area's top competitors show up to compete, they're joined by plenty of friends and casual surfers who just want to enjoy some friendly competition in the water.
The tradition dates to 1999, when an unknown 9-year-old Cody Thompson won his first WaveMasters contest in double-overhead conditions. Cody went on to win the following year and several more as he aged through the boys and junior men's divisions, turning pro before he ever competed in the men's division.
Younger brother Evan came next, winning even more youth division titles than Cody before he, too, turned pro as a teenager. While Cody traveled with the Billabong team, Evan stuck around every May and won five WaveMasters TacoLu Men's Pro contests in a row, a streak that has never been duplicated.
Baby brother Tristan actually won more amateur WaveMasters divisions than his two brothers did before turning pro. He worked hard to become known as one of North Florida's premier aerial surfers, and after years of trying, he finally won his first TacoLu Men's Pro a couple of years ago.
On top of that, the brothers were also pro-level skateboarders and motocross riders as kids.
The fourth and oldest brother, Trey, is an accomplished longboarder and a two-time brain cancer survivor.
Today, all four brothers are married, raising families and running successful businesses.
Last year, thanks to generous donations from local sponsors, the contest raised $15,000 for the Live for Today Foundation. There's still time to enter, become a sponsor, and donate (see below). Or just come down to the pier on Aug. 29 and enjoy the festivities.
