Cocoa Beach Surf Company is proud to be a part of the Bright House Networks World Skin Cancer Foundation’s Third Annual Fall Classic Culminates In Early November with Sean and Skippy Slater Invitational
Kelly Slater to Surf in Finale of Month Long Series of Skin Cancer Awareness Events
COCOA BEACH, Fla. (October 20, 2008) — The Bright House Networks World Skin Cancer Foundation’s Third Annual Fall Classic – a month-long series of outdoor special events to raise awareness and funding for the fight against skin cancer – will once again conclude with the Sean and Skippy Slater Invitational Surf Contest, the weekend of November 7 – 9, at the Hilton Cocoa Beach. The event is being presented by The Cocoa Beach Surf Company and Ocean Potion.
The Slater Invitational will be highlighted by the participation of the Slaters’ brother and surfing superstar Kelly Slater, who recently won a record ninth surfing world championship. The return to Cocoa Beach will be Kelly Slater’s first visit to his hometown since clinching the milestone surfing title and will put the crowning touch on the Foundation’s 2008 Fall Classic, which is already in full swing.
Skin cancer is one of the fastest growing types of cancers in the United States and the Foundation’s mission is to build awareness for the disease while educating the public on how to enjoy a sun-safe outdoor lifestyle. Every event in the Fall Classic features a recreational outdoor sport and a healthy dose of education about the causes and prevention of skin cancer. Free skin cancer screenings will also be conducted on Saturday, November 8 at the Cocoa Beach Hilton during the Slater Invitational.
“You don’t need to stay inside to avoid skin cancer and by no means does skin cancer come with a sentence that keeps you indoors for the rest of your life,” said World Skin Cancer Foundation President Drew Filliben. “Anybody can have a full and active fun-in-the-sun lifestyle but you need to take precautions from the dangers of the sun. It starts with wearing a hat, shirt and approved sunscreen of at least 30 SPF, and we encourage everyone to do all of those things and join us at one of our many Fall Classic events in October and November.
The Fall Classic officially began Saturday, October 11, with the first Blair Wiggins Inshore Slam fishing tournament that took place in the Banana and Indian Rivers. The Fall Classic schedule picks up again this weekend with the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Surfing Championships, which will be held behind Coconuts on the Beach in Cocoa Beach, October 25 – 26. Top athletes are expected from Puerto Rico, North Carolina, California and Florida.
The AAU Championships will provide the perfect prelude to the Slater Invitational, which will feature both short and long board competitions and much more, both in and out of the water. On-shore events include the Grind for Life Skateboard Exhibition and Competition presented by Timeline Promotions in front of the Hilton on Saturday and Sunday. The Grind will feature Cocoa Beach skate boarder Adam Taylor who finished fifth overall in this year’s AST Dew Tour after taking fifth-place in the season-ending PlayStation Pro this past weekend at Amway Arena in Orlando.
Other events include The Micro-Brew Beer Festival presented by Clear Channel Radio from 3 – 6 p.m. on Saturday on the Hilton pool deck which will also be the location of the World Skin Cancer Foundation’s silent auction and dinner party that night at 7 p.m. The full weekend also includes kite boarding exhibitions Saturday and Sunday at the Hilton and a bonfire on the beach at Coconut’s on Friday evening. All of these events will be kicked off on Thursday, November 6, with a street party at Rusty’s in Port Canaveral.
The highlight surfing events include the Sean and Skippy Slater Shortboard Pro Invitational and the Skippy Slater Longboard Pro Am Invitational. In addition to Kelly Slater, other notable surfing superstars scheduled to compete include C.J. Hobgood and Shea Lopez.
For more information and detailed schedules for the Brighthouse Networks World Skin Cancer Foundation’s Fall Classic, please visit www.worldskincancerfoundation.com.
Over one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed every year and over 10,000 people die from skin cancer annually. The most important benefit of supporting the World Skin Cancer Foundation and one of its many events is helping the organization’s efforts to raise awareness for skin cancer through education, prevention, detection and informational public signage while supporting sun-safe outdoor recreation. Learn more at www.worldskincancerfoundation.com.
Tags: cj hobgood, cocoa beach, cocoa beach surf company, contests, fall classic, kelly slater, Networks World Skin Cancer Foundation, Sean and Skippy Slater Invitational, surf contest, surfer, surfing
