"Tabeling Socks it to 'Em in Canaveral Finals," Mike Thompson, 

Cocoa Beach's Mike Tabeling, who went through five Eastern Surfing Association 4A contests this year without a win, picked up [the victory] Monday at the Canaveral Pier Labor Day Surfing Contest. Tabeling swept through the quarter- and semifinals in unbeaten fashion and eliminated all foes in the finals to place him in serious contention for an ESA berth in the World Surfing Contest this November.

He then took a second In the quarterfinals of the International Open event, which was open to visiting Californian and Hawaiian competitors. He then advanced to the finals with a first in his semifinal heat.

In the finals of the International Open, Tabeling almost doubled his nearest competitor's points. He scored 45 points, followed by Dewey Weber, with 25.5. Mark Sedlack of Hawaii was third, Corky Carroll of California, fourth and Joe Roland of Jacksonville Beach, fifth.

"I'm stoked” was Tabeling’s reaction to learning of his victory. "I had no idea I had won,” the Brevard Junior College student said. "The waves were small, but you could work them and do things." Probably one of the things that impressed the judges was Tabeling's well-timed changes of stance—a difficult maneuver.

Gary Propper of Cocoa Beach placed fifth in the 4A men’s event, which was probably enough to get him on the World Contest team. Cocoa Beach's Claude Codgcn elected to sit out this contest while nursing a sprained ankle. His high ESA standing, however, should place him in the top four.

Ann Woodward and Pam Curtis pulled a slight upset over local favorite Kathy Anderson by taking first and second place in the 4A women's open event. Elaine Davis placed fourth and distaff surfer Ginger Wilson wss fifth.

The other two ESA 4A female surfers—Janice Domorski and Liz Herd—did not place in the finals, which may push Miss Anderson into the top two, which would mean a trip to Puerto Rico for the World Contest

"Canaveral Pier Championships," Surfing Magazine, March 1969

The Canaveral Pier Championship Contest was held August 31st thru September 2nd. The contest was ESA sanctioned and rating points were given to 3A and 4A winners. This was the final contest to determine which four of the top ten surfers would represent the east coast at the 1968 World Contest in Puerto Rico. The contest was very well organized and the surf was running from two- to four-feet with offshore winds the second and third day. Talk about competition, with guys in the 4A finals like Joe Roland, Mike Bowe, Mike Tabeling, Biddy Hunter, and Gary Propper, anything could have happened, and it did.

Mike Tabeling took first place, Mike Bowe close behind with second, Joe Roland third, Biddy Hunter fourth, and Gary Propper fifth.

The women also had stiff competition with Ann Woodward placing first, Pam Curtis second, Kathy Anderson third, Elaine Davis fourth, and Ginger Wilson fifth.

All in all this contest was one of the best run and most tense contests of the summer for the East Coast competitors.

1968 Canaveral Pier AAAA

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