May 1, 1994 // Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
Synopsis: Along with the Geiselman brothers, Nick Rupp is one of the strongest East Coast surfers rounding out the Hot 100. Growing up among the punchy beachbreaks that have made the Outer Banks famous, Rupp’s capitalized on having the best of the East Coast in his backyard.
Variables: Nick’s a determined competitor through and through. In the 2008 NSSA season, Nick finished second in the ultra-competitive Southeast Coast Explorer Junior division. Unfortunately, his surfing didn’t bear fruit at Nationals.
Forecast: There’s no denying that the Eastern Seaboard has produced some of the finest gems in professional surfing. For Nick to join the ranks of that dynasty, he’ll need a solid showing at Nationals in ’09.