Chris Cote
Writer turned broadcaster turned internet chat show host, Cote brings humour and close personal relationships with surfer to the box. No problem with his self-esteem, but can he play it straight for the new world mainstream order? Sounds a bit like a fat Sean Penn with a cold. He features in below clip.

Dave Stansfield
Has been calling pro surfing since Duke was a boy and if you want to know who was came third in the second round heat of the 1982 Smirnoff Pro, he’s your man. A Hawaii stalwart, but is he the kinda man the kids want to see? Looks more like a union guy who does nightshifts in a Pittsburg steel foundry in a 1980’s Bruce Springsteen vid than the face of pro surfing.

Luke Egan
Incredible surfing pedigree and peer respect, although his colourful surfing style doesn’t always translate to the box when he appears at the Billabong events. One of if not the slowest talkers in the entire world, averaging about 7 words per minute, words seem to emerge from his cake hole with about as much ease as a month overdue baby being born sideways. Despite all this, has come out with one of the most curiously succinct and poignant off the record rebuttals when one of his daily calls was questioned at J-Bay:  “Do………you………want……..to……..be……….con……..nest…..director………………………………..cuuuuuuunt?”

Other contenders: Reggae Ellis, Taylor Knox, Ross Williams, Pancho Sullivan, Jodie Cooper.

Beach Reporter
Rosy Hodge
Tall, blonde, fit, South African and former top 16 surfer Rosie doesn’t win any Pulitzer’s for hard hitting question, but easy on the eye and relaxed approach has won her fans, as have her new fake cans…

Toby Martin
Former Aussie pro known as the Murderer, was no doubt passionate and comes with a stack full of sports cliche and knowledge of the sport.  Seems to be out of the mix. Quite… intense.

GT (Grant Tomlinson)
Once again a huge divider of online opinion, the Von Zipper founder has a unique style (both verbal and sartorial) and an inability to crumble often under intense embarrassment. Do the surfers like him? Do you like him?

Vaughn Blakey
Australian Editor of Surfing World and Goons of Doom singer is animated and excitable and damn fun. Could the new owners constrain his natural exuberance, or does he even want the gig?

Wildcards – Usually a mix of current, recently retired or over the hill pro surfers who come in to the event for the paycheck,  the exposure or being forced by sponsors. Which one of the these could make the full time grade?
Dave Wassell, Spencer Hargraves, Alex Gray, Kamalei Alexander, Rob Machado, Shane Dorian, Tom Whitaker, Nathan Webster and…. Kelly Slater