Latest news with #CocoaBeach
Forbes
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
Pro MotoAmerica Racer Ella Dreher Knows Exactly What She Wants: To Win
Ella Dreher, teen motorcycle racer, showing off her formidable skills on the track. Ella Dreher, 15, is a typical teen in many ways. She goes to high school near Cocoa Beach, Florida, where she lives. She thinks about her future and her goals without fear. And she has her driving permit. However, there is one way that Dreher is much different from her peers: she's a rising young motorcycle rider working to break barriers as the only female competing in MotoAmerica's new Talent Cup. This teen motorcycle racer is hurtling at speeds topping 150 miles per hour on the track, trying to make history in North America's premier road racing series. Dreher has her sights set on the bright lights of MotoGP in the future. For now, she's acutely focused on the Talent Cup, a groundbreaking championship for young racers in North America to get ready for the global stage. Ella Dreher gets ready for her next race. Chasing The Dream In March, Dreher debuted at the Red Bull MotoGP of The Americas, at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas. In this setting, the teen racer got to pit her skills against other elite competitors and show off her talent. At the end of the season, five standout riders from the MotoAmerica Talent Cup will earn an invitation to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup. Largely considered a launchpad for the sport's next global stars, this Red Bull event would propel Dreher toward the champion status she seeks. 'It's always been a dream,' Dreher says. 'I've been dreaming about going pro since I was little.' In fact, Dreher was only seven years old when she started riding. The only girl in a family with three brothers, Dreher learned how to be assertive not just on the bike but in life. Melissa Paris and Ella Dreher discuss equipment and strategy at a recent race. Working With Mentor Melissa Paris In her quest to reach the global stage, she enlisted the help of former pro racer Melissa Paris, the owner of MP13 Racing. Paris is mentoring Dreher along the way, both setting an example as a woman in motorsports and teaching Dreher everything she needs to know about competing. 'I got into racing like later in life, and I don't have near the talent that Ella has,' Paris says. 'I'm aware enough to realize that I did get almost unfair level of support just because I was unique in the series, and I made a promise to myself that when it was time to stop racing and I would pay that forward and help create opportunity for others.' Dreher was only 11 or 12 when Paris first spotted her and picked up on the then-preteen's skills immediately. Paris got to know Dreher's family and followed her trajectory as the teen made her way. 'To see a 15-year-old with that kind of race intelligence is impressive,' Paris says. 'You either have it or you don't. You can't teach someone that.' The Commitment To Ride Dreher has her eyes on the prize and is open to wherever the racing universe takes her, depending on how her next few wins go. 'My best advice is to keep your focus on your goal," Dreher says. "You have to know where you want to end up.' Paris says one of her favorite things about Dreher is her enthusiasm and love for the sport. The teen is always ready to race and she is tenacious, flexible, and drama averse. All she wants to do is ride. 'The first time we tested [her current] bike, she sat on it and I said 'Hey, do you want me to move the handlebars? Do you want to move the levers or anything?'' Paris remembers. "And just said 'Nah, let's just go ride it." Ella Dreher is destined for champion status. Ella Dreher is a 15-year-old motorcycle racer.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kelly Slater's early surfboard heads to auction
A piece of surf history is going up for auction. The mayor of Cocoa Beach is set to auction one of Kelly Slater's first surfboards, shaped by Matt Kechlee, on eBay. Slater, a native of Cocoa Beach and renowned for his surfing achievements, has won the world championship title 11 times. The auction is a unique opportunity for collectors and fans of the sport to own a significant piece from one of surfing's greatest icons. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Cocoa Beach Air Show brings F-22 Raptor, stunt pilots to Space Coast
Casual beachgoers might see more than just seagulls and pelicans soaring through the sky this weekend. The Cocoa Beach Air Show is bringing a different kind of wings to Florida's Space Coast on Saturday and Sunday. The U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team will headline the show, which returns for the first time since 2023 and coincides with Cocoa Beach's 100th anniversary celebration. Aviation fans can also see the E/A-18 Growler Team, the 920th Rescue Wing, a KC-135 Stratotanker Demo, the C-17 Globemaster III Demo Team, the REMAX Parachute Team and aerobatics from a local pilot. 'Many of the performers, both military and civilian alike, love performing out over the ocean and for the beachgoers. It makes it special,' said Chris Dirato, the show's director of public relations. 'Air shows are family-friendly, and they are even more so when you can come to the beach, spend the day there and pack a lunch. You can watch folks who are protecting your freedom every day.' The show includes a display of combat search and rescue capabilities from the 920th Rescue Wing — which hails from Patrick Space Force Base in Melbourne — mid-air refueling demonstrations, skydiving and stunt flying from Cocoa Beach-based pilot John Black. While all of the acts are sure to put on a superb spectacle, the F-22 Raptor Demo Team will showcase the abilities of the 'most maneuverable fighter jet in the world.' 'You can see it climb straight up and stop in midair, then reverse toward the ground before flipping its nose around in a somersault at a near-zero forward speed,' Dirato said. 'It makes sudden sharp turns, displacing and compressing air into vapor.' Even though the F-22 is sure to captivate widespread attention and intrigue, Dirato said not to sleep on the Navy's E/A-18 Growler Team. 'The Growlers have one of the most advanced airborne electronic attack platforms. They go in and provide tactical jamming and electronic protection to military forces and our allies around the world,' he said. 'They're loud. They put on a pretty good show in their own right. You always know they're coming.' People from miles around will be able to see and hear the aircraft as they present high-flying performances, but Dirato said patrons who buy tickets can access restrooms, food and drink vendors and hear narration describing each act. While general admission tickets grant access to a private beach area near Lori Wilson Park and close-up viewing, other ticket tiers grant attendees a private 10-by-12-foot viewing area in the sand or 'Flight Line Club' VIP perks as the top option. Boat viewing is another option in a limited area on the east side of the Coast Guard Safety Zone, which extends 12,000 feet parallel with the flight path of the performing aircraft. Wherever people choose to view the show, Dirato encouraged aviation enthusiasts to join in the family-friendly festivities. 'Come out and spend the day on the beach. You can watch some great, talented aviators in the sky and watch how these planes are thrown around on a big stage,' he said. 'You can bring your kids out to the show and maybe get them interested in a career in aviation or a career in the military.' The Cocoa Beach show represents the fifth of eight stops on the Air Dot Show 2025 tour. The event previously stopped in Augusta, Georgia, Fort Lauderdale, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Ocean City, Maryland. Following upcoming stops in New York and Atlanta, the tour makes its way back to Florida for the Orlando Air Show in October. The Blue Angels are confirmed for next year's Cocoa Beach Air Show, which returns in April 2026. As for this weekend's show, Dirato and his team are hoping that the weather cooperates. 'We're hoping that Mother Nature attended the planning meetings so the weather will cooperate Saturday and Sunday,' he said. Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@ Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at The Cocoa Beach Air Show opens its gates at 9 a.m. with the Flight Line Club beach area opening at 10 a.m. on July 12-13 near Lori Wilson Park, 1500 N. Atlantic Ave. in Cocoa Beach. The aerial portion of the show runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. each day. Beachgoers may see performers practicing on the days leading up to the show. Coolers with food and non-alcoholic drinks are allowed into the show as well as chairs and beach umbrellas, but pets are prohibited. For more information about parking, what to bring and tickets, visit
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Girl who fell off Disney cruise ‘was not being held' by father at time of incident, authorities say
Jet skiers pass the Disney Cruise Line ships "Fantasy," left, and "Dream" on the horizon as they sit stationary off of Cocoa Beach, Fla., in this view from Lori Wilson Park, March 24, 2021. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel via AP) Florida (WFOR) -- South Florida law enforcement is investigating after a 5-year-old girl fell overboard from a Disney Dream cruise ship Sunday, prompting her father to jump into the ocean after her. The Broward Sheriff's Office told CBS News Miami on Tuesday that the 'little girl was not being held, as erroneously reported on some social media sites,' referring to online speculation that her father may have been holding her on the ship's railing moments before the incident. The incident happened aboard the Disney Dream as it sailed between the Bahamas and Fort Lauderdale. After she fell overboard, witnesses told CBS News Miami her father jumped in after her and treaded water for more than 10 minutes. Cell phone video showed the father treading water with his daughter in his arms before handing her over to a rescue boat from the ship before getting into the boat as well. Disney cruise passenger saw something 'fly by' on the ship Monica Shannon, a passenger on board, said she was on Deck 3 with her family waiting to meet Disney princesses when she saw something unexpected. 'I kind of see something really fast flew by, I didn't think anything of it,' Shannon said. 'I just figured it was maybe a part of the show or just the experience, but about five minutes later we heard that someone flew overboard,' she said. She later learned it was a 5-year-old girl who had fallen, followed by her father jumping overboard from Deck 4 of the ship on Sunday, while it was on its way back to Fort Lauderdale from the Bahamas. Shannon noted that Deck 4 is less crowded than the other decks and contains the ship's shuffleboard courts. She also described the railing setup, noting it does have a protective barrier. 'There are little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb, but the glass kind of protects that from happening, but she was able to climb up,' Shannon said. Disney crew member reportedly witnessed the fall Shannon said she later spoke to a crew member who told her they saw the entire incident unfold. 'The crew member who said that's her station and she was on the fourth floor, she did say that she was climbing up and the parents were playing shuffleboard and the dad jumped in after her,' Shannon said. Maritime attorney calls girl's father a hero Nicholas Gerson, an attorney with Gerson & Schwartz who specializes in maritime injuries and cruise ship accidents, said the father's actions likely saved his daughter's life. 'Most of these cases that you hear about end in tragedy. In this particular situation, the father's a hero,' Gerson said. He noted this incident was unusual because it occurred during the day, with witnesses nearby and an immediate response from the father and the ship's crew. 'Most of the man overboard cases, it's too late. There aren't any witnesses; they often happen at nighttime, and because the ships are moving at approximately 20 knots, by the time anyone figures out that someone has gone overboard, it's generally too late,' Gerson said. 'There are little divots and spaces that make it so that you can climb, but the glass kind of protects that from happening, but she was able to climb up,' Shannon said. By Bri Buckley, WFOR, via CNN Newsource
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Rise and shine: SpaceX Falcon 9 glows through Space Coast clouds
He's a pro at creating something amazing out of the mundane, but FLORIDA TODAY's Malcolm Denemark was not expecting a great photo from the June 3 Starlink 12-19 mission. Regardless, as the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket roared away from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 12:43 a.m., carrying a batch of Starlink internet satellites, Denemark's eye on the sky yielded this serene, cloud-parting Photo of the Week. "There were no visible stars or planets, meaning heavy cloud cover and not good for a time exposure streak shot," said the veteran photographer, who was shooting from Cocoa Beach. "It turned out the clouds were not quite as thick as they looked ... a ghostly streak shot came out, but I shot this as a backup, with the rocket's glow illuminating the clouds over the beach." This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Rocket's glow lights up the clouds over Brevard | Photo of the Week
