“Surfing might be the only art form where in order to make art, you must prevent others from making art.””
 

Contest Format Philosophy

Currents, crowds, etiquette, and glory… modern surfing is inherently competitive. The Cup embraces what makes surfing a sport and rewards those who can perform under pressure. If you’ve ever dominated the peak or lucked into the wave of the day, then you know the feeling of winning in the water. This year, Santa is bringing a bag of cash for the surfers that persevere to the end of the tournament and carve their name into the 1st Annual Christmas Cup of Surfing.

The Cup’s dynamic team format requires squads of 4 to work together collecting scores up and down the contest area. When the swell is on, there’s more than one peak to attack and strategy becomes important as teams play offense and defense simultaneously. All scores count towards the team’s total, and points can be lost for etiquette infractions. Weighted scoring rewards the go-for-broke approach, discourages safe surfing, and prevents the contest from becoming a wave-catching exercise.

Inspiration for the Cup’s format comes from Brad Gerlach’s “the Game”, Surf Shop Challenges, and some of the best aspects of more traditional team sports like hockey & basketball.

Picking Teams

New Jersey is “way behind” Australia & now California when it comes to organization of Boardriders Clubs. For the inaugural running of the Christmas Cup, one representative from each of our small local towns has been invited to “captain” a squad. Perhaps this will be the seeds of future local clubhouses.

Captains can sponsor one teammate for their squad, and then choose from the available “free agents” in the draft to round out the other two spots. For example, if John John Florence was named a captain of Sunset Beach, he could come to the draft with his fellow North Shore resident, Nathan Florence, already signed to his team. He would then hope to do well in the draft lottery to choose from the “free agents” who have signed up for the contest without having committed to a team.

Note: Everyone’s entry fee is the same


WHAT NOT TO EXPECT

  • The contest will not run on Christmas Day

  • Bad Vibes

  • Groveling

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Fun

  • Holding period includes 3 weekends and 4 Holiday Week weekdays

  • Contest runs on the first day of good+ surf within the waiting period

  • Double-elimination Tournament - everyone surfs at least twice

  • 20 min heats with stoppage time for winner’s bracket

  • 15 min heats with stoppage time for loser’s bracket

  • Teams of 3 surfers in the water, with up to 1 substitute on the beach.

  • “Uncles” Judging

  • Subjectivity

  • Champions crowned after about 4 hours of competition

  • An after-contest gathering with good tidings and cheer

 

Double Elimination Tournament

- Double Elimination Tournament- Opening heats & Winner’s bracket heats are 20 mins- Loser’s bracket surf in 15 min heats- FINALS - 20 min final… if loser’s bracket wins the 1st finals heat, a 15 min “Rubber Match” will decide Champions- If a te…

- Double Elimination Tournament

- Opening heats & Winner’s bracket heats are 20 mins

- Loser’s bracket surf in 15 min heats

- FINALS - 20 min final… if loser’s bracket wins the 1st finals heat, a 15 min “Rubber Match” will decide Champions

- If a team goes undefeated, they win the entire purse

- If the Champions have a loss in their record, the 2nd place team will take a part of the Champion’s purse

- Only the Champions’ names will be engraved on the Cup

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