Back in the day, Sun Bum didn’t have the cash to sponsor a bunch of pro surfers. But instead of letting that get in the way of a good time, they grabbed some friends, called ‘em “judges” and posted up at some of their favorite beaches to watch the locals tear up their home breaks. No applications. No qualifiers. No entry fees. One hour after the horn sounds, somebody walks away with a fat check. They dubbed it Bum Rush Tour, the ambush surf contest series that celebrates ordinary surfers everywhere.
Rocky Point 2026 was my first time on the ground filming and editing an event from start to finish. We spent about a week on the island with a rough forecast and constant rain. The day before we left, we locked in a run time and ended up getting a perfect three-hour window. We made the most of it and got out.