True Dude
Surfpaddle out · pick your wave · ride it

The story

Every year the crew at Holy Dude Point holds the Driftwood Classic, a friendly heat where anybody can paddle out. This year, that's you.

The Dude, Kai, Grace, Brody and Pete have surfed this reef for years. They'll push you, cheer for you, and race you for the best wave of the set. The judges on the beach score how you ride: commitment, speed, flow, the size of the wave and the moves you make.

But the old-timers say the real score is how you surf with others. Wait your turn. Don't drop in on anybody. Keep an eye on the water, and if someone goes down, be the one who paddles over.

“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty.”Psalm 93:4

How a heat works

• Four minutes, you and three other surfers.
• Every wave you ride gets a judges' score out of 10. Your best two waves add up to your total.
• Priority (the green P): whoever has waited longest gets first pick. Take a wave from the surfer with priority and your second-best wave is cut in half.
• Watch for fins, rip currents and the rocks on the inside. Get safely away from a shark for a bonus.