Surf Legends and 100 Wave Challenge Surf Ambassadors Shaun Tomson (1977 World Surfing Champion) and Damien Hobgood (World Tour Team Member) will lead this pack of big-hearted surfers into the lineup in the early morning hours. Surfers will be cheered on throughout the day by family and friends, who will gather on the beach for a community celebration of surfing for an important cause. The 100 Wave Challenge inspires each surfer to raise $1,000 for B2M and catch 100 waves in one day. The day of charging waves is a personal challenge for event participants. The nonprofit's mission is a passion for mentors, and a life-changing opportunity for young lives of promise to break the cycle of violence, gangs, drugs and prison in their families, make better life choices for themselves, and achieve their dreams. The 100 Wave Challenge is Boys to Men co-founder Joe Sigurdson’s “Big Idea.” The thought of an annual surf-a-thon crossed his mind nearly a decade ago, during a surf session at the iconic San Diego surf break, Black’s Beach. Sigurdson has paddled into the lineup of every 100 Wave Challenge since the event’s inception in 2009. From his vantage point as event visionary and head cheerleader, watching the 100 Wave Challenge grow and thrive has been his pride and joy. “The faces in our lineup change every year – many surfers have been with us since the beginning, others are paddling out with us for the first time,” Sigurdson said. “It’s been gratifying to watch the heart of the 100 Wave Challenge grow stronger with each passing year. The event has a life force of its own -- a friendly, competitive spirit that inspires surfers to jump on board and get involved. Surfers can paddle out solo, or participate in teams. New this year: a corporate challenge offering a meaningful opportunity for teams to build camaraderie and have fun, while raising money for a life-changing cause. The 14th annual 100 Wave Challenge is fueled by the generosity of a team of community partners, including Dr. Bronner's All One!, Kaiser Permanente, Total Power, Degree 33 Surfboards, Pannikin Coffee & Tea, Bee the Change, Belmont Park, Splendid Ice Cream and Board and Brew. Every surfer receives breakfast, lunch, a commemorative rash guard and towel, and exclusive access to the 100 Wave Challenge Surfers Lounge, a shaded sanctuary where surfers can relax between sessions and enjoy a cool beverage and healthy snacks. A team of volunteer yoga instructors and massage therapists will be on hand throughout the day. Their presence will ensure that 100 Wave Warriors remain in top physical form during their 100 Wave Challenge experience. Surfers who succeed in catching 100 waves will be invited to celebrate their achievement by banging a giant gong positioned at the center of the event footprint. The 100 Wave Challenge is a primary funding source for B2M and a powerful engine for bringing the surfing community together to make waves for a meaningful cause. B2M’s Community Impact: B2M currently serves and supports 700 boys each week, in 30 schools, within nine school districts across San Diego County. But the need for empathy-centered youth mentoring programs is great: Dozens of schools are on a waiting list to access Boys to Men's life-changing mentoring program. Revenue generated from the 13th Annual 100 Wave Challenge will empower B2M to welcome 10 new schools into its mentoring community during the 2023/24 academic year, providing 1,000 boys of promise a safe and supportive space to gain the life skills and emotional intelligence to grow into men of passion and purpose, with a heart for giving back to their community. About B2M: The number of boys growing up without fathers in their lives has reached epidemic proportions. High rates of divorce and out-of-wedlock births have created a generation of fatherless boys. B2M offers guidance, direction, and hope to fragile, often shattered, young lives of promise. The nonprofit's school and community-based weekly mentoring circles, Adventure Mountain Weekends and Celebrate Summer Program empower boys to break the cycle of violence, gangs, substance use and incarceration by teaching them how to navigate adversity with integrity and perseverance, while never losing faith in their capacity to realize their dreams. Drawing inspiration and direction from the surfing community, the non-profit is driven by a simple yet powerful idea: In Our Lineup, Every Boy Is Family.