Six of the best male and four top female surfers in the world competed in the 2000 Op Pro Boat Trip Challenge, which ran from June 5-20, 2000, in the Mentawai Islands, Indonesia.

Reigning world champion Mark Occhilupo (Australia), current No. 1 Sunny Garcia (Hawaii), Andy Irons (Hawaii), San Clemente’s Shane Beschen, Oxnard’s Tim Curran and Hawaii’s Bruce Irons will vie for the $65,000 winner-take-all prize, the most ever offered for winning a surf contest.

Two-time world champion Layne Beachley (Australia), countrywoman Serena Brooke and Hawaii’s Rochelle Ballard and Megan Abubo will compete for $35,000, the largest women’s purse ever. Each male competitor will receive a $5,000 appearance fee, equivalent to losing in the semifinals of a regular World Championship Tour event. The women will get $3,000 each, the same as a second-place finish in a WCT contest.

The event’s unique floating format--competitors will stay the entire time on boats--allows the fleet to move from spot to spot in search of perfect waves. Finding them isn’t a difficult task. The only problem is discerning the wind direction and heading off to the proper break, which boat-trip veteran skipper Martin Daley reportedly does as well as anyone on Earth.