OP PRO BOAT TRIP CHALLENGE (2000)

Directed by Sonny Miller and Matt George
Produced by Paul Taublieb

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 on boats the entire time- 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.

Cinematographers: Sonny Miller, Dave Homcy, Mike Prickett and Derek Hoffmann

Running Time: 42 Minutes
Released: 2000