What Is A Surf Non-Contest?

The "Non-Contest" Where Style Reigns Supreme

Daydream Surf Shop isn't just a haven for wave riders in Costa Mesa – they're bringing the community together out in the water. Their Daydream Open Invitational, held at San Onofre this past summer, is proof. Another one is brewing (details to come).

Like their shop, brimming with boards from shapers like Andreini, Liddle, and McTavish, Daydream cultivates a vibrant community of surfers who are as dedicated to style as they are to riding waves. The recent event showcased just that.

Expression Over Competition

"The Daydream Open Invitational is a surf non-contest with an expression session format," explains the shop's crew. "We have four, 60-minute divisions, $5 buy-in, winner takes all."

These goofy formats allow surfers to choose their board based on personal style and the waves. The day unfolded with a rotation: 3 or more fin division, twin fin division, single fin division, and finally, the finless division.

"The ultimate goal is to get a bunch of people from our community together to bring out some good surfing for multiple hours for everyone on land and in the water to enjoy," they say. "We refrain from using jerseys as we want the surfers that are participating in this expression session to blend in with the rest of the people in the line up and not be given any special privileges."

Flow, Style, Attitude

The judges looked beyond tricks, focusing on attitude, style, and skill – a recipe for surfing that feels authentic and connected to the environment.

"A combination of factors that we feel express one being in flow with their environment as well as the waves they are surfing," they conclude.