Red Bull Foam Wreckers bills itself as an “anti-surf-contest surf contest,” where only soft boards are allowed and anyone can win. The Jamie O’Brien and Ben Gravy-helmed event returns for a third summer with a series across the United States, according to Red Bull.
The event is the brainchild of freesurfer Jamie O’Brien and sponsored by Red Bull and Catch Surf. Ben Gravy will also join to MC the free-for-all surf “contest.”
The exact format for each event will vary based on the venue and conditions, but each competitor will spin a “Wheel of Shred” to determine which model of soft board to ride. Afterwards, 6-10 entrants, all on different Catch Surf provided soft-tops will “compete” in a 15-minute heat.
Though foam boards garner equally fervent hatred and devotion, they’ve undeniably changed the landscape of surfing, especially after a COVID-induced boom. Jamie O’Brien and Ben Gravy are perhaps the poster children of the soft-top revolution, with O’Brien pushing the top end of the crafts’ performance abilities at Pipeline, and Gravy touring the world searching for the most unique novelty waves to ride them on.
The next Foam Wreckers event is being held June 24 in Margate City, New Jersey. The full calendar can be found here.
