The WeSurf Together Award is a community honor created by WeSurf Media to recognize surfers who go beyond the lineup to uplift others and strengthen their communities.

At its core, the award celebrates people who use surfing as a tool for connection, inclusion, mentorship, cultural preservation, and service. It honors surfers who understand that the ocean is not just a place to ride waves—but a space to build belonging, confidence, and opportunity.

What it stands for

• Community over competition

• Inclusion and shared access to the ocean

• Cultural pride and stewardship

• Service, mentorship, and impact beyond the beach

Who it honors
Surfers, organizers, mentors, and culture-bearers who create safe, empowering spaces in and out of the water—and who prove that surfing can be a force for positive change.

The guiding belief

We rise when we surf together.

The WeSurf Together Award is more than a trophy—it’s a statement about what surf culture can be at its best goes here.

Nominations are accepted from the general public during a 3-month open nomination period between January 1 and April 30 of each year. The deadline for nominations for the 2026 WeSurf Together Award is April 30, 2026. The call for nominations is publicized in the media and promoted by the judges and the award sponsor. You may submit a nomination by clicking on the Nomination Form on our website. Nominations should make the case for why the nominee deserves to receive the award (e.g., attitude in the water, community engagement outside the water) and typically include relevant links to websites and social media profiles. A nominee may receive multiple nominations, and may be nominated year-after-year, but that will not necessarily increase his/her/their chances of winning the award or being named a finalist.

The WeSurf Together Award is presented to individuals who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to community through water based activities. Award recipients are selected based on their ability to use surfing as a platform for inclusion, mentorship, and positive social impact. Criteria include a sustained record of service, leadership, and integrity; efforts that expand access to the ocean for underrepresented or marginalized communities; and work that fosters cultural pride, environmental stewardship, and collective well-being. Honorees embody the spirit of collaboration over competition and exemplify the belief that surfing is most powerful when it brings people together—proving that we truly rise when we surf together.

At the end of the nomination period, nominations are submitted to our five-member judging panel, which narrows the list of nominees to the top 5. Each of the top 5 nominees is interviewed by at least one judge, who records and shares the interview with the remaining judges. In addition to questions aimed at determining each finalist’s suitability for the award, the interviewing judge asks each finalist about the charity / charitable endeavor to which they would apply the cash award. The judges then select (by majority vote) a winner and runner-up from among the 5 finalists. The winner, runner-up, and three remaining finalists are announced within 60 days of the end of the nomination period.

The WeSurf Together Award honors outstanding community leaders in surfing through both recognition and direct support. Each recipient is presented with a physical WeSurf Together Award—a tribute celebrating their impact—and a $1,000 (currently) donation made in their name to the charity or community organization of their choice. This award is designed not only to acknowledge meaningful service and leadership, but to tangibly reinvest in the communities and causes that recipients champion, reinforcing WeSurf Media’s commitment to shared growth, collective uplift, and lasting impact beyond the shoreline.