After a staggering 14-month holding period, the Futures Seal Beach Surfing Championships — presented by Inflight, Katin, and Harbour Surfboards — finally ran, and in unforgettable fashion. What began as a long game of waiting for the stars (and the swell) to align turned into a surf event for the ages, landing squarely on one of the best hurricane swells to hit the area in recent memory.
Originally set to run in mid-2024, the event was placed on hold due to Seal Beach’s notoriously finicky conditions. With its uniquely sensitive sandbars and exposure, Seal requires a very specific swell window to run two full days of competition—on a weekend, and not on a holiday (city rules). For over a year, organizers faced countless near-misses: fire drills, mid-week pulses, and good waves landing on off-limits dates.
But then came Narda. By Monday, the tropical storm started popping up on charts. By Tuesday, it had escalated to a Category 4 hurricane—and suddenly, hope turned to confidence. Despite a questionable track by midweek, the storm’s sheer energy was undeniable. Organizers gave the Seal Beach lifeguards the required 72-hour heads-up and officially flipped the switch: green light.
By 5 a.m., Saturday morning, Sept. 27 the contest crew rolled up in darkness to begin setting up. Early surf checks revealed a modest 1–2 ft. with an onshore breeze—but even before sunrise, something was brewing. As judges synced tablets and the sound system came to life, the first legit 2–4 ft. set detonated on the Crabs Bar.
“We had good luck in 2022 and 2023, but nothing like this. We launched the waiting period in July 2024—and 60 weeks later, we were gifted one of the best hurricane swells in years,” Seal Beach Boardriders President and Contest Director Chad Wells said.
By the 7:30 a.m. start, the wind had backed off and conditions went glassy. Hurricane Narda showed up, gaining momentum throughout the day. By the time afternoon heats hit the water, Seal’s infamous -2 Bowl was firing at 5 ft.—clean, powerful, and consistent.
Sunday morning saw Seal Beach under full hurricane influence. 5–8 ft. faces were hammering every surfable section of the river, with seemingly endless set waves rolling through. Conditions held strong throughout the day, offering competitors the type of canvas they dream of.
By the final three heats, the energy dipped slightly — but it didn’t matter. The event had already cemented itself as one for the books.
“Overall, it was well worth the wait. Great surf makes a memorable event,” Wells said.
This year’s success was made possible by a strong community and incredible local support. And with sponsorship support from businesses, such as Nicks Deli, Skaterbuilt, Foam EZ, Automotive Excellence, FreeFly Apparel, Glowaki Chiropractic, Fu Wax USA, Mackey’s Hot Rod Shop, Quiksilver, Stamps Surfboards, Chas Surfboards, McCabe Surfboards, Labreau Surfboards, ERS Surfboards, and Harbour Surfboards.
“A lot goes into this event behind the scenes,” said Boardriders VP Mike Reilly.
“Without the support from local shapers, shops, businesses, and surf brands, it simply wouldn’t happen.”
