After questions last year about its future, Sunset Clips Classic (SCC), a surf film competition, is scheduled to take place on April 8 and will showcase student-produced surf films. The event marks the fifth year the competition has been held on campus.
Last year, The Point reported that Jacob Le, former Campus Activities Board (CAB) committee lead for the event, expressed concern about whether SCC would continue after he stepped down from organizing it. With many organizers graduating, uncertainty surrounded the event’s future.
Nathan Le, SCC committee lead for CAB and a second-year finance major, said he was unsure earlier this year whether the event would return.
“When I heard it was happening, I was super excited to be a part of it,” Nathan said.
Josh Hamman, Associate Student Body director of activities and a fourth-year graphic design major who oversees CAB, said some students shared similar uncertainty following the leadership transition.
CAB is now moving forward with planning for this year’s competition. Each year, the films are premiered at a campus venue, allowing students and community members to view the final projects together. Last year’s premiere was held in the Activities and Recreation Center. CAB members are currently discussing the possibility of hosting this year’s event on the Ryan Learning Deck to provide a different setting.
This year’s competition will feature nine student-produced surf films. Teams are required to create videos between one-and-a-half and three minutes long. All surfing must be filmed along the local coastline from Ocean Beach to Sunset Cliffs.
Students in attendance will determine the winning films. Last year, voting was conducted through a Google Form. This year, CAB plans to implement a raffle ticket-style voting system, allowing students to cast their votes in person during the premiere. The change is intended to streamline the voting process during the event, according to Nathan.
In previous years, winners have received a cash prize. Hamman said the award for this year has not yet been finalized.
Nathan said student participation remains central to the event’s continuation and growth.
“Everything in this event is from the students,” Le said. “We have 25 people just with the films alone, and then we have student bands, clubs and student designers.”
CAB expects approximately 200 event T-shirts to be distributed. In addition to the films, student bands, designers and campus organizations will contribute to the event.
Felipe Santos, a second-year Christian studies leadership major, said his favorite part of last year’s event was being with friends and watching students surf.
“It’s an awesome event where we can go chill with friends, listen to music, eat snacks and watch people ripping it out there,” Santos said. “It’s really inspiring.”
Santos also emphasized the event’s connection to campus culture.
“We live right by the beach, so surfing is a huge part of who we are,” Santos said.
Ryan Finley, a third-year business administration major, said the event provides a platform for student creativity.
“I’m just excited about the way that space allows people to express themselves creatively,” Finley said.
As the April premiere approaches, planning efforts continue, including venue coordination and student participation.
