HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — There are reality shows about housewives, the quest for love, and now one all about California’s official sport, surfing. The brand-new show features a touch of reality show with some high-level surfing competition. And many of the 14 contestants are from Southern California.
The list of cast members includes Bruna Zaun who lives in the South Bay. She has surfed all around the world. Zaun’s first time paddling out was in her home country of Brazil at a surf camp. She was 9 years old.
She explains, “Floating, over water, and you’re catching waves and standing up. That was it. I was hooked.”
It became an obsession. For those who don’t surf, Zaun says, “Salt water is addicting. And once you start it’s really hard to stop.”
She started competing in surfing at 11-years-old. And at 19 she qualified for the World Surf League’s Championship Tour. It’s a tour where she was competing in surfing against the best of the best. She did that for years.
But in her mid 20s Zaun said she decided to take a break from competing.
“I realized that I was surfing more because it was a job and I was losing the love of the sport,” she said.
She started surfing where and when she wanted, free surfing for years. She found her lost love again. Finding enough love to even return to competing. This time it’s for a new televised surfing contest. She will be part of a reality-show-meets-surfing-competition show airing in primetime called “The Ultimate Surfer."
She’ll be among seven women vying for a chance for a wildcard spot on the WSL’s Championship Tour.
Luke Davis is one seven men also competing for a spot. Like Zaun, Davis grew up competing. But also similar to Zaun, Davis who grew up in San Clemente surfing all his life, said he too lost the desire to stay in the game.
“I kind of was enjoying traveling and just chasing good waves over competing at the time,” said Davis.
He surfed all over the world and continues to paddle out whenever he wants. When "The Ultimate Surfer" competition show came up, Davis said, “A friend’s wife actually entered me into the show to do it.”
And guess what? Davis was selected to be part of the cast. He said he’s going to give it his all to try to win a spot on a tour that is the highest level of surfing. But more importantly, he says he’ll be doing what he loves while going for it.
“For me it’s the most connected to nature I can be in life. So, and it bring me so much joy,” he said.
It’s a joy Zaun can’t get enough of, whether it’s surfing in the ocean in Huntington Beach or anywhere there are waves or at a man-made wave pool in the middle of Lemoore at 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch, where the show was filmed.
“It’s never a bad time. I always have fun,” Zaun said.
The Ultimate Surfer premieres Monday, August 23 at 10 p.m. on ABC.
The full list of contestants include:
- Anastasia Ashley – 33, Miami Beach, Fla.
- Kai Barger – 30, Haiku, Hawaii
- Mason Barnes – 26, Venice, Calif.
- Tia Blanco – 23, Oceanside, Calif.
- Austin Clouse – 26, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
- Brianna Cope – 25, Koloa, Hawaii
- Luke Davis – 27, Los Angeles, Calif.
- Kayla Durden – 27, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.
- Juli Hernandez – 22, Costa Mesa, Calif.
- Zeke Lau – 26, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Alejandro Moreda – 34, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Koa Smith – 25, Sunset Beach, Hawaii
- Malia Ward – 22, San Clemente, Calif.
- Bruna Zaun – 30, Redondo Beach, Calif.