Sports Media Report
A Great Day in the Stoke (AGDITS) Presented by Lexus returns to Huntington Beach on Saturday, marking five years of celebrating Black surf culture and creating greater access, connection and representation in the water.
Free and open to the public, AGDITS brings together Black surfers from across the African diaspora, the U.S. and around the world for a full day of competition, wellness, music, community and cultural programming at Huntington Beach Pier. Now in its fifth year, the event continues to spotlight Black surf talent while introducing new generations to surfing and promoting water safety, health and wellness.
Founded in 2022 by award-winning travel television host Nathan Fluellen, AGDITS has grown into a signature celebration of Black surf culture and an accelerator for athletes, artists and changemakers shaping the future of surf and beach culture.
“Going into our fifth year, I’m incredibly excited to bring A Great Day in the Stoke back to Huntington Beach and celebrate the incredible talent, culture and community that make this event so special. AGDITS was created to showcase the best surf talent from across the African diaspora, giving athletes a platform to shine while bringing people together to celebrate Black surf culture,” said Fluellen. “At its heart, this movement is about creating greater access to the ocean, building water-safety skills and inspiring the next generation of surfers. Five years in, the energy and momentum behind AGDITS are stronger than ever, and I’m excited to see how far we can take this movement together.”
The October 10 celebration will feature surf competitions across Men’s and Women’s Shortboard and Longboard, Grom and Legends divisions, along with a variety of activities designed to bring the broader community together. Programming will kick off at 7 a.m. with a 5K Run/Walk and Wellness Zone powered by lululemon, surf lessons for kids and first-time surfers provided by Rocky McKinnon Surf & SUP Lessons (conditions permitting; pre-registration required), yoga, Double Dutch jump rope sessions and contests, live music and a community photo.
The day will culminate with surf finals and an awards presentation recognizing the athletes and community organizations helping to advance the sport.
Surfers scheduled to compete include:
- Julian Makena Lamont Williams (Haleiwa, Hawaii), the first Black Hawaiian surfer to compete in the WSL at the US Open of Surfing and the 2025 Shortboard and Longboard champion.
- Maizy Gordon (Oceanside, Calif.), a 15-year-old rising surfer working toward her goal of competing on the World Surf League circuit. Gordon has already competed in two Qualifying Series events and is also a drummer
- Sahara Faye (Oahu, Hawaii), a two-time longboard champion and University of Hawai‘i student who can speak to her experience growing up as a minority in Hawaii
- Fernando Gonzalez (Point Loma, Calif.), an Afro-Chicano surfer and community builder with family roots in Mexico who works with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- Jerry Toliver Jr. (Lakewood, Calif.), an all-around athlete who overcame a fear of the ocean and pools following a near-drowning incident as a child and now aspires to complete a triathlon.
- Farmata Dia (Rockaway, New York), the 2023 longboard champion and two-time runner-up
