Local surfers, scientists and cancer survivors teamed up with legends of the waves for the 31st Luau & Legends of Surfing Invitational on Aug. 24 in La Jolla.

The annual event raises money for research and services at UC San Diego Health’s Moores Cancer Center.

The festivities began at 7:30 a.m. with a surf competition near Scripps Pier and included lunch at the Scripps Seaside Forum at UCSD’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and a party at Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, which included an auction and live music by the Pine Mountain Logs.

Over the event’s history it has raised more than $12 million, according to UC San Diego Health. The amount raised this year was not immediately available.

“We are honored to have received such incredible support from our community to help fight cancer from every angle, including early detection, the development of novel therapeutics and making sure patients have access to clinical trials,” said Dr. Diane Simeone, director of Moores Cancer Center.

The surf competition consisted of 16 teams, each with four local surfers and one longtime surf star. A team including members of the UC San Diego women’s surf team and surfing legend Buzzy Kerbox came away with the victory.

However, winning wasn’t foremost on the minds of most of the surfers.

“It is different from normal competitions,” said Helena Roseman, who graduated from The Bishop’s School in La Jolla in 2021 and has been competing at Luau & Legends since 2018. “You are not really out there to win, you are just out there to surf and have a shared camaraderie with the other people in the water.”

Roseman was teamed with two current Bishop’s seniors, Grace Steinmeier and Sydney Hagan, and fellow Bishop’s graduate Maile Gaardner. Their team’s surf legend was Roseman’s father, Jon.

“Cancer is something that affects us all, and the ocean is something that we all grow up with in San Diego,” Roseman said. “It is cool to use something that we love to combat something that affects the things we love.”

Grace said she wanted to join “because it is for a really good cause. My mom’s best friend and one of our close family friends just died from cancer, and I think it is really important that we spread awareness and raise money for it.”

A team called the Cancer Thrivers was made up of cancer survivors.

“I think the energy of this event is beautiful,” said Landy Spencer-Daly, a member of the Cancer Thrivers who overcame breast cancer five years ago. “Everyone is collectively really happy to be here because everyone knows they are here for a bigger cause that affects either themselves or someone they know.”

“It was a great opportunity to be in the water with some really great people,” Spencer-Daly added. “I was just honored to participate.”

Cancer Thrivers member Izzy Tihanyi, co-owner of Surf Diva Surf School in La Jolla, recently finished a year of treatment for ovarian cancer at Moores Cancer Center. Competing in the event was “very emotional,” she said.

For more information, visit moorescancercenter.ucsd.edu. ♦