The 5th annual UnLtd: Big Kahuna surfing competition, powered by The Trade Desk, took place on Thursday 23 November 2023, drawing over 60 industry surfers.

The event, which included two rounds of surf tag open to all levels, saw the Val Morgan Cinema team ride the waves to victory, with Playground XYZ and The Trade Desk following as runners-up.

The competition, which has been a significant fundraiser for UnLtd’s work supporting charities aiding young people at risk, has raised over $350,000 since its inception. The event also featured a Djembe Drums lesson by UnLtd charity partner, the Australian Children’s Music Foundation.

"What a way to spend the day – riding the waves, soaking in the sun on the sandy shores and catching up with the industry whilst raising significant funds for youth at risk," James Bayes, Vice President ANZ at The Trade Desk, said. "We are so proud to be supporting UnLtd: Big Kahuna and making waves for a cause. The podium position was a nice bonus too."

The Highest Wave Scorers were Clay Western from Val Morgan and Adele Montgomery from Seven. The inaugural Mitch Waters Encouragement Award was given to team Slay-RN from ARN.

Chris Freel, CEO of UnLtd, praised the participants' spirit. "The mixed weather didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of our surfers and it was fantastic to see people of all levels of surfing ability giving it a crack. We are so grateful to The Trade Desk for the continued partnership and making this event happen and to all the surfers who braved the waves for change. In fact, I was so inspired by the surfers that I’ve decided to join the UnLtd All Stars team next year so I better get some practice in!"

Looking ahead, the next UnLtd event in 2024 will be the Big Clash 10 year anniversary cricket tournament, set to take place in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Auckland in February and March 2024.

UnLtd is a social purpose organisation connecting the media, marketing and creative industries with charities helping children and young people at risk.