For three days in November, Santa Cruz’s famed Steamer Lane will once again play host to the O’Neill Coldwater Classic. But with a fun twist! This year’s edition will run as an ‘Invitational’ with an all-new format.

For the past three decades, The Lane has hosted various incarnations of the Coldwater Classic. But this year’s event will be like none before; a men’s specialty event for unsponsored professional surfers and a unique “winner take all” prize. That first place podium finish is a yearlong sponsorship from O’Neill Wetsuits and $50,000 in travel incentives and contest fees.

“O’Neill is extremely excited to be supporting athletes who may be considered underdogs. Helping surfers who’ve paid their dues chase the dream of qualifying is good for our sport,” said O’Neill Wetsuits Director of Marketing Brian Kilpatrick.

The 16-man field of competitors will include 10 invited unsponsored surfers, two wildcards and four surfers determined by the public via an online vote. And there’ll be amateur field of 80 under 18 local competitors taking part in the “Ratboy Rampage”

For more details on the comp or potential wildcard submissions, head over to www.oneill.com/cwc.