Huntington Beach Surfer Statue, Ultimate Challenge

Huntington Beach, Ca--Surfer Statue in Huntington Beach, California - Ultimate Challenge bronze statue was commissioned in the 1970s to commemorate the surfing experience. It is one of the most photographed statues of surfing in California. The statue was an acquisition by Artist Edmond Shumpert.

It is located at the gateway to Huntington City Beach at Huntington Street and Pacific Coast Highway. Shumpert made another contribution to the local sculpture/art scene with his life-size bronze of Duke Kahanamoku standing in front of Huntington Surf and Sport's Surfers' Hall of Fame on the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street.

While the surfing statue has become less noticed in recent years, thanks to the major development and fast paced traffic that zips by it where tourists once wandered and stopped to pose, the statue is still enjoyed by even the automobile traffic that speeds, then slows to a snail's pace at the stoplights connecting a high-rise hotel, Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort, with this statue that greets tourists and residents, who've grown so accustomed to it being there, that many barely notice it.

The statue has quite a story behind it. The sculptor who made this surfing statue was a surfer himself and enjoyed surfing side-by-side with many greats such as the OP founder. His stature commemorates one such surfer and it tells the story of Shumpert looking over to see his buddy catch a wave.