Santa Barbara, CA – January 7, 2025 — Legendary World Surfing Champion, best-selling author, and globally recognized motivational speaker Shaun Tomson is set to inspire and empower students across Southern California with the launch of his Positive Wave Tour, commencing in the center of the surfing world at Huntington Beach High School in iconic Surf City. Running from January through May 2025, the tour will bring Shaun’s message of purpose, resilience and positivity to more than 50,000 high school students from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

The Positive Wave Tour coincides with the highly anticipated re-launch of Tomson’s iconic brand, Instinct, now reimagined as the world’s first social purpose surfwear brand. At the heart of this initiative is Tomson’s Surfer’s Code, a personal mantra of 12 commitments beginning with the words, “I will…” a powerful tool for encouraging unity, resilience, integrity and purpose.

Photo of Tomson at Pipeline Masters Surfing Competition on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, 1983

Inspiring a Generation of Purpose-Driven Leaders

Throughout the tour, Tomson will deliver impactful talks at high schools, sharing the lessons he’s learned from surfing and life. Students will be encouraged to write their own 12-line codes, creating a ripple effect of positivity and purpose in their communities.

“The Surfer’s Code has guided me through some of life’s darkest times, especially the loss of my teenage son, and it’s my mission to share its power with others,” said Tomson. “In today’s fractured world, we need tools that connect, commit and inspire us. By writing and sharing their own Codes, students can create a positive wave that spans the globe.”

Instinct: A Brand with a Mission

Founded by Tomson in 1979, Instinct originally celebrated the core surfing lifestyle. Now, in an industry dominated by corporate interests, Instinct returns with a renewed mission: to inspire and unite people through the values of the Surfer’s Code. The brand’s revival aligns with the Positive Wave Tour’s mission to spark a global movement centered on hope, connection and purpose.

“The return of Instinct is more than a brand revival; it’s about igniting a movement embedded in the pursuit of a higher purpose,” Tomson explained. “We want to build a global tribe of purpose-driven individuals who empower themselves and others to make better choices.”

A Commitment to Giving Back

The Positive Wave Tour will feature personal empowerment sessions, collaborations with local surf shops and interactive community events, bringing Shaun’s vision of connection and purpose to life.

Tour Highlights

Kickoff Event: Huntington Beach High School, January 14, 2025—the historic epicenter of surfing culture. Other school sessions are being planned for Santa Barbara, Malibu, Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Seal Beach, Newport Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and Imperial Beach.

Over the course of the tour, up to 50,000 high school students will participate, with opportunities to write and share their own Codes.

“I’ve devoted my life to inspiring individuals to make better decisions and lead meaningful lives,” continued Tomson. “Through the Positive Wave Tour, we’re building a movement of hope and positivity that starts with students and spreads to families, schools and communities around the world.”

For more information about Shaun Tomson’s Positive Wave Tour and the re-launch of Instinct, please visit  www.instinctsurf.com.

About Instinct 

Instinct is the world’s first social purpose surfwear brand, with a mission to inspire and unite the world through the values of the Surfer’s Code. Instinct aims to create a global wave of hope and optimism by encouraging people to write and share their Codes—12 lines of purpose, each beginning with the words, “I will…”

About Shaun Tomson 

Shaun Tomson is a World Surfing Champion, acclaimed motivational speaker for some of the world’s best corporations, best-selling author, entrepreneur, and celebrated environmentalist. Named one of the ten greatest surfers of all time by Surfer Magazine, Shaun inspires audiences worldwide with his message of resilience, commitment, and the power of purpose.

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Rachel Leadholm

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