Test
Mark Cunningham
About Mark Cunningham - OUTRIGGER Surfers in Residence
Mark Cunningham’s not your average retiree. He recently spent some time at Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, enjoying the sand and calm surf of Waikiki Beach.
This lifelong lifeguard hung up his rescue buoy back in 2005, closing a 30-year tenure patrolling O’ahu's shores — including Ehukai Beach Park, home to one of the most dangerous surf spots in the world, the Banzai Pipeline.
That same year he won the International Bodysurfing Competition in Puerto Escondido, Mexico. The event was just
one of 15 championship titles he’d earn during his side-hustle as one of the world’s top bodysurfers.
Yet well-known for his modesty, Cunningham describes his command of the waves as just another resume skill essential to saving lives. Still, his ascent through the surfing world is the stuff of legends. That’s because while comfortably seated among the ranks of surfing greats, Cunningham occupies a unique space. His waterman roots were crafted, honed, and mastered all without a board.
The Rise of O'ahu's Saltiest Icon
It all started in his teenage years growing up in Niu Valley. Standing at a lanky six-foot-four-inches following a rapid growth spurt, Cunningham often recalls these early board-surfing days as his “comedy routine.
That’s when he discovered bodysurfing. Armed with nothing but a pair of fins, bodysurfing didn’t just ease Cunningham’s comfort on the water. It complemented his awe and respect for the ocean, allowing him to strike synchronicity with the waves — not supremacy over them.
This reverent ethos resonates throughout Cunningham’s career dominating O’ahu’s most epic surfing spots: Sandy Beach, Point Panic, Makapuu, and of course, Pipeline. While he might challenge his reputation as the greatest bodysurfer of the modern era — he’s insisted that title goes to Mike Stewart — no one can argue with Cunningham’s mālama for the sea. Between saving lives and mentoring new generations of North Shore surfers, he also founded the O’ahu Junior Lifeguard Program and helped launch the Defend O’ahu Coalition. Whether at work or play, Cunningham lives through this mālama spirit of celebrating, championing, and protecting his oceanic playground.
From the Surf to the Studio
Cunningham's more recent adventures-at-sea illustrate this deep-rooted passion — literally. He now hunts for what lies beneath the waves, searching the surf for lost treasures like board fins, sunglasses, and even designer watches. Cunningham stores this menagerie of long-forgotten items at his garage-turned-art studio in Kāhala, where he assembles them into three-dimensional sculptures. Through his art, he seeks out each object’s hidden story and honors how they’ve been shaped by the passage of time.
But just like his surfing glory, Cunningham is reluctant to claim a title as an artist. “Mother Nature is the real artist,” he tells Flux Hawaii Magazine. “I’m just putting it all together for everyone to see.
Gallery owners, critics, and art lovers seem to disagree. Cunningham’s sculptures have been on display in galleries from New York to San Francisco and even featured on the TV series Hawaii Five-O.
Getting Stoked in Waikiki
What’s up next for Mark Cunningham? We're beyond proud to invite this local surfing legend-cum-artist to join our Surfers in Residence program. As the birthplace of modern surfing, there’s no better spot for Cunningham to share his deep love for the sea with wave-chasing travelers from around the world than Waikiki Beach.
OUTRIGGER's Surfers in Residence
Together, the cousins dominated the 2023 WSL Longboard Tour. But before they were professional surfers, the pair could be seen catching waves on the iconic shores outside OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beach Resort – and they still are!
Born and raised in Waikiki, Kai started surfing at 10 years old with the world-famous Beach Boys. Today, Kai is growing his own team of Waikiki surfers that took the 2023 WSL Longboard Tour by storm.
Meet extraordinary surf photographer Brown Cannon on the latest episode of the Surfers in Residence podcast. Brown recently released NORTH, an epic book celebrating the courageous watermen and women on Oahu’s North Shore.
Meet Josh Bogle and his pup Maya the Cruiser on this episode of the Surfers in Residence podcast. Hear Josh’s inspiring journey to becoming a waterman and adaptive surfer, charging waves with his tandem partner Maya.
James Pamplin and his Staffordshire bull terrier Church join us for a special episode of the Surfers in Residence podcast. The duo represented Maui in this year’s Going to the Dogs Surfur Competition at the Duke Kahanamoku Ocean Festival, where they placed second.
Laura Blears gained world-wide fame in the 1970s as an ambassador of surfing and an advocate for female athletes. In 1973, she became the first woman to compete in the Smirnoff World Pro-Am Surfing Championships and is often considered the first professional female surfer.
Born and raised in Hawaii, Fred is a world champion surfer who carved the way for the World Surf League and eventually became a local senator.
Born in Uruguay in the 1960s, Eduardo Bolioli grew up around the world. He learned to skateboard in Switzerland, started to surf in South America, and attended art school in New York City. How’d he end up painting surfboards in Hawaii?
Nique Miller shares how she went from cross country runner to professional surfer on this episode of Surfers in Residence. Finding inspiration from the legends of Waikiki and tapping into her impressive athletic background, she’s making waves in the competitive surf world.
Just fifty-feet from his seat, is where Randy Rarick rode his first wave at 10 years old. From the shores of Waikiki to Oahu's North Shore and around the world, Randy has surfed epic breaks most people only dream of.
Listen to big-wave surfer Mark Mathews as he shares his story of overcoming fear, recovering from injury, and using the lessons he learned to inspire others.
Travis and Alex Smith professional surf and now run a thriving business together with brother Koa.
Local lifeguard turned “Super Bowl of Surfing” champion beating the best surfers in the world.
With nearly every major surf record, Kelly Slater is a legend both on and off the waves.
This two-time longboard champ has surfed for almost as long as she's been able to walk.
Every generation seems to have one surfing star who makes the crossover to Hollywood.
When it comes to Hawaiian culture, Duane embodies some of the most beautiful tenets.
The first woman ever to win an Olympic gold medal in surfing got her start on Waikiki Beach.
Icon and surf trailblazer, Shane is a legend for the sport, culture and the next generation.
Hear from two surf legends and how they both got their start in surfing on Waikiki Beach.
Having won 15 championship titles in bodysurfing, Mark isn't your average retiree.
Alessa Holloway started surfing at three years old, entered her first contest at 10, and was sponsored by the time she was 11. But surfing is more than a sport for the professional athlete; it’s a lifestyle.
Honoring the life and legacy of Ben Aipa.
