The Occumentary 25th anniversary

Almost every surfer in the world knows the name Mark Occhilupo – or just plain Occy, the Cronulla 1999 World Surfing Champion that rose from the ashes of a celebrated junior career to finally reach his potential. Short and stocky, a ball of energy that took to the water and turned into an aggressive power surfer -nicknamed ‘the Raging Bull’. Kurnell born Occy won World Tour contests on every continent – Pipe Masters, Teahupoo, Bells, US Open, Fiji and Mundaka to name a few. A founding member of Cronulla Boardriders Club he won his first schoolboys’ contest at 13 and followed up with a NSW Junior State Title. After year ten at Cronulla High School, he left home for the ASP Tour and made the Top 16 securing a seed for the following year.

After a much publicised touring life of substance use and exhaustion from his lifestyle, he quit the tour and headed home to Cronulla, re-entering professional surfing in 1995, and after some major wins he won the world title in 1999 at age 33. It’s one of the great stories in modern surfing the rise fall and rise again of 1999 World Champion Mark Ochillupo all captured in Jack McCoy’s brilliant film, The Occumentary.

To celebrate the 25th anniversaries of Mark Occhilupo’s 1999 ASP World Title and multi award winning film The Occumentary, legendary surf film maker Jack McCoy and Occhilupo will be hitting the east coast of Australia. Jack has digitally remastered the film and it is now ready to be seen on the big screen and along with the film Jack and Occy will share stories and engage with the audience as they unpack this amazing surfing journey.

Tickets available via jackmccoy.com with Sydney events at the Randwick Ritz on Saturday, August 24 and Warriewood on Thursday August 22.

Words and images by: John Veage