– he Garden Island PO‘IPU — Even if the waves weren’t as good as projected, Kaua‘i Surfing Association officials still made the opening day of Oceanfest a huge success. “We started this event eight years ago because we didn’t want
– he Garden Island
PO‘IPU — Even if the waves weren’t as good as projected, Kaua‘i Surfing Association officials still made the opening day of Oceanfest a huge success.
“We started this event eight years ago because we didn’t want to the big pro contests to come here and take over,” KSA official Mike Smith said. “We wanted something that the kids here could surf at — a Kaua‘i-sponsored event.”
And yesterday at PK’s signaled the biggest installment of the historic contest.
“The first year we started out with 200 competitors,” Smith said. “Now we’re way over 300.”
Smith said thanks to Hanalei’s Andy and Bruce Irons, the brother duo on the professional men’s tour, Kaua‘i surfing has surged to a new level.
“Kaua‘i surfing has become so big,” he said. “There’s a lot more kids surfing and taking up the sport.”
Another KSA official, Reuben Balmores, said over 200 early entries came in this year.
“That’s extremely rare,” he said. “We’re making it a fun day. If we could make some money from this, that would be great too.”
Oceanfest, the signature event for the KSA, is just one of many contests sponsored by the nonprofit organization.
“Our main goal is to get the kids to state competitions,” Balmores said. “We literally drain our account to zero and we start all over again next year.”
Anahola youth surfer Miguel Rodelo, who competed in the 13-14 boys division, was a first-time entrant in Oceanfest.
“I didn’t do so good,” he said. “It’s hard to surf right now because the waves are breaking all over the place.”
Rodelo, who’s an avid free surfer, said the experience of surfing at Oceanfest should help him out in the future.
“It’s fun,” he said. “It helps me to learn how to surf in front of people and in contests. I think I got better.”
KSA is trying something different this year.
“This year, we didn’t distributed the money for state travel for the kids,” Balmores said. “Intstead, what we’re trying to do is buy a live scoring system. It’s still in the early stages, but that’s our goal.”
Balmores said no amateur surfing organzation to his knowledge is using that type of system.
“It’ll keep the kids of Kaua‘i a step ahead,” he said. “It makes it more exciting and it’ll get more people involved.”
Eventually, Balmores said he’d like to share the system with Nelson Togioka and the Kaua‘i chapter of the Hawaiian Surfing Federation.
The cost of the live scoring gear is around $10,000. Anyone looking to help the KSA bring the system into place for Kaua‘i’s youths should contact Reuben Balmores at 332-7181.
Meanwhile, Oceanfest continues this morning at PK’s, with the finals of all the contests.
An awards ceremony follows the surfing events. Results and more photos of the event will be in Wednesday’s “Surf’s Up” page.
