The sport of surfing dominates one’s way of life. And that is why it has grown from a backdoor backyard cottage industry to a $9 billion global business that allows many to earn a living while toiling on a wave.
The sport of surfing dominates one’s way of life. And that is why it has grown from a backdoor backyard cottage industry to a $9 billion global business that allows many to earn a living while toiling on a wave.
It’s a shame that here in Hawai‘i, the birthplace of this sport, there is no comprehensive program that takes our surf talent into the main arena of professional surfing, none like in find in Australia, Brazil, South Africa or the Mainland.
Hawai‘i has virtually 365 days of ridable conditions and challenging waves, giving us more quality time to practice, train and to compete. Yet very few Hawai‘i surfers are on the heralded Association of Surfing Professionals touring circuit. On the World Championship Tour, Hawai‘i has four of the current top 47 ranked professional surfers. Australia has 22, the USA has 9, Brazil has seven and South Africa has five.
Do our surfers in Hawai‘i pale in comparison to the worlds best? Do we not have a large enough talent pool to make the grade or take advantage of the industry? Hawai‘i’s top young riders aged 17 and under dominate en mass. Whenever they do travel they usually bring home first-place trophies.
It is after the National Scholastic Surfing Association and ‘the Hawai‘i Amateur Surfing Association/Surfing America competition that it becomes most difficult to even get in a contest to compete. Hawai‘i lacks the programs and opportunities to gain valuable points and incentives. They are forced to travel round the world hoping to get into a 1-or 2-star World Qualifying Series contest in the Canary Islands, Spain, France, South Africa Brazil, Australia, Japan, Scotland, San Miguel or Santa Cruz. Most of them sit on the shore as alternates waiting for an opportunity to compete. There are very few Junior Pro and 1-or 2-star WQS events close to home. Hence you need close to $40,000 to travel, and pay for all expenses. Competition, in Hawai‘i is lacking and our riders lack the opportunity to gain points or recognition. This hinders their opportunity to succeed or get a sponsor to foot the bill to travel the world to gain those much needed points.
Hawai‘i needs a support program to add that extra step forward and a series of events that provides cash and incentives and seedings in future contests. To have Hawai‘i host such contests and gain ASP sanctioning you must conform to the ASP rules and regulations. There needs to be a guaranteed cash purse, entry fees must go to the ASP and the contest itself needs to have support and sponsors to pay for production of the event. It takes at least $25,000 just to produce a Junior Pro event.
Four years ago, our state’s government approved surfing to be a school sport. Yet, the program hasn’t taken off. Our surfers rely on themselves and their parents and/or sponsors for individual growth. Most are homeschooled and train individually. The world team for the United States has PAC SUN and a slew of support sponsors that pay to train the kids and get them the right accommodations to compete on a world stage. Their budget for this year’s trip to France in May, as well as their training program, cost more than $400,000.
Locally, due to lack of funds and support, the team is hand picked with no real contest to determine the qualifiers, and the travel has in years past been the burden of the surfers’ families. They arrive four days before the contest, with minimal preparation or training and yet Hawai‘i usually finishes in the top five. If the event is close to home, we win. We are that good, with virtually no outside support. The burden on the world team for Hawai‘i falls on a few volunteers, coaches and die hards dedicated to the pride of Hawai‘i, and the love of the sport. They give it their all though they may be working two or three jobs. Yet this world team serves as an ambassador of aloha on a world stage.
Why is this? Hawai‘i veers primarily towards the visitor dollar. HTA and government funding offers millions of dollars on golf and college and professional football, with about $7 million dollars set aside for this leaving very little monies for the indigenous sports that are part of our culture and a major part of the unique attraction that differentiates Hawai‘i from the rest of the world.
There is a lack of understanding that it is our beaches, our oceans, our pristine surroundings and climate that drive visitors to our islands. It’s our beaches, our water activities, our shorelines and oceans that keep the folks coming..and the sport of surfing provides a major recreational vehicle for the active visitor.
Is it any wonder Hawai‘i lacks the dominance on the professional stage that we truly deserve? There are at least 25 surfers on any given day in our waters displaying just as much talent as the worlds best. Yet, from day one surfers are second-class citizens in Hawai‘i paying exhorbitant amounts for surfboard travel, while golf clubs ride for free. Billboards in Australia feature surfers endorsing products. Unless you win a Triple Crown or world championship, you are a beach bum. Such is life as a competitive surfer living in Hawai‘i. The world looks to Hawai‘i for leadership on the waves and in Hawai‘i everyone looks the other way.
