Tomorrow is the deadline for applications in the 9th annual Ho‘onua o ke Kai Ocean Festival which will take place at PK’s Saturday and Sunday. The event is being presented by the Kaua‘i Surfing Association which was formed in 1998
Tomorrow is the deadline for applications in the 9th annual Ho‘onua o ke Kai Ocean Festival which will take place at PK’s Saturday and Sunday.
The event is being presented by the Kaua‘i Surfing Association which was formed in 1998 to preserve the unique lifestyle in ocean sports for future generations. KSA does this through nurturing and supporting the youth of Kaua‘i.
Applications may be obtained by visiting the Web site, www.ksasurfnews.com, and need to be mailed to KSA, 2686 Ulu Alii Place, Kalaheo, 96741.
Beach entries will be limited by space available, a provision on the entry form states.
Entry fee is $15 per division for the surfing competition which includes classes in short board, longboard, bodyboard, masters and specialty.
In the short board division, age groups include 12 and under, 13-14 boys, 15-18 juniors, 17 and under girls, open men and women (18-34 only).
Longboard age groups include 17 and under open and 18 and under open. In the bodyboard class, age groups include 12 and under, 13-15 open and 16 and over open.
Masters division includes 40-49 masters, 50-plus legends and 35-plus women. Specialty division groups include 6 and under push-in and stand up paddle.
Other events at the Ho‘onua O Ke kai Ocean Festival include an open ocean swim, paddleboard and stand up paddle competitions.
Applications for those events are also available at the ksasurfnews.com Web site and deadline for submitting them is also tomorrow. Entry fee is also $15 per division for these events.
All competitors will receive an event T-shirt and lunch during competition day as well as dinner at the awards ceremony.
In addition to the competition, Kaua‘i’s tandem surfing pair of Kalani Vierra and Blanche Yoshida will be offering free tandem surfing clinics and an exhibition on both Saturday and Sunday.
Clinics will take place at noon and 2 p.m. with the exhibition scheduled for 5 p.m. on both days.
The pair is working to raise funds to help defray expenses involved in traveling to Spain to compete for the World Tandem Title later this year.
In addition to supporting Kaua‘i’s youth, KSA also promotes surfing etiquette, water safety, and works to provide funding to the surfing youth of Kaua‘i to help them pursue their dreams in surfing competitions around the world.
They will have T-shirts available for $20, an Imua surfboard giveaway with donation tickets available at the event, or at various surf locations around the island.
Prize tickets are available at Nukumoi Surf Company at either the Koloa or Waimea location, Deja Vu Surf Hawai‘i at Kukui Grove, M. Miura Store in Kapa‘a, and Kai Kane in Hanalei.
Additionally, a silent auction will have numerous prizes available including dinners, golf and other items.
If you are interested in contributing items or prizes for the silent auction, call Yoshida at 346-0162, or Vierra at 635-0980.
For more information on the Ho‘onua o ke Kai Ocean Festival, call Miguel Graham at 652-7019, or visit the Web site ksasurfnews.com.