Give us surf!
Quarantine hardened children and their parents took to the streets in Lahaina, Maui yesterday afternoon demanding the resumption of surf competitions and terrifying tourists with colorful signs reading “Let us surf!”
News of the protest, which spread like wildfire across the island via Hawaii’s famed coconut wireless, was in direct response to elected officials allowing soccer and other outdoor sports to resume while not lifting the ban on formal, competitive surfing.
Famous big wave surfer and snowboarder Ian Walsh, who sponsors the annual Menehune Mayhem competition, told Honolulu’s Star-Advertiser, “There’s water polo events, there’s soccer events, there’s baseball events, there’s basketball events, and I think with all those events operating, there should not be a ban on amateur events for surfing or other ocean activities, whether it be canoe regattas, Junior Lifeguards or whatever that might be. We just want to give these kids a chance to surf. A lot of them don’t have other sports; surfing is their primary outlet, and they’ve been standing by the wayside for some time. With these other events being able to operate successfully, we’re hopeful that they will allow us to put these events on for the kids.”
Zolten Poulsen, the to U12 surfer in Hawaii, was at the protest and told the local ABC news outlet, “Surfing is really an amazing sport it’s super fun super exciting when we get to compete and with COVID that got taken away.”
His father, Eric, added, “These kids just want to go out there and chase their dreams and it’s tough to chase their dreams when they don’t know how they’re doing unless they’re in front of a judge with a hooter going off.”
April Colpas, whose eighth grade daughter competes, felt incensed that she has to sit on the couch while blow-ins are allowed to do as they please, seeing crowds of them, maskless etc. lining up for boats and parasailing adventures.
“Our jaws just dropped. It was actually the first time it was in our face that you don’t get to compete, but all these people who are visiting, they’re coming here, spending money, and they get to line up for a freakin’ boat ride when my daughter can’t even do a four-man heat? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Jodi Leong, spokesperson to Hawaii’s governor David Ige, feeling the intense pressure issued a statement reading, “Gov. Ige is currently working through the details and is expected to make an announcement soon.”
Seriously, though, how are youth surf competitions still not happening in Hawaii?
Is it the World Surf League CEO Erik Logan’s fault for making a mockery of the state’s Covid-19 protocols way back in December?
It totally is, isn’t it.
Sorry, kids.
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I think what Kelly was concerned about is Maya surfed past that hole in the channel at Teahupoo where everyone kicks out and got caught inside that uber-shitty patch of reef on the inside.
People had to risk their hides and their jet skis to go in and get her, probably too shallow in there for PWC.
I think Kelly was more concerned about the rescuers than Maya and he might be right.
Her inexperience put her in a deadly spot, and she risked the lives of others.
If that’s the case, Kelly could be right.
Whatever, it’s her life. She’s tough.
That hold down at Nazare would have killed a lot of people.
P.S. Fame is the thirst of youth. – Lord Byron.
Just let them have fun.
Healey, is that you?
I can’t see how not having surf comps results in kids sitting on the couch. Regardless, grom’s who only surf to compete shouldn’t surf. Too many wanna be pro groms polluting the lineup anyway so hopefully its true and the ban stays
The State of Hawaii regards competitive surfing as a pastime – a recreational activity, not a sport.
Hence the use of the term “surf meets” to describe professional surfing events, a term originating in the 1950’s still in use today at the state level and the fact that a permit must be obtained from the Department of Parks and Recreation to hold a surfing event, including the Pipeline Masters, etc.
American football and golf tournaments have much higher status with the State of Hawaii than surfing events.
Calcium for my bone
Yep, that science bs is a hoax
“ they don’t know how they’re doing unless they’re in front of a judge with a hooter going off.”
How will these poor dears ever manage anything else in life.
To be fair, I also judge how well I’m doing in life by the hooter’s in front of me
If they hit the potty square, no drips, mom blows her hooter, and makes cupcakes for dinner.
Does she blow her left or right hooter?
This is the only way I take my Laird Superfood Creamer ….
This is a healthy and high quality product and an excellent way to enhance your cup of coffee. … Laird Superfood creamer contains high quality healthy ingredients, and contains just a small amount of sugar in the form of coconut sugar. It will give you much better results in terms of mental and physical performance especially if you are on the grass , nude and take it straight from the mammary gland ….
Thanks Laird ….I just super creamed my undies ….
I only want to know if the kids are named Reef, Kai or any hawaiian type name.
Nothing wrong with haoles living in the islands. The problems are the ones who act like and pretend to be from there. Everyone knows they are trannies except them. Used to be a few of those POS’s on the north shore of Maui in the mid to later 90’s, couldn’t stand those fools.
I imagine aggrieved white whine has increased exponentially since I left Oahu. Maui is fucking Orange County Part 2.
I’m sure it’s just the way it’s quoted but Zolten(……) sounds like he’s had too many Monster Energy drinks during lockdown
Also try to get kama’aina rates after they lived there for more than a week I’d imagine.
Ahahaha Maui, the blow in capital of Hawai’i 💯💯💯
Screw competing. Little shits should be grateful to live in a place where surfing wasn’t ever banned/fined under lockdown laws.
In other “Hawaiian” competing news – wouldn’t be surprised if JJF is done competing forever. He posted his new scars and it looks like he tore his other ACL.
After my first and only school surf contest I thought oh my god this is the worst possible way to spend my time and since then I’ve never understood why anyone would want to enter one, let alone organise and encourage them.
Same
I always considered them as fucked up as organised religion, with a lot of the same kind of people involved, with similar characters.
I like to see great surfing as much as anyone, and the truly great surfers don’t need contests to perform at their best.
If anything, contest surfing breeds boring repetitive performance as is continually evidenced from the wOsl.
It’s really just been a big cash cow scam from the start…
Big cash cow scam. That’s hilarious.
After the thirty year run of many many companies surrounding the pro surf scam wallowing in unlimited surf associated riches, and being able to pay sacks of gold to school kids so they (the company owners, managers and a few of those school kids who didn’t blow it on coke and hookers) could all buy beachfront homes, boats, vineyards, helicopters, Ferrari’s etc. it’s only in recent times that the cows teats have dried up.
The hilarious part is the way they all got top heavy and fell over (and that some people didn’t realise their $50 t-shirts with a ‘surfy brand’ name on only cost a buck to make and the guys in the middle were laughing at them all those years)
P.S.
Just like organised religion, though they’re more organised and still rolling in the dough…
Surf industry and surf contests are two different beasts.
It is definitely possible to love competitive surfing , as a participant or fan while truly detesting the surfing industry .
No they aren’t, that statement itself is even more hilarious.
You must’ve spent too much time inhaling sewer fumes to understand just how intertwined selling product and magazines is to the whole shebang from amateur school kids to top pros and back down to good old amateur country boys in their clubs and regions.
They’ve always been so far up each other’s wazoos that some can’t or don’t want to see it and believe it.
Now THAT’S hilarious !
Here’s are funny story , I won a gift voucher for $30 from a surf shop in a club contest in the 80s , and I turned up at the shop , found a rash vest for $31 and the owner asked me for a dollar …. I was like WHAT !
I loved competing but was put off by the business side it …
Surf industry?
There is no surf industry.
Almost all of the companies aren’t owned by surfers anymore and are under some corporate umbrella: Quiksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl, Volcom, Hurley.
I don’t know about RVCA,
I think O’Neill is one of the few companies that is still owned and run by the people who founded it. O’Neill sold the clothing line for bank, but still own wetsuits.
There is no surf industry.
Which is why Dirk Ziff and co had to come in and rescue pro surfing.
The surf industry that doesn’t exist, doesn’t care.
It was fun while it lasted.
The Roaring 90s.
You really missed it.
I take it you didn’t make a heat then?
It was tag team. The judges were so eager to leave they didn’t bother to tally up scores
The old it was the judges fault your team didn’t make it.
Those judges are still with the WSL today !
Pout ……are you sure you haven’t confused your competitive surfing experience with losing your virginity ?
“After my first and only sexual experience I thought oh my god this is the worst possible way to spend my time and since then I’ve never understood why anyone would want to enter one…….”
I thought the lead quote was a Chas creation. It was real, lol.
Here’s a thought, just go surfing for fun.
Thanks for filling in for Freerider while he’s on a sabbatical.
Nobody owns the ocean, man!
China might!
And Vegemite own one too
The Noahs seem to have a strong claim.
Bad Behavior has its benefits ….
A guy paddled out in the middle of winter and dropped in on 4 of us , in less than 5 minutes ( the 4 of us lived 400m away in the beachside village : population 75 in winter ) and then replied ,when I asked him with 25 km of open beach why he chose to surf with us , “The Ocean is for everyone “ …. I suggested I was ok with the non ownership clause as long as it applied to his car which was for everybody so he shouldn’t mind if we take it for a spin and visit his house which was for everybody etc etc and for some reason he was not happy … silly person
Zolten Poulsen, the to U12 surfer in Hawaii, was at the protest and told the local ABC news outlet, “Surfing is really an amazing sport it’s super fun super exciting when we get to compete and with COVID that got taken away.”
What? surfurinalist
Surfing is not super fun, surfing sucks