The conditions are best when the waves are up and down, but for the event itself, the 2022 Big Island Pro-Am Surf Trials went about as smooth as glass Saturday at Honolii Beach.
“To be honest,” said Trials Director Randy Kurohara, “I wasn’t so sure we picked the right time early in the week, but by the time we got to the weekend? Couldn’t have really asked for anything better. We had 1- to 3-foot and 2- to 4-foot swells all afternoon.
“It was good that we had a shorter waiting period this year,” he said. “In the past it’s been open for a couple of months, but this year we settled on August, that made it easier for people to plan to be here, and we had 75 contestants, which was good because the maximum field for a one-day event is 80 contestants.”
To no one’s surprise, the men’s open winner was Diesel Butts.
“That’s a story that’s not really a story, he wins it every time,” Kurohara said, “and he was his old self, he did it again.”
Butt’s older sister Rumor had her eyes on first place but she nosed out by close friend Malaika Bishaw.
This year’s event will be remembered for the dedication it received in the name of deceased former Mayor Billy Kenoi.
“Billy was a mainstay,” Kurohara said. “He came from lower Puna, and there are places down there that are not always the right path to take, but Billy worked hard and everything he did was aimed at the kids. Billy found the right path to take and his memory and dedication was highlighted and remembered by everyone there.”
“It was just awesome,” said Stan Lawrence, owner of Orchidland Surf Shop. “From the weather to the surf to the contestants, you couldn’t really ask for anything more.”
Lawrence has been at the controls since the beginning of the competition back in 1982 and he’s not stepping away, but these days he’s just a part of the organizing committee, led by Kurohara and a crew of volunteers.
“The longer it goes, the more interest, it seems like there’s more work to do,” said Lawrence. “There so much groundwork that goes into it, from all the country permits, the insurance and bunch of other stuff, so it’s great to have Randy and his team working it.”
Lawrence wanted to thank all the sponsors and emphasized that the work isn’t done.
“Every year it runs more smoothly with everyone involved,” he said, “and this time we were really happy to have Rich Pierce of the World Surf League as the head judge, which allowed the contestants to familiarize themselves with the kind of judging they will see on Oahu.
“Our job now is to get these kids slotted into their events (at the Pro-Am on Oahu), because it’s first come, first serve, so we’re still at it lining things up.”
The group gave a monetary gift to sponsors and recognized Keith “Skibs” Nehls an organizer who helps volunteers in such areas as landscaping, maintenance of the grounds, trimming hedges and more.
“We are always looking for more volunteers,” Kurohara said, “there’s so much stuff to do like getting them settled on Oahu, finding host families for them and more.
“We don’t have the numbers (of surfers) here on the East Side, because we really just have this one spot,” he said, “but we fell like what we lack in numbers, we can make up for in ability and we’re just trying to help these kids.”
Men’s Open
1. Diesel Butts*
2. Kane Turade*
3. Joshua Bidrog
4. Nakna Kumo
Women’s Open
1. Malaika Bishaw*
2. Rumor Butts*
3. Uhiwai Wall
4. Tegan Harrs
Longboard Open
1. Crispin Nakoa*
2. Puna Moller*
3. Wesley Moore
4. Pono Hirakami.
Bodyboard Open
1. Kaeo Huddy*
2. Sean Harvey*
3. Hunter Delima
4. Analu Yockman.
* — Won trips and entry into the Pro contest on Oahu.