The County of Maui’s Ho’okipa Beach Park hosted the first Hawaiʻi High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) state surfing championships on May 1 and 2, drawing over 1,000 spectators and 174 high school surfers. HHSAA Executive Director Chris Chun said the event will return to Ho’okipa in 2031 as part of a five-year rotation.
The event marked a significant milestone for high school sports in Hawaiʻi, with support from several County departments including Parks and Recreation, Maui Police, and Public Works. The competition featured equal numbers of boys and girls competing at what many called an ideal surf venue.
Mayor Richard Bissen attended the event and said, “Mahalo to the HHSAA for holding the first state high school surfing championships on Maui. Big, big thanks goes to Kim Ball, who was the force and the energy behind asking for this tournament, the governor for supporting it, and approving it, and to all the supporters.”
Chris Butler, ‘Iolani School surfing head coach, praised both Ho’okipa Beach Park and Maui’s leadership in high school surfing. “I love Ho’okipa,” Butler said. “This is a world-class venue. For high school surfing competitions, it’s just amazing. I can’t say enough about not only this event but the MIL (Maui Interscholastic League) events are just world-class for high school surfing… I’ve been to a lot of surfing competitions… this is tops. Maui killed it.”
Kahlil Pineres-Schooley from Seabury Hall won boys shortboard champion honors at the event. He said: “There were waves across the entire competition, and it was the perfect way for Maui to host… It’s crazy how it is set up and everything is so dialed in: the judges, the staff… It’s really special.”
Kim Ball reflected on his long efforts promoting high school surfing: “Unbelievable; it’s beyond my wildest expectations and dreams,” he said. “We knew it was a big thing to organize… And we got amazing surf.”
Davin Kazama of HHSAA thanked county officials for their support: “Maui County was so gracious to even give us a practice day on Thursday . . . they closed down the beach park for us,” Kazama said. “I absolutely love Ho’okipa Beach Park…. I feel like we’re in an arena watching surfing. Fantastic sightlines… Love it.”
