Oahu’s North Shore is the bull’s-eye of some of professional surfing’s most memorable moments. Every year, surfers from around the globe trek to the North Shore to surf some of the world’s best waves at Haleiwa, Sunset and Pipeline during the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing competition, attracting Hawaii residents and tourists alike as onlookers.
This year, Oahu has more cause to celebrate its surfing traditions. John John Florence, who has been making his mark on Oahu breaks since he was a grom, took the World Surf League championship, inspiring a North Shore frenzy. Signs and scrawled graffiti on windows throughout the area proclaim Hawaii pride. And Honolulu’s Carissa Moore, the 2015 world champion who finished on top at the Roxy Pro in France last month, is looking for her third consecutive win at the Maui Women’s Pro at Honolua Bay.
As the HIC Pro wrapped up on Nov. 5, North Shore homeboy Mason Ho earned his second title, taking charge of a 9.0 barrel in the final minutes of the last heat. Eli Olson, also a North Shore resident, took home a Hawaii Regional Champion trophy, earning a slot in top World Surf League qualifying events in 2017.
WSL regional manager Jodi Wilmott, herself a North Shore resident, predicts that Florence’s top ranking will energize the North Shore as never before.
The WSL opened a regional headquarters in Haleiwa this year at the North Shore Marketplace, from which it works with hundreds of vendors and contractors to present the HIC Pro and Triple Crown events on Oahu.
“It just feels so positive and good right now,” she said. “It’s a magic mix.”
SURF-SEASON EVENTS
Friday: John Kelly Awards pre-party, 8 p.m., Turtle Bay’s Surfer, the Bar. With music from The Bentos and DJ Godiva, benefiting the Surfrider Foundation. Tickets, $10 from eventbrite.com. Info: fb.com/surferthebar.
Saturday: T&C Surf x Catch Surf Demo, 1: 30-3: 30 p.m., T&C Surf, Ala Moana Center. Top surfers Jamie O’Brien, Kalani Robb and Tyler Stanaland will be there. With beater-board stamping, autographs and prizes. A surf demo follows at Kewalos, 3-5 p.m. Info: tcsurf.com, 973-5199.
Saturday through Nov. 23: Hawaiian Pro, Haleiwa Alii Beach Park, Haleiwa. The competition runs on the four biggest and best days, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., kicking off the Vans Triple Crown as the first event. Surfers are continually challenged at this right-handed break with its notoriously strong current, and last year the final came down to an international mix of surfers; Australia’s Wade Carmichael (1st place), Brazil’s Filipe Toledo (2nd), Oahu’s Ezekiel Lau (3rd) and Maui’s Dusty Payne (4th). Info: vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com.
Saturday: North Shore Night Market and Vans Triple Crown of Surfing launch party, 5-10 p.m., Turtle Bay Resort west lawn. With Eat the Street food vendors, pop-up shops, a beer garden and live music. Free. Info: fb.com/surferthebar.
Saturday: John Kelly Awards, 6-10 p.m., Waimea Valley. Honoring the legacy of environmental activist and surfer John Kelly, the fundraiser and party celebrates Surfrider Foundation volunteers and supporters, highlights the year’s accomplishments, and kicks off the Triple Crown season. $95. Info: johnkellyawards.com
Nov. 23: Da Primo Country Surf Fest, 3-10 p.m., Haleiwa Store Lots. Hosted by Comedian Augie T, with an all-ages concert featuring Inna Vision, The Steppas, The Vitals and Dread Ashanti, and a Primo beer garden (ages 21+). Free. Info: fatboyshawaii.com.
Nov. 23-Dec. 5: Maui Women’s Pro, Honolua Bay/Maui. Info: worldsurfleague.com.
Nov. 24-Dec. 6: Vans World Cup of Surfing, Sunset Beach. The competition runs on the four biggest and best days, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunset Beach is one of the most consistent big waves on the planet. Last year, three-time World Champion Mick Fanning of Australia claimed his first Hawaiian victory at this contest. Note: Parking is available at Turtle Bay with shuttle or bike access. Info: vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com.
Dec. 2: RedBull film premiere, “Distance Between Dreams,” 6-10 p.m., Turtle Bay’s Kuilima Point lawn. Big-wave athlete Ian Walsh premieres his new film. Free and open to the public. Watch the trailer at redbull.com.
Dec. 3: North Shore Community Land Trust Benefit for the Country, 5 p.m., Mokuleia Polo Fields. The sixth annual event brings the North Shore community together for an evening of sustainable food, drinks and local music as a fundraiser for the North Shore Community Land Trust, which works to protect and preserve open land on Oahu’s North Shore. Tickets: gifttool.com/registrar/ShowEventDetails?ID=1623&EID=23119 or contact Executive Director Doug Cole at dougcole@hawaii.rr.com or 497-0036.
Dec. 3: Mauli Ola Foundation Surf Experience Day for Cystic Fibrosis, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Ali‘i Beach Park, Haleiwa. The ocean has been known to provide health benefits for those with cystic fibrosis, because the saltwater acts as healing therapy, and Mauli Ola organizes a handful of pros to teach keiki how to surf and enjoy the ocean throughout the year. For more information, visit mauliola.org/
Dec. 5: Vans Talk Story, 6-8 p.m., North Shore Marketplace, Haleiwa. With a movie screening of “Positive Vibrations,” talk story with the Gudauskas brothers, Cholo’s Homestyle Mexican, Banzai Sushi and Il Gelato food trucks and the Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii education station (open daily, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. beginning Saturday and through the Triple Crown season). Free and open to the public.
Dec. 6: Surfer Awards, Turtle Bay Resort. SURFER Magazine hosts the 46th Annual SURFER Poll Awards, celebrating surfing as popular culture. The awards show is an invitation-only affair, but it is webcast live at surferawards.com.
Dec. 7: GoPro Talk Story, 7-9 p.m., Turtle Bay’s Surfer, the Bar. Athlete team members from the GoPro team get together for a free panel session.
Dec. 8-20: Billabong Pipe Masters, Ehukai Beach Park, North Shore. The competition runs on the four biggest and best days, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The culminating event of the Vans Triple Crown and the World Surf League Championship Tour. “An IMAX theatre-like experience,” organizers say. “Beach goers can witness the ground-shaking action from close proximity and watch as surfers make history on heaving, hollow waves.” Note: Very limited parking. It is best to bike or walk into the park area. For those who can’t get there, the event will be live-streamed. Info: vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com.
Dec. 9: Haleiwa Christmas Parade, main street in Haleiwa, 6 p.m. The annual Christmas parade down the main street of Haleiwa town features hundreds of community members, colorful floats from local groups and businesses, music and more. Note: Road closes at about 5: 30 p.m.
Dec. 10: Mauli Ola Foundation Dinner/Concert, 6 p.m., Turtle Bay Resort. Surfers, celebrities, charitable locals and industry leaders join at the fifth annual Mauli Ola Foundation Benefit Concert presented by Ambry Genetics, to support Mauli Ola’s mission of introducing surfing as a natural therapy. For details on tickets, contact Director Of Development Hans Hagen at hans@mauliola.org or call 874-3496.
Dec. 14: North Shore Chamber of Commerce Christmas Party, Waimea Valley. This annual dinner event is held to honor the North Shore Kamaaina of the Year. A silent and live auction will take place alongside dinner and no-host drinks from 6-10 p.m. at the cultural venue of Waimea Valley. Info: 637-4558 or gonorthshore.org.