It’s that time of year again.
The 34th annual Quiksilver-Big Island Toyota Pro-Am Surfing Trials are on tap at Honolii Beach Park, where a new under-18 division is featured. The waiting period runs June 30 to Sept. 30.
According to a release, because of the intense demand for professional development surfing contests, only participants under 18 years old will have a judged division this year. These winners will receive slots into events on the North Shore of Oahu and must be 18 years old as of Jan. 1, 2019.
As in the past, there will be open women’s, open 9-foot longboard, and open bodyboard divisions. The contest is limited to the first 80 Big island entrants and the nonrefundable $60 fee includes a T-shirt. The entry deadline is June 29.
The number of North Shore trips and entries into professional contests awarded will be proportionate to winners in each division, depending on the number of entries in each division. The professional contests will be held from October 2018 through March of 2019.
According to the release, the surfing trials are the Big Island’s premiere surfing event and the rookie development league for Hawaii Island surfers. Surfers making the leap from the contest to professional surfing include Spencer Skipper, body board champion, Triple Crown winner Myles Padaca and Noah Johnson, Eddie Aikau Big Wave winner.
Airfare and entry fee awards are to be used for designated surf events onl, and an inability to compete on Oahu forfeits entry and airfare to the next finisher.
Entry is to be paid to the Big Island Resource Conservation and Development Council. Late entries will be charged an additional $10.
For more information, contact Stan Lawrence of Orchidland Surfboards at stan@orchidlandsurf.co or 935-1533.