A new organization filled with Big Island talent has recently broken into the state’s surfing scene.
The Big Island Board Riders Club was put together in the summer of 2024, with island professionals such as Brodi Sale and Shayden Pacarro joining the squad. Up-and-coming talents such as Zal Costa and Kalei Rivas are also a part of the newly-formed team. The group is part of the larger Hawai‘i Board Riders Club, which intends to host local competitions featuring the best surfers in local communities across the state. The Big Island was the final island in the state to inherit a Hawai‘i Board Riders Club chapter.
“To me, surfing is a very selfish sport,” club captain Jordy Brough told West Hawaii Today. “But what I love about the Board Riders clubs is that they create camaraderie and team spirit through multi-age, team-based surf competitions.”
Originally, the Board Riders clubs first started in the early 1960s in Australia. Chapters then spread out to the U.S. mainland in 2016 before making their way to the Hawaiian Islands in 2023.
Similar to the other chapters, the Big Island’s new squad has seven divisions — under 14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50 and over and open women’s. Each division will have four qualifying surfers from the team, but a few events will have less spots due to timing circumstances.
In the Big Island Board Riders’ first-ever competition in late December at Hale‘iwa on O‘ahu’s North Shore, the team placed fifth out of eight as a last-minute addition.
According to Brough, the plan is to host two qualifying events in 2025 — one each in Kona and Hilo. The qualifiers serve as competitions against outer-island clubs for the Hawai‘i Chapter. Teams who qualify will advance to the U.S. Board Riders National Championship later this year at Lower Trestles in San Clemente, Calif.
Additionally, the Board Riders will take the top three men and best women to the world club championship at Snapper Rocks in Australia to compete against the best waveriders across the globe.
“There are a lot of talented surfers here on the Big Island, and I feel that we can win on the national and world stage,” Brough added.
For those interested in joining the team, visit https://hawaiiboardridersclub.org/. Membership sign-ups will begin in Feb. Anyone can become a club member, even if they don’t choose to compete.
“My hope for the club is to host a surf festival, engage in coastal environmental initiatives and help support emerging surfers,” Brough said.
In support of the newly-founded club, the Chee Pono Foundation — a non-profit organization that focuses on music and surfing for thre youth — will be working alongside the Board Riders in hosting a fundraiser concert this Saturday night at Willie’s Hot Chicken in Kona town. Local talents such as Kaleo Wassman — a Konawaena graduate who is lead singer for Pepper — and Hawaii Prep graduate and Iration lead singer Micah Pueschel will be performing. The event is officially titled as the ‘Third Annual Back Home Sessions.’ Doors open at 5 p.m., with the show beginning at 6 p.m.
The event is storytelling-themed, with Willie’s planning to transform its dining area into a sitting space of long tables, candles and flowers with food and drink service during the concert. The performers also plan to give the audience unique, remastered versions of songs throughout the night to bring new flavors to the concert.
“This is a little bit more of a relaxed way to enjoy our songs, as many people who attend our concerts stand for so many hours,” Wassman added.
“People can just relax; it’s a great way to enjoy the Pepper experience.”
There will also be a silent auction held, along with a T-shirt sale available throughout the night. Kona Boys, Sky Cody Leather, Magic’s Beach Grill, Olivia Clare Boutique, Yoga Nest and Kohala Zipline, Signed Guitar, Kimi and Li Bikini and Sea Quest Hawai‘i have already donated to the auction, with others expected to join in as the week progresses.
One-hundred percent of the evening’s proceeds will go to the Chee Pono Foundation, who will then aid Big Island Boardriders’ efforts.
Come on out to Willie’s this weekend to support the island’s newest surf club!