‘It’s where you
earn your spurs’

Haleiwa Good-Will Amateur
is expected to attract nearly 300 surfers
from around the world

By Greg Ambrose
Star-Bulletin

Who would come to a contest where no prize money is awarded, no famous professional surfers are permitted and no hype is delivered?

Judging from 28 years of surfing history, nearly 300 surfers will flock from around the world to compete in the Haleiwa Good-Will Amateur Contest.

From Dec. 26 to Jan. 4, surfers from Hawaii, Japan, Europe, the U.S. mainland, Australia, Brazil and Tahiti will battle in the unofficial North Shore championship for surfers who don't chase the pro tour around the world.

"It's where you earn your spurs," said Lee Kravitz of the Haleiwa Surf Center, who has seen generations of Haleiwa surfers compete in the event.

"The level of surfing is way up there. The intent is to spread the aloha to the international surfers, and let them know that as long as they behave, they can feel welcome at Haleiwa."

In a return to days past, when women competitors filled the event, a women's longboard division will join the usual assortment of competition for boys, junior men, men, masters and seniors.

It is strictly an amateur event, except for a Japanese pro-am division. Shortboard pros can enter longboard divisions and vice versa, and retired pros can compete if they have been out for three years.

Contest director Kerry Terukina came ashore to talk about the event after sampling 10- to 12-foot waves at the contest site.

"They keep electing Kerry as director because he is eligible now, and they don't want him competing anymore," Kravitz said with a laugh. "He has won enough."

"This has become the steppingstone for a lot of the young surfers from around the world, to test themselves against the elements to find out whether their professional aspirations are realistic," Terukina said

The contest has an interesting alliance of international and local sponsors such as Zeal Optics, G-Shock and Haleiwa Surf & Sea, and Oahu businesses that donate surfboards, bodyboards and surf gear as prizes.

After all the bills are paid, the remaining money generated by the contest goes to the North Shore community via the Haleiwa Surf Center's ocean recreation fund.

"Despite the goodwill aspect, it's dog-eat-dog out there," Terukina said. "It's the cheapest contest to enter, but with the exposure you get from major magazines, they are getting so much in return."

Entry fee is $30 in advance or $35 the day of competition. For information, call 637-5051.