Waikiki festivities to honor
Duke with surfing contest
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A hoolaulea to celebrate Kahanamoku's life will include a longboard surfing meet, waterman sports events, a lei draping of Duke's statue and a Sunday brunch block party on Kalakaua Avenue. A traditional ceremony to celebrate Duke's 114th birthday will be held on Aug. 24.
One of the main events of the hoolaulea is the Converse Hawaiian Open that offers $26,000 in prize money. The competition, held by Longboard Magazine, is the third of four stages of the U.S. Professional Longboard Championships. A total of $10,000 will go to the winner in each of the men's and women's divisions. A nose-riding competition will also be held where a $6,000 monetary prize will be split between the men's and women's divisions.
Kahanamoku, considered the father of international surfing, was the first person to be inducted in the swimming hall of fame and the surfing hall of fame. He participated in four summer Olympic games between 1912 and 1932.
Kahanamoku won three gold medals and two silver medals in swimming relays and a bronze medal in water polo. He died in 1968 at the age of 77.
Schedule of festivities
Honoring Duke Kahanamoku
Aug. 20
From 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.: The Converse Hawaiian Open-Preliminaries. For more information, call Paul Holmes at (949) 366-8282 or e-mail editor@longboardmagazine.com.5 p.m.: Old-Timers Beach Boy Celebration at Duke's Waikiki. Duke's friends and fellow beach boys will meet and "talk story" of Kahanamoku.
Aug. 21
From 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.: The Converse Hawaiian Open-Finals.>> From 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Surf Polo at the Kapahulu Groin. Teams will compete in the Bud Light Surf Polo tournament at Waikiki Beach.
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach:
>> Lei will be made to drape Duke's statue.
>> Duke's Olympic medals will be displayed at the Bishop Museum.
>> The Hawaiian Longboard Federation will present a collection of historic reproduced wooden longboards made by Pohaku.
>> Sandra Hall will debut her new book called, "Duke: A Great Hawaiian." She will hold presentations at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. A portion of the book's proceeds will go to the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation.
From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sheraton Moana Surfrider:
>> The public is invited to join in a community lei making that will be used to decorate Duke's statue.
>> 10 a.m. Grady Timmons, historian and author of "Waikiki Beach Boys," will hold a slide presentation about the legendary surfer.
>> Author Timothy DeLa Vega will hold a presentation highlighting the history of longboard surfing.
5 p.m. Lei draping of Duke's statue. A sidewalk surfboard procession of lei will make its way to the statue starting from the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach at 4:30 p.m.
Aug. 22
8:30 a.m.: Duke's Ocean Mile Swim. Swimmers will race along the Waikiki shoreline.From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Brunch on the Beach on Kalakaua Avenue. A block party featuring entertainment in honor of Duke.
10 a.m.: Waterman Challenge. Teams that include lifeguards from Honolulu and Los Angeles will compete in swimming, paddle boarding and canoe racing in front of Waikiki Beach.
Around noon: Lanikai Canoe Club's 37th annual Duke Kahanamoku Classic. Paddlers will race 24 miles from Kailua Beach Park to Duke Kahanamoku Beach in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa. Paddlers should start arriving in Waikiki around noon.
Aug. 23
Duke's memorabilia will be displayed at the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach.Aug. 24
From 5:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.: Duke's 114th birthday anniversary. Sunrise birthday greeting at Duke's statue.>> Duke's friends and former co-paddlers will ride in a canoe and spread flowers in waters off Waikiki. His statue will be draped with lei.