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Lingle signs bill making extreme fighting legal

Promoters in Hawaii will be allowed to stage extreme fighting matches under a bill signed into law by Gov. Linda Lingle.

Existing Hawaii law had prohibited extreme fighting, but supporters of the bill said the prohibition was unclear.

The new law (SB 768), sponsored by the Lingle administration, creates a series of requirements before the match may be staged.

Under the new law, extreme fighting is an event in which participants "are permitted to use a combination of combative contact techniques, including punches, kicks, chokes, joint locks, and other maneuvers, with or without the use of weapons."

The Commerce and Consumer Affairs Department will enforce the new law.

According to the law, fighters must be medically fit adults who are not disqualified in another jurisdiction. Also the fight promoters must implement rules that protect the safety of the combatants and an experienced referee must be in the ring.

The law also calls for a licensed physician at ringside, and promoters must provide proof to DCCA that their event complies with the new law at least 30 days before the event and must provide an unedited videotape of the event afterward.

Violators can be fined up to $10,000 for each offense.

Phillips, Penovaroff triumph at Golden Gloves

Van Oscar Penovaroff of Kailua-Kona and John Phillips of Wahiawa won preliminary bouts at the National Golden Gloves boxing tournament in Little Rock, Ark.

Penovaroff beat Ramondo Elliott 5-0 at 132 pounds yesterday, and Phillips defeated Robert Raigoza Jr. by technical knockout at 1:03 of the second round in the 165-pound class on Monday.

Waimanalo's Arvell Spencer (178 pounds), Waipahu's Brooks Jumawan (152) and Jeffrey Pelen Jr. (141) lost in preliminary bouts.

Two others from Hawaii are still alive in the competition -- Waimanalo's Angel Gallardo (112) and Wahiawa's Brian Battease (125).

Slater captures Billabong Pro Tahiti surf title

Six-time world champion Kelly Slater beat Damien Hobgood in yesterday's Billabong Pro Tahiti surf final at Teahupoo.

Slater moved up to fourth in the Association of Surfing Professionals' World Championship Tour rankings.

Trent Munro leads the rankings, followed by three-time world champion Andy Irons of Kauai and Hobgood.

Irons, his brother Bruce Irons and Kalani Robb were eliminated in yesterday's fourth round, while fellow Hawaii surfer Fred Patacchia lost to Hobgood in the quarterfinals.

Hout among 3 to join HPU volleyball team

Moanalua standout volleyball player Danie Hout signed to play for Hawaii Pacific next season, according to coach Tita Ahuna.

Hout, a Star-Bulletin All-State selection, is a 5-foot-8 outside hitter.

She joins two others who signed to play for the Sea Warriors -- junior college transfer Thayssa Soares and incoming freshman Antje Buskies.

Soares is coming via Florida Community College in Jacksonville. She was a conference player of the year as an outside hitter.

Buskies, a 6-foot setter, is making the journey from Dresden Germany. Her high school team won the national title in 2004.

Alika Williams, a former standout player at Punahou and UC Santa Barbara, is a new assistant coach for the Sea Warriors.

» The annual Rainbow Wahine volleyball camp runs in four sessions this summer. Wahine coach Dave Shoji and his staff are the instructors.

The sessions are for boys and girls entering grades 4-12 and run June 19-22, July 14-17, Aug. 1-4 and Aug. 8-11 from 1 to 5 p.m.

The cost is $150, or $400 with room and board. For more information, call 956-6229.