Kahuna Kupuna update July 18, 2013

The 14^th Annual Kahuna Kupuna Surf Contest is just a few days away on Saturday, July 20, 2013 from 8 am to 5 pm at Linda Mar Beach. We're looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible hanging out with us on the beach that day. The Kahuna Kupuna is the world’s only amateur surf contest specifically designed for surfers over 40 years of age or above. We offer both shortboard and longboard divisions and separate divisions for men and women. The contest also has an Intergenerational Team Division in which the Kupuna surfers (i.e. those over 40) invite younger surfers to join them on a team of 6 surfers that represent three generations. If that’s not all, we also have a SUP Division.

Here’s the latest information on the contest.

HEAT SCHEDULE: The schedule can be downloaded by clicking on this link. If you are a contestant, please take a look at it and make sure you’re in the right heats. We will also post the heat schedule at www.pacificasenvironmentalfamily.org/kahunakupuna . We’re getting a flurry of last minute entries. Please note that heat times may change slightly by Saturday but most will stay the same. Please check the heat schedule that will be posted on the judge’s stand as soon as you get to the contest on Saturday.

INTERGENERATIONAL TEAMS: You may notice that three Intergenerational Teams have lots of openings. We suspect that not everyone who plans to form a team has sent in the names and ages of their team members. Each team must be comprised of 6 surfers (men/women/SB/LB), represent three generations and each member must pay their entry fee before they paddle out into their heat. We have a number of people who have said that they would be glad to fill a slot on a team if there is room available. If you want to be on a team, get to the contest early and we’ll do what we can to find a slot for you on one of the unfilled teams

ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL ALL DIVISIONS ARE FULL – BEACH ENTRIES ACCEPTED SPACE PERMITTING: Right now, we have 67 entries. If you have been sitting on the fence about entering the contest and waiting for the waves to come up and the tide to roll in, you’re in luck. Both are forecast to happen this coming Saturday. So, what are you waiting for? The Big Kahuna to drive you to the beach? You’ve got three options: (1) Log onto www.pacificasenvironmentalfamily.org/kahunakupuna and fill out the online entry form and use the Pay Pal link to pay your entry fee. (2) Download the attached entry form, fill it out and zip it over to Roy at KahunaKupuna@comcast.net. You can pay your entry fee at the beach. (3) Drop it off at his house by Friday at noon along with your entry fee. His address is on the entry form. (4) Do a beach entry. If you do that, get to the beach as early as possible before heats fill up because I wasn’t kidding, the waves are supposed to be REALLY good on Saturday morning . . . at least we’re hoping. (Smile)

CONTESTANTS WHO HAVE NOT YET PAID THEIR ENTRY FEE AND WILL PAY ON DAY OF CONTEST: If you haven’t paid your entry fee yet ($70 for Kupunas age 40 and up; $30 for surfers under 40 on an Intergenerational Team), please pay as soon as you arrive at the beach PRIOR to your heat. Mahalo.

OPEN CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO SET UP JUDGE’S STAND ON FRIDAY AT 4:30 PM: An annual tradition for this contest is the set-up of the judge’s stand on the Friday before the contest. Here’s the plan: We meet at the main pump house between 4:00 and 4:30 pm. At 4:30 pm we caravan to the back of Linda Mar Valley to a beautiful horse ranch where the scaffolding for the judge’s stand is stored. We load the scaffolding onto pick-up trucks (have a pick-up truck? Good, bring it!) and then drive back to LM beach and set it up in front of the best peak on da beach. So, if you can’t make it there for the caravan to the back of the Valley at 4:30, just get to Linda Mar beach as close to 5 pm as you can and just hang out if we’re not there. We’ll be there shortly with the scaffolding and then you can show everybody how strong you are. Advance thanks and aloha to everyone who shows up this coming Friday.

OPEN CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SET UP THE CONTEST SITE ON SATURDAY MORNING STARTING AT 6:15 AM: We’ll start set up at 6:15 AM at LM beach. We have to unload a couple of trucks, drag some tables, chairs, shade tents and other assorted things onto the beach and be ready to get rolling by 7:30 AM.

POST CONTEST DINNER AND AWARDS CEREMONY: This year’s Post-Contest Dinner and Awards Ceremony will take place at one of the most best new restaurants in Pacifica: The Surf Spot Restaurant beginning at 5:30 PM. The Surf Spot is located on the East Side of Highway 1 across from Rockaway Beach, which is just north of Linda Mar Beach over the hill. Contestants get a ticket as part of their entry fee. Guests of contestants and supporters of the Kahuna Kupuna get in for $25 and will be available at the t-shirt booth during the contest. We have the entire outside patio and terrace reserved for this closing part of the contest. Since we will be outside but shielded from any wind, please dress in layers. (You know the drill.) The restaurant will have space heaters set up throughout. There will be a limited number of tickets for $10 per person who plan not to eat from the buffet and just want to be part of the celebration. Please don’t BYOB. Surf Spot staff will have a full no-host bar set up for us. Live music will be provided by singer/songwriter JL Stiles. You can check out his music at www.jlstiles.com.