Each winter, a certain energy enters the air over Maui. The salty spray begins to coat everything within miles of the shoreline, and an electricity runs through the North Shore. In the distant Pacific, typhoons and storms generate masses of ocean energy that send swells pumping toward the the island, hitting the shoreline from Ha‘iku to Paukukalo and wrapping around Mauna Kahalawai to Honolua. This week, Maui was hit with its first major winter swell, with life-threatening sized surf. Winter on Maui means waves, and on a world-class surfing island like Maui, waves mean contests.
This week, as the waves and winds built and the surfers geared up, there were two contests running simultaneously as Maui played host to the pros. At Peahi, the famed surf-spot that produces cathedral-sized waves, cars lined Hana Highway as spectators tromped down to the cliffs to watch world-class surfers at the Peahi Challenge. On the other side of the island, at Honolua, which produces one of the most shapely waves in the world, the Beachwaver Maui Pro was on as competitors surfed it out for a world title.
At Peahi, the women started out Monday morning with wild and windy conditions as frothy waves towered overhead. Pulling into set after windy set, the women showed heart as they pulled in bravely and took a fair share of poundings each. Keala Kennelly ended up winning the title, saying afterward, “That was probably the most challenging conditions I’ve ever surfed out here. It was so gnarly. There was so much wind, when you’re coming down the face, getting up under your board and wreaking havoc. I took a couple nuts ones on the head.”
Later in the day, the men took over, but the contest organizers called off the contest for the rest of the day citing safety concerns, causing some controversy. During a webcast, Maui resident Billy Kemper said, “It is gnarly, it is dangerous, but this is what we live and train for. We’re going for the Big Wave World Title, right? You want the biggest, nutsest waves in the world? This is it.” They picked up the contest again the next day, and though the waves had dropped slightly, the wind had not, causing an airshow of epic proportions in rowdy conditions that had the crowd gasping and groaning. Kemper ended up winning the contest, his third time doing so, solidifying his status as a top big-wave surfer in the world and master of Peahi.
Over at Honolua, in tamer waves and different kind of stakes, solid but non-life-threatening waves peeled into the bay as the top women surfers battled it out at the final stop of the World Surf League championship world tour. At the end of Monday, Stephanie Gilmore had claimed her 7th Surfing World Title, a historic finish that puts her on a short list of only two other surfers who have done that: Kelly Slater and Layne Beachley. Tuesday, Carissa Moore ended up winning the contest with a perfect scored wave.
Overall, the contest excitement will clear, but the energy in the air will likely not, as we enter Maui’s surf season.
Results:
Jaws Challenge
Women
1. Keala Kennelly
2. Andrea Moller
3. Emily Erickson
4. Paige Alms
5. Justine Dupont
6. Bianca Valenti
Men
1. Billy Kemper
2. Kai Lenny
3. Albee Layer
4. Tyler Larronde
5. Grant Baker
6. Koa Rothman
Beachwaver Maui Pro
1. Carissa Moore
2. Malia Manuel
3. Stephanie Gilmore
4. Courtney Conlogue
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Images courtesy World Surf League
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