2015 Point Panic Bodysurfing Championship

Written by Event Director Kanekoa Crabbe

Photographs provided by Neal Miyake

On the last weekend of July, a handful of Hawaii’s most talented bodysurfers gathered at Point Panic to show off their skills during the biggest swell of the summer thus far.  Powerful 4 to 6 foot Hawaiian surf (8-12 foot wave faces) warranted a High Surf Warning and with the ideal SSW swell direction, many longtime Point Panic locals were calling the waves on Sunday morning and afternoon “as good as it gets!”.  While many of the participants reside on Oahu, a small handful of bodysurfers from the Big Island of Hawaii, California, Australia and Brazil took full advantage of the opportunity.  Though some endured a few scrapes, bruises and lost fins caused by the large surf, strong current and slippery stairwell, all contestants and spectators were smiling ear to ear buzzing with positivity during these two memorable days.

Fifty eager contestants ranging from teenagers to senior citizens had the opportunity to surf twice on Saturday with only five bodysurfers in the water at a time.  After running two rounds with ten heats in each round, the top 24 bodysurfers advanced to the 4-man priority format heats on Sunday.  These 24 wave riders continued to battle it out in the large surf until the final four emerged; a big, dark Hawaiian proudly representing the “Westside” of Oahu, a professional bodyboarding champion from the island of Kauai, a Point Panic bodysurfing legend with his pink & grey Scott fins, and a young-gun sporting black Birdwell shorts & a long goatee.

Jason Nakasato and Kanekoa Crabbe
Keahi Parker
Buoy Sitting
Judges
Brazilian Cheering Section and Photographers

As the final heat commenced, all eyes on land were fixated on the waves.  With the blessing from above, the winds shifted to a more favorable easterly direction during the final heat as 6-foot bombs continued to mow through the lineup.  Waiting for the long rides without much success due to the changing winds, Makaha Bodysurfing Classic Event Director Melvin Keawe proudly represented the “Westside” by making his first Point Panic Bodysurfing Championship final earning 4th place.  Getting busy in the middle “green bouy” zone with a few lengthy rides and numerous rolls, bodyboarding world champion Jeff Hubbard made his bodysurfing presence well known with his 3rd place finish.  360 belly-spinning and barrel-riding his way to his third 2nd place runner-up finish with his pink & grey Scott fins, former 2010 champion B.K. Holt placed his name on the perpetual trophy for a record 4th time in seven years.  But it was the belly-
spinning, front-flipping young gun who got busy working the inside peelers that finished the weekend off as the 2015 Point Panic Bodysurfing Champion.

Kaneali’i Wilcox silently hammered the competition from his #15 seed at the end of Saturday by earning 1st place in 3 of his 4 heats on Sunday with the most important placing in the final heat. As an emerging leader amongst the future generation of young bodysurfers, Kane rose to the occasion once again showing everybody that no matter how large the surf at Point Panic, he swims out with one goal in mind; to win at all costs.  Currently in his early 20’s, Kane was the only competitor to successfully complete and ride out of take-off front-flips and easily pulled a handful of 360 belly spins on both days of competition. As the waves cleaned up and the waves fired relentlessly in the background, Kaneali’i graciously accepted his 1st Place Champion trophy during the award ceremony while smiling and throwing his shaka high and proud.  This years’ recipient of the annual Lokahi award was Mr. Larry Russo Sr. for his selfless service in helping keep the Point Panic Kaka’ako Waterfront Park area clean and safe for all to enjoy.  Humbled and speechless, Mr. Russo is responsible for landscaping, re-grassing, fertilizing and irrigating the famous tree located by the shower at Point Panic that dozens of people use on a daily basis for its shade and scenic views.

Judges’ View
Kai Santos on Day 2
Trophies
Sideshore Semis
The Arena

After the award ceremony as many volunteers and contestants assisted with the breakdown and cleanup of the area, many witnessed some of the best Point Panic surf seen in years.  When asking bodysurfing legend Steve Kapela about Sunday afternoon after the contest (many watching believed he completely dominated the lineup catching the longest and most perfect rides), he said “that was probably the biggest and best Point Panic I’ve ever bodysurfed in my entire life.”  As the weekend concluded, the positivity and joy provided by the surf at Point Panic could be felt by all who witnessed the atmosphere both in and out of the water.

E ola mau na kaha nalu ‘o Hawai’i! (Long live the bodysurfers of Hawai’i!) ALOHA!

The Point Panic Bodysurfing Championship is a community-based, grassroots event created to bring people together in hopes of preserving the best bodysurfing wave in the world.  Formerly called the Pure Point Panic Bodysurfing Event since 2009, this annual gathering perpetuates the legacy provided by former Point Panic bodysurfing event directors Mr. Bob Thomas & family and Mr. Sam & Mrs. Sarah Wahilani of the Point Panic Bodysurfing Club. Various local contributors, supporters and sponsors selflessly donate their time and efforts to make this event possible.  They include DaFin, MS Viper, Viper Surfing Fins, Air Hubb Fins, SOAPTOPIA, Doc Martins of Maui Sunblock, Vertra Sunscreen, NIXON, PATAGONIA, VISSLA, Scott Hawaii, Torpedo People, Kaha Nalu Hawaii, Kua ‘Aina, Menehune Water Company, KINO, Akamai Energy Consulting, Custom Countertops Inc., Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, Surfrider Foundation, Mark Cunningham, Officials Ben Severson & Pat Caldwell, Judges Nick Menas, Wayne Takamine and Larry Russo Jr. and Dr. Michael Kliks of the CTS Foundation.  With the continued support from these noted and future organizations and members of the community, we anxiously look forward to perpetuating bodysurfing at Point Panic to the best of our combined abilities in the many years to come.

2015 Point Panic Bodysurfing Championships results

Swell Lines Magazine

Progression: The Flip

Interview with Kaha Nalu Hawaii Rider and 2015 Point Panic Champion

Kaneali’i Wilcox

How old are you and how long have you been bodysurfing at Point Panic?

I’m 23 and I’ve been surfing Panics for almost half my life, going on 11 years.

How long have you been attempting the flip? Have you actually completed it before?

I’ve been doing this maneuver for about 8 years now. It took me a couple of weeks before I started to get the hang of it. Then maybe like a few more years until I could do them on sets and only the last few years I’ve been able to ride it out and do a few more tricks after.

Have you seen other guys complete the flip?

Well my friend Kenji showed me a clip on Youtube of a Brazilian doing a flip and that’s where it all started. Since then, I have a few friends that can also pull this trick off.

Why is Point Panic such a hot bed for bodysurfing innovation? What makes it special?

The wave speed at Point Panics is perfect for bodysurfers; it allows us to do the tricks we want. What makes Panics so special is not just the fact that legally only bodysurfers can ride there, it’s the camaraderie that goes around. I can remember my first sessions out there: uncles giving me tips on how to ride the wave better, almost always the smell of someone BBQ-ing accompanied by all their loud laughter, and nothing but stoke for bodysurfing. Luckily same goes to this day. I love hooting at the little ones giving them the extra courage to charge.

What is the next big bodysurfing trick?

My friend Matt from Big island was telling me that he’s pulled off an ARS a few times and I’ve seen a Brazilian on Youtube do one so that’s the next one to practice.

Swell Lines Magazine

Bud Browne: A Body Surfer

Written by Anna Trent Moore

Bud Browne created the first surf films, documenting surfing and its culture from the birth of modern Big Wave Surfing through the short board evolution. A teacher until the age of forty, he left teaching to invent the career of a surf filmmaker. He produced his first film, Hawaiian Surfing Movies, in 1953, and then went on to produce 13 more. Now recognized as the father of the surf film and the creator of the genre, the pioneer spirit in which he tackled his craft has led and inspired an industry that has grown into the mainstream psyche. His contribution to the art of surf filmmaking is immeasurable, and he is revered in the industry as a Surfing National Treasure.  
img-601163010
Bud Browne (1912-2008)

Yes, he is the godfather of the surf film, capturing the golden period of modern Big Wave Surfing in the early 1950’s, through the short board revolution of the 1960’s through mid-1970’s. But perhaps nothing defined Bud Browne more as a man of water than that of a bodysurfer.

Like every bodysurfer, his connection to the water began with swimming. In fact, it was his exceptional power as a swimmer that coined him the moniker, the Barracuda. He was captain of the USC swim team and a stellar athlete, but it was while swimming competitively for the L.A. Athletic Club that a chance encounter with the legendary Duke Kahanamoku inspired a visit to Hawaii. Duke was visiting the LAAC in 1930’s when he observed Bud swimming the freestyle stroke in the pool. He approached Bud, and after introducing himself, offered some swimming pointers on the freestyle. It was this friendly exchange that led to Bud’s visit to Hawaii in 1938. Traveling there on the Matsonian Mariposa’s maiden voyage, he met up with Duke Kahanomuku once again, filming him in Waikiki surf, and became a member of Hawaii’s Waikiki Surf Club.

It was in the 1930’s as a lifeguard that Bud first learned how to surf on the lifeguard rescue paddleboards. Later, he took a surfboard to Hawaii in the 1950’s, leaving it there so that he would have a board to surf whenever he returned to the islands. The board was used by various friends and eventually lost, but by then, Bud had already shifted gears, spending less time on a board and more time behind a camera.

What began as a hobby soon became a serious pursuit. A teacher for the Los Angeles County School District, Bud made the decision to leave the secure job of teaching to invent the career of a surf filmmaker. Attending USC to study film editing, he began to study the craft of filmmaking in earnest, eventually filming fourteen full-featured surf films.

 

1960’s Frame Grab from The Wedge by Bud Browne
1960’s Frame Grab from The Wedge by Bud Browne
1960’s Frame Grab from The Wedge by Bud Browne

Although he left surfing, he never left bodysurfing. Devoted to the freest form of wave riding, he filmed bodysurfing prolifically in California and Hawaii from the 1960’s through 1980’s. Every single one of his films that he produced included bodysurfing. Bodysurfing and swimming himself until he was well into his eighties, he never left the water until the loss of his eyesight prevented him from doing it any longer. Still, toward the end, he dreamed of it.

At the final stretch of life, when time was pressing, we began to talk about the ‘favorite beach.’ Often noncommittal in his opinions because he never wished to offend, he was hesitant to swear allegiance to one place over another. Still, we mulled over the different spots, and the one constant was that it was always somewhere in Hawaii.

I think at this point in ones life, the summation of your life is weighed by where and what you gave the best of your self to. And it was perhaps for this reason that his choices narrowed between Makaha and Pipeline. Interestingly, the first, Makaha, was where he began his career as a filmmaker, and the second, Pipeline, was where he filmed his final full-featured film.    

   Then, shortly before he passed, I asked him for the umpteenth time, “What’s your favorite beach Bud?”

   And this time without pause he said, “Pipeline.”

   “What’s your favorite spot to film?” I had become relentless.

   Again, without missing a beat he said, “Pipeline.”  

   I needed to get this one right. “What’s the prettiest wave?”

   He paused here before saying, “Pipeline.” 

   Then, I don’t know why, but maybe because I wanted no stone unturned, “What’s your favorite place to bodysurf?”

     “Pipeline.” And that’s how it was decided.

     He was so right of course. As usual. Because Pipeline is where he gave the best of himself. It’s exactly where he should be bodysurfing for all eternity. Lucky! Long live the Barracuda.  

Anna Trent Moore is a teacher, writer, surfer, and curator of the Bud Browne Film Archives, the most significant film collection of surf history in the world. Born and raised in Makaha, Hawaii, she is the daughter of legendary Big Wave surfer Buzzy Trent. Anna has written numerous articles on surf history and has published three books, Increments of Fear: The Buzzy Trent Story, One Ocean, and Laughing at Water. Anna divides her time between the California coast and Hawaii, where she writes about surfing and it’s people.

Copyright BBFA 2015

 

Swell Lines Magazine

240 FPS: Short Film by Misfit Pictures

Pierce Michael Kavanagh is a lifelong bodysurfer with a deep appreciation for the Ocean. In the premiere of his short film, director PMK shares the fast-paced world of the womp at a speed our feeble human brains can process. Enjoy it on repeat.

240FPS from MISFIT PICTURES on Vimeo.

Pierce is also the director of the San Diego Surf Film Festival. Checkout the line-up of international filmmakers set to debut May 20.

Swell Lines Magazine

Buffalo: by Dr. Hal Handley

Sometime in the early 1960’s, TV’s Jim McKay’s narrative on ABC’s Wide World of Sports highlighted the pageantry and excitement of many unusual and lesser-known sports.  His voice rose, crested and fell with stories portraying athletes pushing their limits for the “thrill of victory or the agony of defeat”.

Buffalo at Makaha Photo: Encyclopedia of Surfing- Don James
Buffalo at Makaha. Photo: Encyclopedia of Surfing- Don James

From 1962 to 1965, Wide World of Sports aired the annual Makaha International Surfing Championships.  During one show, the long time patriarch of the Makaha Beach environs, Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana was featured bodysurfing along the sandy shore with the incredible grace and the ease of a marine mammal at play with the waves.  Perhaps the image of his joy, play and practice of an ancient Polynesian sport crystallized somewhere in my brain.  The interview of Buffalo covered his (still) legendary stature as a waterman and I, just a 13-year-old Junior Lifeguard, was hooked.  Buffalo stored his swim fins in his refrigerator to prevent their corrosion.  Why THAT hooked me? I have no idea, an indelible image seared in my young brain.  For many years thereafter, I treasured my fins and fought with my mother’s macaroni and cheese casserole for the prime cold storage location.

At that point, a seed of passion grew in my life.  A passion born of being knocked down wave after wave, each time jumping up and running back into the shorebreak for one more.  A passion maintained by deep pockets of sand in every ear, nose, eye and shorts carried with me nearly everywhere I went.  Before I ever entered high school, I had dismissed my father’s passion for baseball and found my own in the water.
I wanted to ride like Buffalo across the waves.  I was only subliminally aware of his exceptional talent.  “California big-wave pioneer Greg Noll once watched Keaulana bodysurf six-foot waves at Yokohama, near Makaha. ‘He looked so natural,’ Noll later recalled, ‘streaking across the waves like a seal. I actually expected him to turn and swim out to sea when he was done” [1].  So by the time I was 16, I was determined to study and bodysurf the most famous bodysurfing wave I knew: The Wedge.

By 1969, I was comfortable at Wedge.  Two large swells late that summer pushed Wedge passed the 9th pole! After innumerable attempts, poundings and some success in large surf that summer, my high school friend, Bob Gove and I endeavored to visit the legendary islands and waves of Hawaii in December of 1969.

We arrived just after one of the largest swells in surf history. Fresh fables circled the island: Greg Noll at 30ft. Makaha and journalist/bodysurfer Bruce Jenkins riding a wave through his wall and across Kam Highway- on his mattress. Five days into our trip, we witnessed Makaha rise from 2-4 feet to 15-18 feet within about 6 hours.

Here we camped, concealed in the bushes. One day, a jacket I kept for evening warmth was stolen, but when word reached the local Kahuna, the jacket was returned the following day with a verbal apology.  Buffalo had heard of the transgression and corrected it without even having met us.  Aloha.

Somewhat intimidated and anxious to explore the North Shore, we began “camping” in the yards of unoccupied beachfront homes. After two nights, we were rousted from our sleepy hideouts by radio reports of another impending monster swell.  Evacuation orders were again issued for the second time that month.  We found shelter in a chance and perfectly timed encounter with one of my Newport bodysurfing friends staying at a ramshackle mountainside bungalow.

We awoke from our high perch around 2:00am to the deep rumble of big surf.  As the sun rose, we saw mountains of water, waves the size of high-rise buildings, towering and tumbling to the shore.  My only estimation of size came by counting a full, one thousand one, one thousand two…five seconds from the pitch of the lip to its impact.  No waves since have matched that view. Those last few days on the North Shore molded confidence into a cautious understanding of bigger surf.

As we prepared for home on our last evening, we were invited by surfer Mike Purpus and friends for a beach cookout of fresh parrot fish stuffed with corned beef hash.  Bob and I had lived on shave ice, almond cookies and the odd can of Spaghetti-O’s, so this was our departure luau. We settled around a small fire when a burly local swam to shore with his days catch.

Buffalo Photo: Encyclopedia of Surfing, Greg Noll video
Buffalo. Photo: Encyclopedia of Surfing, Greg Noll video

The diver was clearly a local waterman and touted “beachboy” from Waikiki.  He welcomed us to share in his catch and we talked story around the fire.  When I learned that this man was the Hawaiian surfing legend, Buffalo Keaulana, my adventure was complete.  To Buffalo, we were two forgettable grommets among many.  Upon us, he bestowed a spirit of aloha which instilled a lifelong memory whose spirit remains the same even while time erases the details.  I have not spoken with Buffalo since that day, but I do owe him a debt of gratitude.  His aloha launched me into many years of joy and sporting passion.
– Hal Handley, Jr..  PhD

[1] Encyclopedia of Surfing.   Richard “Buffalo” Keaulana.

 

Swell Lines Magazine