Swell Events – Swell Lines

2017 Point Panic Experience

Written by Kanekoa Crabbe, Event Director

Photographs provided by Jeff Kawelo instagram @unko_shots

“Point Panic was unreal! 90 feet and glassy!” The words of the late-great Rap Replinger were jokingly uttered from person to person on Friday & Saturday, September 1^st & 2^nd at Kaka’ako Waterfront Park. Why? Because for the first time in over two years, the Oahu south shore surf finally pumped!

With over 80 entered wave riders and nearly 20 hopeful alternates, brand new competition caps from DaFin & Vissla, a 6-man team of judges and an obnoxious Hawaiian bodysurfer blowing his conch shell every time a solid set popped on the horizon, the bar of performance bodysurfing was once again raised higher than ever before. From the Wyatt Yee triple-spinner to the Kaneali’i Wilcox front-flip/barrel combo to the B.K. Holt & Kai Santos belly spins to the Matt Solomon ridiculous perfect 10 in-and-out barrel and the Mark Cunningham record ride time from the main peak to the Kewalo basin channel, this annual celebration epitomized what Hawaii’s best bodysurfers do at Hawaii’s best bodysurfing wave. Super-woman Sanja Duplessis surfed a ridiculous 6 heats on Saturday and placed in 3 finals. A dozen teenagers charged the solid Point Panic surf while being encouraged by huge cheers on land and with major support from the water patrol elders observing from the channel. One of those “teenagers” became the youngest Point Panic Grand Champion to date; a record that will stand the test of time.

18 year-old Wyatt Yee silently rose to the top earning 1^st place in the 19&under bodysurf division, 2^nd place in the 19&under handboard division and 1^st place in the prestigious Grand Championship Bodysurfing Final. Following in the footsteps of 2015 Grand Champion Kaneali’i Wilcox, Wyatt was assertive, smart and patient in his 5th heat of the day on Saturday and emerged from his underdog/underage status to winning the most important heat of his life. Besting one of the greatest bodysurfers in the world, runner-up living legend Mark Cunningham continued to set the example of pure bodysurfing for all as he does year after year after year.

Mahalo nui loa to all the supporters and sponsors for assisting, contributing, donating and giving of your time, efforts and/or services to help run this 9^th annual grassroots, community event for all to enjoy! They include DAFIN, VISSLA, HAWAIIAN SOUTH SHORE, Vertra Inc., Menehune Water Company, Surf News Network, Scott Hawaii, Soaptopia, Redwings Cleaver Handboards, 662 Ride Shop, Willie Mai’i, Ben Severson, Larry Russo Jr., Nick Menas, Bill Wise, Cal Stanton, Pat Caldwell, Wayne Takamine, Rocky Canon, Mark Cunningham, Jeff Kawelo, Kamaka Jingao, da “boyz” under the tree, the Lehano & Crabbe Ohana and everybody who helped set up on Thursday and break down and clean up on Saturday. With your kokua and aloha, we will continue to perpetuate the purest form of wave riding at Point Panic in the years to come for the people of today and for the future generations of tomorrow.

BODYSURF GRAND CHAMPIONSHIP

1 WYATT YEE

2 MARK CUNNINGHAM

3 MATT SOLOMON

4 KANEALI’I WILCOX

5 SANJA DUPLESSIS

BODYSURF 19&UNDER

1 WYATT YEE

2 DANE TORRES

3 MAKALI’I LILLY

BODYSURF 20-34

1 KANEALI’I WILCOX

2 THOMAS VAN MELUM

3 KEALI’I PUNLEY

4 CHAD ANDINO

BODYSURF 35-49

1 MATT SOLOMON

2 KEALI’I MANUWA

3 BLAINE LEWIS

4 MARVIN HESKETT

BODYSURF 50+

1 MARK CUNNINGHAM

2 KAI SANTOS

3 DON KING

4 STEVE KAPELA

BODYSURF WOMEN

1 SANJA DUPLESSIS

2 ALISA MURATA

3 KYLA LOZIS

4 CARLA LEWIS

HANDBOARD 19&UNDER

1 TAYLOR CHAR

2 WYATT YEE

3 KAYA PAULSEN

HANDBOARD OPEN

1 BK HOLT

2 KAI SANTOS

3 KANEALII WILCOX

4 SANJA DUPLESSIS

September, 2017February, 2018

Swell Lines Magazine

Gallery 2017 WBC

Gallery 1 by Ken Pagliaro

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Check out more of Ken’s work at his website.

Gallery 2 by Swell Lines Mag

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September, 2017February, 2018

Swell Lines Magazine

2017 Pipeline Bodysurfing Contest

On March 28, 2017 Pipeline was taken over by some of the best bodysurfers on the planet for the North Shore Lifeguard Association’s annual bodysurfing contest. The NSLA carried on the 40+ year tradition of holding a Pipeline bodysurfing contest for the original surfing tribe. Due to the late-season holding period, the surf isn’t always classic pipe conditions, but this year contestants took advantage of a beautiful day and overhead swell. Mike Stewart was able to take down another title in the talented field. Three very talented photographers provided us with a comprehensive gallery of stoke. Please contact them for prints and enjoy.

Gallery by Mike Chlala @chlala_shoots

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Gallery by Brian Yee @808maukatomakai

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Gallery by Jeff Kawelo @unko_shots

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April, 2017

Swell Lines Magazine

2016 Point Panic Experience

The 2016 Point Panic Experience

Written by Event Director Kanekoa Crabbe

All photos provided by Nick Ricca @nickricca

Congratulations to B.K Holt & Kai Santos for winning the Bodysurfing & Handboarding Divisions of the 2016 Point Panic Experience! These individuals were also the only two wave riders whom advanced to both final heats on both days of competition. Though the surf was small, clean and somewhat inconsistent, all 50+ contestants took full advantage of the opportunity provided. From a fired-up 11-year old beach entry grommet to the small handful of elders in their 60’s, these pure wave riders came to Point Panic from the islands of Hawaii and Kauai, Australia, North & South America and various locations on Oahu.

Young Point Panic wave glider taking notes

Hugging the point on the way in

The Point Panic Headquarters

Strapping up and preparing for the slippery decent

High & tight and holding on

Much thanks and appreciation go out to ALL of this years’ participants, supporters and various sponsors of this 8^th annual Point Panic wave riding event. They include VISSLA, DaFin, Hawaiian South Shore, Soaptopia, Vertra, Custom Countertops Inc., EKM Records, Friends of Point Panic Foundation, Malama Point Panic, Menehune Water Company, Viper Surfing Fins, BSD Inc., International Bodysurfer, Manukai Handboards, Hawaiian Handplanes, Hawaiian Handfins and Wave Blades. Mahalo nui loa for perpetuating the purest form of wave riding at the best bodysurfing wave in the world! Hope to see you all again next year at Point Panic and don’t forget to pray for surf so maybe, just maybe, it’ll be “90 feet and glassy!”

2016 Handboarding Champ Kai Santos with tools in hand

Cherished for the memories, pride and joy!

Setting up for the inevitable

Point Panic Priceless Perfection

October, 2016March, 2017

Swell Lines Magazine

WBC Weekend

Oceanside Pier- Saturday Aug. 20th 6am:
Local buoys read 6ft. at 16 seconds from the SSW. The beach on both sides of the Pier quickly filled with tents and bodysurf fins as an international contingent prepared to kickoff the 40th Annual World Bodysurfing Championships.

Spencer Ford doing a Pier lap in the current.

Competitors ranged from 12 to 75 years old and from California, New York, Hawaii, Brazil, Australia, France and Britain. They discussed strategies and the inevitable, dreaded current. Solid south swells tend to create strong longshore currents at open beachbreaks like Oceanside. The contest weekend certainly had plenty. Competitors on the south side started their heats 200-400 yards down the beach, expecting the strong drift. Some heats saw numerous competitors wash through the Pier. But the surf remained good to very good throughout the entire weekend.

With Team Kaha Nalu Hawaii making the trip, the unexpected appearance of Mike Stewart, first time contestants from around the world and California’s best…the overall level of bodysurfing was extraordinarily high at the 2016 WBC.

On Saturday night, Swell Lines hosted an event at the nearby Spring Hill Marriott. Tim Burnham screened his fantastic documentary “Dirty Old Wedge” to the delight of the crowd. They laughed, gasped, cried and sat on the edge of their seats. We also planned to honor Viper Surf Fin inventor, Fred Simpson, for his contributions to bodysurfing and the World Bodysurfing Contest.

After the movie, we called a panel of seminal bodysurf figures to the front for a question and answer session. Including Fred Simpson, Mark Cunningham, Mike Stewart, Tim Burnham, JT Nickelson, and Teddy Bandaruk. For us here at Swell Lines Inc, the opportunity to bring Fred, Mark, Mike and an international crew of bodysurfers together to celebrate bodysurfing and the Ocean was a dream come true.

Somebody asked Mark about bodysurfing Teahupoo. “Eh there’s just too much water moving for it to be a great bodysurfing wave.” Mike sharply interrupted, “It’s a perfect bodysurf wave. So much potential.” We all see the Ocean a but different, but certainly Mike’s perspective is especially unique.

Next, Scott Hubbell honored Fred for his years of dedication to the WBC with a beautiful ceramic bowl lined with breaking waves. Tim Burnham gave Fred a one of kind, gold plated Viper Fin plaque. Then an older gentleman rushed to the stage, took the microphone in an impromptu moment of honor. He introduced himself as a friend and former coworker of Fred’s at Xerox. He told the story of Fred’s revolutionary Wedge bodysurfing style. Apparently, in the late 60’s, Fred was rushing through the Xerox offices, slipped on the floor, his necktie then caught in a filing cabinet, one of his hands reached out to break his fall and his other hand formed the now classic chicken wing from his hip. “The Fred” was born.

Men’s Age Group Winners:
12-14 Alexander Makshanoff
15-17 Dylan Biggerstaff
18-24 Cole Margo
25-34 Alexander Vicente
35-44 Matt Solomon
45-54 Mike Stewart
55-64 Mark Cunningham
65+ Jim Isaac