HILO — The Big Island surfing community, energized by the success of the inaugural BIIF surfing season, was eager to kick off the 2026-27 contest season.

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HILO — The Big Island surfing community, energized by the success of the inaugural BIIF surfing season, was eager to kick off the 2026-27 contest season.

Unfortunately, Hurricane Lala altered the shoreline at Honoli’i and deposited significant debris, which resulted in a delay of the Honoli’i Boogie Fest. Undeterred, Coach Danie Villena Jr. of 360 Hilo gathered together some of the bodyboarding ohana and cleaned up Honoli’i Beach Park so the show could go on this past Sunday.

The Honoli’i Boogie Fest is just one way that the local surfing community is coming together to support the newly formed high school programs. The BIIF surfing program opened some eyes last year at the state championship when two Big Island surfers — Alex Ranne and Filex Barton — captured the boys longboard and bodyboarding championships. With several other surfers also having success at states, it was clear that providing more support for Big Island youth surfing would pay dividends.

Villena Jr. is the first to point out that he couldn’t do this on his own, and he credits some of last year’s top BIIF surfers with helping to spearhead the Boogie Fest. BIIF bodyboard champion Isaiah Ishigo was joined by fellow BIIF surfing athletes, Keao Garmon, Analu Yockman and Keanu Kim in helping to organize and judge the contest.

Villena Jr. said this about his goals for the contest: “Get the kids off their devices, off the couches and out in the water moving and exercising, that is the main thing.”

Ishigo took his commitment one step further by starting his pursuit of a career in the culinary arts early by cooking up a batch of chili for contestants and supporters to enjoy during the contest.

The surfing gods were clearly pleased with all the work the 360 Hilo ohana put into preparing for the event and rewarded the competitors and spectators with beautiful weather conditions, glassy water and some nice consistent sets rolling through. The competition featured 11 events — including the Paepo’o division, which saw the contestants break out the classic wooden boards. The auntie and uncle completions were especially entertaining. The full results from each division and heat can be found at liveheats.com under 360 Hilo.

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In the divisions where high school athletes we competing the results were as follows:

• Boys 12-14: 1. Kamden Agliam 2. Tava Kahalioumi 3. Ehukai Kekuewa

• Boys 15-17: 1. Saezen Souza 2. Ke‘ahilele Uyematsu 3. Rylee Pang

• Girls 12-17: 1. Kaiwi Wong 2. Brinn Brooks 3. Olene Hose

With the goal of offering more opportunities to compete, the Hawaii Surfing Association (HSA), will begin its season on September 12 — offering BIIF surf team members a chance to gain more competition experience. The HSA has also expanded the bodyboarding categories to give more opportunities to those athletes. In order to make it easier for high school surfers to compete at HSA events, the organization has teamed up with the Chee Pono Foundation to provide scholarships to each high school’s surf team. Interested athletes should contact their coach for more details.

The recently formed Boardrider clubs are also giving young surfers more options to compete with surfers in the 14-and-under and 15-19 age groups — making up part of each Boardrider club. The Banyan, Kalapana and Honoli’i Boardriders clubs have recently formed and are currently organizing competitions.

The Chee Pono Foundation, founded by Konawaena grad and drummer for the band Pepper, Yesod Williams, has been supporting youth surfing on the Big Island since its inception including helping with travel expenses and providing scholarships funds for last year’s BIIF surfing teams.

Williams had this to say about sponsoring surfers for HSA contests and supporting the Boardrider club movement: “Hawaii is our heart and surfing is the blood that runs through our veins. It is an honor to support youth surfing, and it’s one I don’t take lightly”

There are a number of competitive surfing events taking place between now and the beginning of the BIIF surf season in the spring. The Big Island surfing community is more dedicated than ever to supporting high school surfers as they prepare to perform on the island’s and state’s biggest stages.

Follow @biif_surf, @hsabigisland, @360hilo, @bigislandsports, @cheeponofoundation @banyanboardriders and @kalapana_boardriders on Instagram for more youth and high school surfing information and content.

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