HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Honua Finals, which describes itself as the “World Cup of Interscholastic Surfing,” will make its comeback at the Ala Moana Bowls in July, providing an opportunity for local high school surfers to compete against the world’s best.
The competition will bring surfers from the top high school surf teams in Japan, New Zealand, Canada, California, Maui, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island.
The holding period for the event is July 31 to Aug. 3, with the contest running on the two best days of surf within that timeframe.
“Throughout the years, we have seen young, local surfers miss out on opportunities to establish themselves as athletes — not because they lack the talent or drive, but because they lack the funding needed to travel to elite competitions held thousands of miles away,” event organizer Davin Kazama said. “The Honua Finals is creating a pathway for Hawaiʻi’s surfers to perform on a global stage, while expanding opportunities throughout the islands and making the sport more accessible to the next generation.”
Honua Finals seeks to re-establish the islands as the epicenter of surfing and a place to recognize world champions, the invitational’s team said. In addition to a global scale, the competition is also part of the local community’s effort to adopt surfing as an official sport in high schools across Hawaiʻi.
During the 2025 legislative session, HB133 passed, which would designate $1.37 million to the Department of Education to help establish surfing as an interscholastic sport, which now is awaiting the governor’s signature.
The event is presented by Nike Swim and local sponsors such as Duke’s Waikiki, Wai Kai, the Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority, Royal Hawaiian Center, Hawaii USA Federal Credit Union, Livestream Hawaiʻi and the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation.
For more information on the Honua Finals, visit their website.