Ho‘okipa Surf Classic honors Justin Roberson
PAIA — The Friends of Ho‘okipa will launch the 20th annual Ho‘okipa Surf Classic on Saturday, Jan. 9, at Ho‘okipa Beach Park.
The alternate date is the following Saturday, Jan. 16.
Now in its 20th year, the Ho‘okipa Surf Classic honors Justin Roberson, a talented Maui surfer who died at the age of 19 in 1989 from a vehicle-related accident while participating in the World Qualifying Series of surf contests in California.
“Justin was in the back of a pickup truck with a drunk driver at the wheel,” said Jan Roberson, Justin’s mother.
“So, the Roberson family produces the surf contest to honor Justin’s memory, and to send the message to young surfers to choose their rides wisely, so they can live to ride again.”
Justin was sponsored by Quiksilver, DaKine Hawaii and AstroDeck.
For the last nine years, the Surfrider Foundation-Maui Chapter has sponsored the surf contest, and the Roberson family has donated the contest proceeds in Justin’s memory to Surfrider for its native planting projects at Ho‘okipa Beach Park.
Proceeds from the 20th annual Justin Roberson Ho‘okipa Surf Classic will be donated to the Friends of Ho‘okipa, a new nonprofit, to continue the beautification and restoration of the park.
Eight divisions are offered for groms to veteran surfers.
The popular Pro Am division offers a $1,000, winner-take-all cash prize.
Entry fees are as follows: $50 for Pro-Am; $25 for 45 and older and/or 200-pound-plus division; $25 for open women, junior women and junior men (age 15-17); $20 for grom boys and girls (age 12-14); and $15 for menehune boys and girls (11 and younger).
Beach entries are welcome. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. Entry forms are available at Hana Highway Surf in Paia.
Event sponsors include Volcom, Da Kine Hawaii, HGA and Hana Highway Surf in Paia.
Official surf contest T-shirts will be available for $20 at the contest, or by calling 298-8254 or e-mailing friends_of_hookipa@hawaiiantel.net.
For more information about the Ho‘okipa Surf Classic, call Hana Highway Surf at 579-8999 or Jan Roberson at 298-8254.