THE SENATE

S.R. NO.

75

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


SENATE RESOLUTION

 

REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO DECLARE HALEIWA TOWN AS THE SURFING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.

 

WHEREAS, as an island state, Hawaii provides an excellent setting for a number of outdoor recreational sports, but none compares to surfing, a sport that was traditionally used by Hawaiian chiefs as competition to maintain their strength, agility, and command over their people, and today is enjoyed by many local residents, international athletes, and visitors; and

WHEREAS, Haleiwa Town, on Oahu's north shore, was originally a land division known as the ahupua'a of Waialua that was home to ancient Hawaiian communities that thrived along Anahulu Stream, and Hawaiian royalty traveled there to vacation in the summer months; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii's legendary ocean athlete, Duke Kahanamoku, drew the world's attention to modern-day surfing through his medal-winning swimming at several Olympic events; and

WHEREAS, the international surfing industry has grown so rapidly that it has included the development of various board designs, advanced surf equipment, tools, and accessories, and even new fashions and styles, music, and movies; and

WHEREAS, during the winter months, storms off the Alaskan coast generate sea conditions at Haleiwa Town's beaches that, by 1955, had inspired surfers to migrate from California to search for the ultimate ride down some of the world's biggest waves, and continue to attract daring surfers lured by the giant waves; and

WHEREAS, Haleiwa Town boasts some of the finest and most challenging surf sites in the world, known internationally as Velzyland, Sunset, Kammieland, Rocky Point, Gas Chambers, Pupukea, Pipeline, Off the Wall, Log Cabins, Waimea Bay, Leftovers, Chun's Reef, Jockos, Laniakea, Himalayas, Puaena Point, Haleiwa, and Avalanche, sites with waves that require even the world's surfing elite to be incredibly versatile; and

WHEREAS, the first major professional surfing events to gain national publicity were the Duke Classic, named after Duke Kahanamoku and first held on December 15, 1965, at Paumalu which is also known as Sunset Beach, and the Smirnoff Pro Am, both held in Haleiwa Town; and

WHEREAS, today, surf championships are held in the states of California, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and the countries of Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Costa Rica, England, Fiji, France, Guadeloupe, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, South Africa, Tahiti, Uruguay, and Vietnam; and

WHEREAS, the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Series in Haleiwa Town, which includes the Pipeline Masters, the World Cup at Sunset Beach, and the Hawaiian Pro at Alii Beach, started off as a local Hawaiian-based championship, but has become the most prestigious competition in the surfing world; and

WHEREAS, other professional surfing events in Haleiwa Town include the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau, Excel Pro, Backdoor Shootout, Bodyboarding Pipeline Pro, World Championship of Women's Bodyboarding, Gotcha Pipeline Pro, Pipeline Bodysurfing Classic, Sunset Pointe Soul Challenge, and Faith Riding Pro; and

WHEREAS women's surfing championship events in Haleiwa Town include the Roxy Pro; and

WHEREAS amateur surfing championship events in Haleiwa Town include the Menehune Contest for children and the Haleiwa International Open; and

WHEREAS, Haleiwa Town caters to many residents and vacationing tourists not only because of its significance to ocean sports and the surfing industry, but also because the town contains historical sites, such as the North Shore Surf and Cultural Museum, Queen Liliuokalani Church, Waialua District Court House, and quaint shops, eateries, surf-related businesses, and other businesses that operate out of structures that preserve the territorial architecture of Haleiwa's earlier sugar industry days; and

WHEREAS, Haleiwa Town and its surrounding communities are identified throughout the United States and the world by its zip code, 96712; and

WHEREAS, Haleiwa Town was designated a State Historic, Cultural, and Scenic District in 1984; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2004, that the Governor is respectfully requested to recognize and declare Haleiwa Town as the Surfing Capital of the World; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, Hawaii's Congressional delegation, the mayors of each county in the State, Chair of Neighborhood Board No. 27, and the Executive Director of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

DECLARING HALEIWA TOWN AS THE SURFING CAPITAL OF THE WORLD