22nd Annual Pā‘ia Bay Beachfest, Jan. 19 & 20

The 22nd Annual Pāʻia Bay Beachfest, an annual bodyboarding and surfing competition, will be held on Jan. 19 and 20, 2019 at the Pāʻia Bay Youth and Cultural Center.

This year’s Beachfest will feature many special guests including world-champion waterman Kai Lenny, world-renowned Kainoa McGee, and other special guests and surprises. 

Spencer Holl performs a drop-knee aerial. PC: PYCC.

There are two new youth surf divisions this year that replace traditional shortboarding events: (1) Soft-Top Shootout and (2) Short-Board Expression Sessions.

Local food vendors will be selling food to raise funds for the PYCC.

Event pre-registration is done in-person at the PYCC. The event is $20 to enter before the event day, $30 to enter on the event day, and free to watch. Day-of-event registration begins at 7 a.m. and ends at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 19, 2019. The first heat is in the water at 8 a.m. following the event opening blessing ceremony.

Competitors will be treated to a plate-lunch prepared by the youth of the PYCC Pāʻia Bay Café program, and will also receive a collectors t-shirt and sponsor swag-bag. Hats and shirts will also be on sale to the public as a fundraising effort for the PYCC.

Divisions include Menehune, Juniors, Wahine-only, Kane, Drop Knee and the all-new Soft-Top Shootout event encouraging youth to compete for style on a variety of foam surf-boards. Additionally, there will be a cash-prize Pro/Am division for all ages on Sunday, and several expression-sessions for surfers during breaks throughout the weekend. DJs and live music will also be featured throughout the weekend.

Trae Tripplegrow carves a line down the face of the wave to set up his next move. PC: PYCC.

The event concludes with an awards ceremony on Sunday afternoon.

Support from Positively+KAI, VS, Nike, GoPro, Hubb-Boards, Hi-Tech, the FOAM CO and many other local sponsors will make it possible for competitors to have the chance to take home some gear and prizes.

Beachfest is made possible by Kai Lenny, Marlon Tumacder, PYCC alumni, community members, and PYCC staff. This event is the only one of its kind at Pāʻia Bay and is a tradition for three generations of Maui board-riders.

For more information about the Pāʻia Youth & Cultural Center, to learn more about sponsorship opportunities or to download an entry form for Beachfest, visit www.pyccmaui.org.