20th Annual Ian Walsh Menehune Mayhem prepares youth surfers for success in life

The 20th Annual Ian Walsh Menehune Mayhem was held May 4 and 5, 2024 at Ho’okipa Beach Park. The event, hosted by Maui surfer Ian Walsh is a nonprofit event that’s designed to hone the skills of up and coming Maui surfers, and prepare them for success on a larger scale.

The free two day surf contest drew participation from Maui’s youth ages 15 years old and younger. Additional event activities included creative exploration through art, music and cultural activities along with educational stations for kids to learn the importance of being environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Families, surfers, sponsors and the Maui community gathered for a weekend of surf. The event continues to grow in new ways each year, with boys 8-9 years old division having the largest participation.

Over the years, the Menehune Mayhem has grown from a small youth surf event to a one-of-a-kind event that brings the community of Maui together and spotlights Maui’s up and coming talent.

More event photos are posted online here.

This year’s event utilized waste stations provided by the Maui Huliau Foundation to encourage environmental awareness. “We are pleased to announce that we had a 80% diversion, which is a total of nearly 300 pounds of waste diverted from the landfill. We also avoided using at least 900 plastic water bottles thanks to our refilling stations provided by Island Ice & Water Co.,” organizers said.