Honolulu, HAWAII – Veteran Kauai surfers Titus Kinimaka and Terry Chung are representing the island in the first-ever Tow-In World Cup. The event is set to begin Monday morning with 40-foot face waves expected at “Jaws”, the popular name for
Honolulu, HAWAII – Veteran Kauai surfers Titus Kinimaka and Terry Chung are representing the island in the first-ever Tow-In World Cup.
The event is set to begin Monday morning with 40-foot face waves expected at “Jaws”, the popular name for Pe’ahi, a deep-water surf spot near Ho’okipa on Maui’s northeast coast, according to a report from the Assocication of Surfing Professionals.
First prize to the winning team is $70,000 in what is expected to be a one-day event.
In the team concept, one surfer drives a jet-ski vehicle to tow in his teammate who surfs the huge waves.
Kauai surfer Laird Hamilton was a pioneer tow-in surfer at Pe’ahi, but isn’ scheduled to compete in the event.
Kinimaka and Chung, who are in their mid-40s, were the first surfers to successfully ride Alii (King’s) Reef off Hanalei Bay. Their tow-in ride at the break took place in the fall of 1996.
Contest organizers and officials of the Tow-In World Cup at Maui’s Jaws have called the event on for an official start at 7 a.m. on Monday, December 31.
With a rapidly rising swell on Sunday that is forecast to hold in through Tuesday, the Tow-In World Cup will start Monday morning and, if necessary, continue into New Year’s Day.
“South-west winds are not a problem for us at Jaws,” said Event Director Rosaldo Cavalcante. “But the winds are predicted to change on Monday afternoon from south-west, to north-west. If it affects the quality of the waves too much, then we may hold the final stages of the event over to Tuesday morning. Waves will still be big on Tuesday morning, but will be biggest tomorrow.”
The Tow-In World Cup can be run to completion in a single day. The event requires waves in the 20 feet plus range (with wave face heights of approximately 40+ feet) and this is what competitors and officials anticipate for tomorrow’s start.
Invited competitors into the Tow-In World Cup will be competing in 2-man teams comprising of a jet-ski tow-in driver and a surfer who holds onto a rope behind the jet-ski to be literally towed into the huge swells at rapid speeds.
A full report of the event and results will be sent out tomorrow afternoon at the completion of the day’s events.
Two-man teams for the event are:
Titus Kinimaka & Terry Chung
Darrick Doerner & Makua Rothman
Brian Keaulana & Brock Little
Victor Lopez & Archie Kalepa
Dan Moore & Ken Bradshaw
Garrett McNamara & Rodrigo Resende
Noah Johnson & Shane Dorian
Sierra Emory & Luke Hargreaves
Peter Mel & Ken Collins
Mike Parsons & Brad Gerlach
Darryl Virostko & Shawn Barron
Buzzy Kerbox & Michel Larronde
Ross Clarke-Jones & Tony Ray
Carlos Burle & Eraldo Gueiros
Vetea David & Arsene Harehoe
Alternates:
Troy Alotis & Myles Padaca
Jeff Clark & Chuck Patterson
Robby Seeger & Cheyne Horan
