Youths from all over the island got a special opportunity at the 4th Annual Irons Brothers Pine Trees Classic yesterday. According to Danielle Irons, the mother of Bruce and Andy, five young surfers, who entered the Irons’ Contest will head
Youths from all over the island got a special opportunity at the 4th Annual Irons Brothers Pine Trees Classic yesterday.
According to Danielle Irons, the mother of Bruce and Andy, five young surfers, who entered the Irons’ Contest will head to nationals thanks to Red Bull.
“The kids can’t wait for this contest, they always ask about it, so it’s great to hear that,” Bruce Irons said as young autograph seekers strolled by for his John Hancock.
The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational winner said that fellow surfer Shane Dorian started a contest up on the Big Island for the kids and he and Andy wanted to do the same here on Kaua‘i.
It was another successful event for the countless volunteers, who helped out with the contest.
“In the four years we’ve been having this contest, there’s only been two people that have complained,” Danielle Irons said.
Quite a feat for the amount of contestants and individuals involved with this special event.
“This is their (Andy & Bruce) only weekend together and they enjoy this so much, because it’s totally about the kids and giving back,” Danielle said.
According to “Da Kine Mom of the Irons Brothers,” one of the many special moments of the Irons Brothers Pine Trees Classic happened last year, as Bethany Hamilton got a chance to compete, despite her unfortunate shark encounter, months before the contest.
Other Kaua‘i youths like Kawena Kawaihalau and Amber Williams were enjoy ing the day with shaved ice sprawled all over their faces. This year marked their second year in which they’ve participated in the Irons Brothers Contest.
“We have a lot of fun and that’s why we do it,” Williams and Kawaihalau said after getting Bruce’s autograph.
Signed posters, hats, shirts, stickers, and many more gifts were handed out to contest participants, who picked up a backpack of goodies from Bruce and Andy’s generous sponsors like Billabong, Volcom, DC Shoes, VonZipper, Arnette, Dakine, HIC Surfboards, Tractor Surfboards, Body Glove, Red Bull, Amp’d Mobile, Hanalei Surf Co., Nixon, Salty S, Kai Kane, Surfer Magazine, Surfing Magazine, YMCA, and Big Tim of Hanalei Gourmet.
The event was created for young, up and coming Kaua‘i surfers on behalf of Andy and Bruce, in a way to give back to the youths of Kaua‘i.
“This contest is for the kids and it gets better and better every year; this is the biggest turnout we’ve had,” Bruce Irons said.
The Hanalei natives, who grew up surfing at Pine Trees, both see it as a perfect fit for the contest, which is free for all the kids who enter. On top of that, six groups with six competitors were given trophies. There was also an expression session invite-only with three heats.
Nelson Togioka of the Hawai‘i Surfing Federation was the contest director for the event.
Opened to the first 120 kids, aged 14-and-under, the Fourth Annual Irons Brothers Pine Trees Classic completed its task of giving Kaua‘i’s youths the opportunity to compete, hang out, and enjoy prizes from two of their surfing idols, Andy and Bruce.
