As summer drops in on us, like a big hot air balloon, Orange County is already getting set for the big surfing bash in Huntington Beach going on from July 26 to Aug. 3, the Lexus U.S. Open of Surfing.
Top surfers from all over the world will be on hand going for the glory. But the competition is only part of that big show, there are all sorts of other important surf-related events taking place during that week that just augment the razz and dazz taking place right here in our very own Surf City.
One of those events is the annual induction ceremony for the Surfer’s Hall of Fame. Obviously, the importance of this event within the world of surfing is off the charts. Surfing legends from many eras show up to pay tribute to the honorees, and just to be there to bask in the camaraderie of the moment with many of their fellow superstars.
This year’s ceremony will take place on Aug. 1 in the plaza on the southeast corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Main Street, directly in front of Huntington Surf & Sport and under the shadow of the big statue of Duke Kahanamoku. Fittingly, this is also right across the street from the Duke’s Huntington Beach restaurant and the pier, where the surfing competition will be going on. Start time is 9 a.m., and admission is free and open to the public.
This year’s inductees are world champion and Olympic gold medalist Caroline Marks, outstanding surf photographer Tom Servais and Huntington Beach local standout surfer Dwight Dunn. I will be getting into more details on these three great choices in the coming weeks leading up to the event.
The SHOF, founded in 1997, is the brainchild of local pillar of the community and lifetime surfer Aaron Pai — “AP” to his friends.
AP had the vision of something similar to the infamous Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, where celebrities’ handprints are embedded in concrete. He thought that would make a perfect way to present a Hall of Fame for the surfing world. He would get the surfers hands and feet into concrete slabs, along with their signatures and a few words. The first few years, the slabs were displayed inside Huntington Surf & Sport before he converted the space in front of the store into the current Surfer’s Hall of Fame Plaza featuring the statue of the Duke.
The presentation of the SHOF and induction ceremony has become a family affair. AP’s wife, Sher, and a whole ton of great kids and grandkids are all involved in putting on the event. It’s really a cool thing to see.
Zillions of people visit the plaza every year, seeing how their own hands and feet size up to those of the legends on display there.
Note: My slab is right under the trash can. One year, I pointed this out to AP, noting that you could at least see one hand, one foot and the CO of Corky. He got a serious look on his face, thought a moment, and then said, “We are gonna need a bigger trash can.” Humph!.
The list of inductees is amazing, way too long for me to put the whole thing. But some of the legends included are Laird Hamilton, Andy Irons, Jack O’Neill, Robert August, Bob Hurley, Sean Collins, Kelly Slater, Lisa Andersen, Gerry Lopez, George Downing, Shane Dorian, Greg Noll, Mike Doyle, Shaun Tomson, Rob Machado, Timmy Turner, Shawn Stussy, Rabbit Kekai, Brett Simpson, Kai Lenny, Mickey Munoz, Phil Edwards, Michele Turner, Casey Wheat and Jamie O’Brien.
This is always a great event to attend. Not only do you get to see the induction, but there are always all kinds of surf celebrities and important people in the surf world lurking around up close and personal. You might just meet your favorite surfer or somebody you would really like to meet.
If you are anywhere near Huntington Beach on that morning and have an interest in surfing, then this is the place to be.