North Shore Menehune Surfing Championships / The equation is simple. First-class waves plus mini-groms who surf as soon as they walk equals a future world-class surfer. Just look at the old heat sheets at the North Shore Menehune Surfing Championships held at Hale’iwa’s Ali’i Beach Park–the contest graduated O’ahu greats like Derek Ho, Liam and Garrett McNamara, Jamie O’Brien, Pancho Sullivan, Kalani Robb, Ross Williams, Rusty Keaulana, Fred Patacchia, Jr., Joel Centeio, Sean Moody, Kanoa Dahlin, the list goes on and on.

Now in its 30th year, the North Shore Menehune Surfing Championships opens the North Shore’s winter season with two days of competition for kids ages 4 to 12 years old. These are keiki of the next generation, saltwater in their veins, stoke passed down from their parents, who, at least for this contest, are proud spectators on the beach. For the groms, the high-performance waves–often way overhead–serve as a main stage for up-and-comers. Among the little rippers (with surnames like Ho, McNamara, Little, Moniz, Owens, Johnson, Perkins and Blomfield) are pre-teen talents like John John Florence, Ezekiel Lau and Carissa Moore, who show up and throw up spray like they’re already on the pro tour.

Last year, about 200 participants entered the contest, surfing in 11 different shortboard and longboard divisions. Co-director Ivy Blomfield expects even more this year. They may also add a tandem expression session this year, where parent and child can surf together.

‘That’s how most of us surf with our kids in the beginning, anyway,’ says Blomfield. ‘Everyone tandem surfs all the time with their keiki at Hale’iwa, so it would be really fun. That’s what this contest is about–fun and family.’ The absolute must-see action of the competition is the Kokua division, in which parents push their water-winged progeny into waves and the tiny surfers glide sumo-stance all the way onto the sand where someone is waiting to catch them. Although this division is reserved for girls and boys 4 to 6 years old, there are always an impressive number of keiki in the same age group who paddle out and catch waves on their own.

Every year, a slew of generous prizes is donated by the Hale’iwa community and Menehune Contest alumni, including 11 custom surfboards from Surf N Sea, bikes, G-Shock watches, some serious loot. And it’s always a fun surprise to see who will be the face of the contest T-shirt–no one finds out until the posters go up just before the event. Menehune graduate Jack Johnson, who was featured on the 2005 contest tee, stopped by last year to sign autographs and hand out trophies.

Contest co-director Skill Johnson has helped run the event since day one,but the contest was actually founded in 1977 by a hui of formidable women surfers: Rell Sunn, Jeannie Chesser, Becky Benson, Gale Dahlin, Claudia Kravitz, Sally Prang and Patty Paniccia. It was born out of an impromptu contest the women held one day when they found themselves surfing with a dozen keiki at Ali’i. Celebrating 30 years, some of the original women who started the event will be in attendance and might even hold a little expression session.

‘Personally, it’s different because I’ve never had any kids of my own,’ Johnson says. ‘So this contest is all about hanging out with the kids and helping them learn about life, making it a fun atmosphere for the kids and the parents and giving back to the community.’ While the event has grown immensely from its grassroots beginning, the stoke and pure fun remain, and the menehune are sure to be ripping.

30th Annual North Shore Menehune Surfing Championships, Hale’iwa Ali’i Beach Park, Oct 14-15