Updated rules can improve surf contests

Right now, waters edging more than seven miles of beaches along Oahu’s North Shore are typically gentle enough for novice surfing as well as swimming and snorkeling.

But that will change this fall when, starting in November and continuing through at least February, the surf gets bigger and occasional days of contest-perfect winter waves begin rolling in with little notice. That’s when surf meet organizers will scramble to get their expert-level competitors in the water.

Every year, the events draw crowds of fans eager to catch a glimpse of world-class surfing while having fun in the sun. But for others, the start of the North Shore surf calendar has touched off foreboding tied to traffic backups on the two-lane highway between Haleiwa and Sunset Beach, piles of event-related trash and strains on the rural community’s infrastructure and natural environment.

In an effort to address concerns about sharing and protecting public resources, rule changes for the city’s roster of “shore water events” took effect last week. Administered by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the revisions serve as a needed update. They range from making official longstanding informal understandings to the addition of a forward- thinking requirement to weigh the looming climate change matter of severe shoreline erosion.

Among the criteria that remains intact is the count of permitted competition days. It’s limited to 64, and no more than one surf meet can be held on the North Shore on the same day. Also unchanged is a rule that requires competitions to be spaced at least 10 days apart. That provides area residents with a breather and frees up more waves for public access.

A revamped surf calendar will now run on a three-year cycle rather than the old one-year cycle. In past years, publication of the year’s calendar shortly before big-wave meets get underway has caught some residents and visitors — seeking to attend or avoid events — flat-footed. The longer cycle makes sense as it can ease planning and logistics for all involved.

In another change, an appeals process is replaced by a mayor-appointed advisory committee that will assist the parks department in resolving scheduling conflicts. The committee holds potential to serve as a fair-minded mediator in balancing community and commercial interests. To be truly fair is important; some surf meet organizers expressed fears the three-year cycle and the inability to appeal could effectively kill their ability to hold contests. The city will have to ensure that smaller, local meets can share the precious shoreline access with giants like World Surf League (WSL).

Back in March, Mayor Kirk Caldwell ordered a re-examination of rules in effect since 2015 following WSL’s February decision to cancel its December 2019 Pipe Masters contest after the parks department denied the organization’s request to swap dates with its January- scheduled Volcom Pipe Pro. The rules now in effect clarify the process for securing beach access for events, which should help fend off scheduling disputes.

What’s more, the city is now imposing requirements that were previously handled as more of an assumption, such as the pumping of portable toilets and park toilets. With pro surfing’s popularity, crowds on the beach are growing as is the need for strict event-related sanitation and rubbish cleanup.

Through a new rule, a permit may be revoked due to potentially dangerous shore water erosion. This move is sensible for the sake of environmental protection and public safety.

A recent study by University of Hawaii researchers has found one-third of the state’s shorelines are vulnerable to coastal hazards as the waves and storms that hit the islands become intensified by the growing impacts of sea level rise. Among the high-risk zones on Oahu is the North Shore, from Haleiwa to Kahuku, which is exposed to high wave energy,

In December, iffy shoreline stability and an eroding 20-foot cliff at Sunset Beach Park prompted city officials to relocate lifeguard facilities and take other safety precautions. Under the new rule, if foot traffic or other activity at a meet exacerbates an erosion problem, the city is now positioned, as it should be, to pull the permit.