New surf contest rules not ready

By Will Hoover
Advertiser North Shore Writer

Members of a blue ribbon panel charged with refining surf contest rules said this week that the panel is making progress, but that its final report would not be finished until as late as February.

Manuel Menendez, executive director of the city's Office of Economic Development and the panel's facilitator, said Wednesday that he would submit a summary update to Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris by the end of that day.

"I think we have made substantial progress," Menendez said. "We're really going through the rules step by step."

Panel member Gil Riviere, who heads a North Shore recreational surfers organization, Let's Surf Coalition, said the task could take some time — especially when the panel begins sorting through the conflict-resolution sections of the rules.

"The devil is in the details," said Riviere, who believes it's vital that the process remains impartial.

"As long as we're all working towards the same goals and trying to come up with a fair and equitable system that allows some competition and protects the public's beaches, then it's a good thing," he said.

North Shore surf contest promoter and panel member Randy Rarick said the diversity of members helps ensure a balance in updating the rules. Still, he agreed with Riviere that the panel faces its biggest challenge.

"The problem is going to be where the buck stops when it comes to conflict resolution," Rarick said. "Who will be the one to make the decision on resolving conflicts?"

In 1991, the city established rules governing surf contests. The rules functioned relatively well through most of the decade. However, as the North Shore's worldwide popularity increased in the late 1990s, so did competition for the area's limited beaches. As a result, conflicts arose.

The situation came to a head in 2002 after the Let's Surf Coalition threatened to sue the city for violating its own rules limiting the number of contests.

Last May, after several community meetings, Menendez said the city would stick with the 1991 rules, which set a maximum of 16 surfing-contest days a season.

However, Menendez said the rules were vague and needed to be amended to remove ambiguities. In late October, he convened a panel made up of representatives from professional, amateur and recreational water sport activities, as well as police, fire and water-safety representatives.

Menendez said at the time that he would either file a final report to the mayor by Dec. 31 — as requested by a City Council resolution — or a summary outlining the panel's progress.

He also made it clear at the time that he didn't intend to limit the amount of time necessary to complete the task.

"There's a lot of thought and detail going into this," he said. "But I think the panel will complete its report with the next 30 to 60 days."

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8038.