Hawai'i is taking a young team — and thus an underdog approach — to the International Surfing Association World Surfing Games.

The eight-day event is scheduled to begin tomorrow at Huntington Beach, Calif.

The event is sort of like the Olympics of surfing, with around 35 nations expected to compete. Hawai'i is allowed to enter as its own nation because of its place in surfing history (the United States has a separate team).

"Some of the countries go all out and bring their top pros," Hawai'i coach Rainos Hayes said. "But we're going to focus on the younger surfers. We feel like it's a good experience for them."

The World Surfing Games is held every two years at a different location around the world. Hawai'i did not enter the 2004 event at Ecuador, and initially was not going to enter this year's contest.

"At the last minute, the ISA urged us to put together a team," Hayes said. "So it's been a scramble, but we got some nice, young surfers on our team."

Each nation is allowed to bring 10 competitors — four male shortboard surfers, two female shortboard surfers, two male bodyboarders, one female bodyboarder, and one male longboard surfer.

The only established professionals on the Hawai'i roster are longboard surfer Bonga Perkins, and bodyboarder David Hubbard.

"Bonga is going to be like our ambassador," Hayes said. "He's been a world champion, so he knows what it takes to win."

The Hawai'i male shortboard surfers are all from Kaua'i: Gavin Gillette, Alex Smith, Shane Valiere and Sebastian Zietz. They are all under the age of 21.

"A lot of our top pros are in other contests, so they couldn't make it," Hayes said. "But there's a lot of potential in the guys we do have."

The Hawai'i female shortboard surfers are Bethany Hamilton of Kaua'i and Lani Hunter of O'ahu. Hamilton is still an amateur; Hunter is in her first year as a professional.

"If there's surf, Bethany can match anybody," Hayes said of the shark-attack survivor. "And Lani is one of our best up-and-coming girls."

Hubbard and Travis Smith are the male bodyboarders for Hawai'i. Both are from Kaua'i. Hubbard is a drop-knee world champion; Smith is an amateur.

The female bodyboarder is Chasity Baltazar of Wai'anae.

"We're definite underdogs when you look at the overall youth of our team," Hayes said. "But there's some decent waves, you can't count us out."

Australia won the World Surfing Games in 2004. Australia, Brazil, the United States and France are expected to be the top teams this year.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.