Oakley Surf Shop Challenge - Hawaii 2018

Imai Devault and Hi-Tech Surf Sports Wins the Hawaii Qualifier | Oakley Surf Shop Challenge 2018

On a beautiful summer day at Ala Moana Bowls on Oahu’s South Shore, competitors in the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge Hawaii qualifier were greeted with clean conditions, offshore winds, and 2-3ft waves for stop five of the national touring series.

Round one saw ten teams battle it out for the five coveted spots in the finals. The final round consisted of squads from HIC Kailua #1, Hi-Tech Surf Sports, T&C Surf, MuCully Bicycle & Sporting Goods, and T&C Surfboards.

Hi-Tech Surf Sports and HIC Kailua #1 were consistent as the clear standouts through the entire day, finishing with the top team scores in round one and carrying their momentum to the finals where they jockeyed for top honors. Early in the final round, team rider Imaikalani Devault from Hi-Tech whammied the highest wave score of the day, a 9.77 (total wave score 19.54) that proved a critical strategic decision towards their total point tally. With the final heat coming to close, HIC Kailua #1 was unable to secure a 4.45 to take the lead, losing by a heartbreaking 0.07 and crowning Hi-Tech Surf Sports as the champion.

Flying in on the morning of the event, Maui based Hi-Tech Surf Sports was the only team representing a shop from an island other than Oahu. “We just stuck to our original plan which was to have fun and go out there and do our best,” explains Hi-Tech’s final surfer Keoni Perkins on their general approach to the event. “We’re so stoked!”

Congratulations to Hi-Tech Surf Sports team members John Chiu, Imaikalani Devault, Cody Young, and Keoni Perkins!

Up next is the Mid-Atlantic regional qualifier at Nags Head on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. An official call has yet to be made for competition during the August 14-15 waiting period.

2018 Oakley Surf Shop Challenge Teaser

SURFER Magazine is pleased to announce the return of the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge in 2018. The regional qualifying series will kick off in May with three stops including the Southeast event at New Smyrna Beach in Florida on May 16/17/18, the Southwest event at Seaside Reef in Cardiff, CA on May 21/22, and the Northwest event at Pleasure Point in Santa Cruz, CA on May 24/25. Traversing the country, the series will make three additional stops in Southern California, Hawaii, and North Carolina searching for the best surf shop teams to represent their region in the National Championship this fall.

The unique event series, which has been running since the 1980s, puts four-man surf shop teams (two sponsored surfers and two shop employees) against each other. The winning team from each of the six regional qualifiers will win an all-expense-paid trip to compete in the National Championship at Playa Colorado in Rivas, Nicaragua for a chance to win a cash prize package and the ultimate title of America’s Most Core Surf Shop.

“Oakley is excited to partner once again with SURFER on the best running shop series in the country,” said Oakley’s Marty Mathiesen. “Surfing roots itself in local surf shops, and we are proud to support them with the Oakley Surf Shop Challenge. It’s our opportunity to give back and say thanks; giving both the employees and team riders a chance to compete together amongst the best surf shops in the country.”

New for 2018, all teams who compete at Oakley Surf Shop Challenge regional locations will have a last chance opportunity to punch their ticket to the National Championships at Playa Colorado in Nicaragua by competing in the GoPro Wildcard Contest. For team wildcard GoPro video submission details and additional info about the GoPro Wildcard Contest please go HERE.

With some serious shop battles in the forecast, each region is set to send their best surfers to compete. Here is the full #SURFSHOPCHALLENGE 2018 schedule & waiting period:

2018 Oakley Surf Shop Challenge Schedule

• May 16/17/18 – Southeast – New Smyrna Beach Inlet, New Smyrna Beach, FL
• May 21/22 – Southeast – Seaside Reef, Cardiff, CA
• May 24/25 – Northwest – Pleasure Point, Santa Cruz, CA
• June 7/8 – West – 54th or 56th Street, Newport Beach, CA
• July 12/13 – Hawaii – Ala Moana Bowls, South Shore, HI
• August 14/15 – Mid-Atlantic – Outer Banks, Nags Head, NC
• October 22-26 – National Championship – Playa Colorado, Rivas, Nicaragua

For all of the latest information including photos, video footage, results and more, check out surfshopchallenge.com.