The weather should great all Father’s Day weekend. The Surf will be super fun and clean at 1-2’+ from the SW! Let’s goooo…
T&C Surf’s 27th Annual Grom Contest presented by Duke’s Waikiki, taking place Father’s Day weekend, June 14–15, 2025, at the iconic Kuhio Beach/Queens in Waikiki.
This beloved keiki surf event fosters the next generation of surfers by providing a fun, supportive environment for children ages 3–12 who are new to competition. With boys’ and girls’ divisions, family activities, and a focus on community spirit, it’s a heartwarming celebration of Hawai‘i’s surfing heritage and ocean culture.
Event Highlights Include:
- Boys and girls divisions for shortboard, longboard, and co-ed bodyboard, with age groups from 6–12 years.
- Kokua Division for ages 3–8, allowing parental assistance in the waves.
- Games and prizes throughout the weekend.
- Catered lunch for competitors, courtesy of Duke’s Waikiki.
- The Sunday FreeSurf Expression Session, pairing young surfers with adults for tandem rides.
This year introduces new format changes, including gender-specific Kokua divisions and adjustments to meet the City and County of Honolulu’s revised guidelines for surf event permits, ensuring equity, inclusion, and opportunities for all.
The T&C Grom Contest is proudly partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, supporting local youth for over 16 years. “We are honored to support this amazing event as T&C celebrates the youth of Hawai‘i with surf and play in Waikiki,” said Paddy Kauhane, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii.
Mike Latronic, publisher of FreeSurf Magazine, added, “Having collaborated with T&C for many years, I can honestly say it never gets old to see the joy, camaraderie, and family fun at the T&C Grom Contest.”
T&C Surf Grom Contest
Since 1997, the mission of the T&C Surf Grom Contest has been to get more of Hawaii’s youth in the water with a non-competition style event. For over twenty years, unrated groms have enjoyed this specialty event at Queen’s Break right in the heart of Waikiki. T&C Surf and Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, our non-profit partner, helps us to produce the event each year to introduce young surfers to the world of competitive surfing. This family friendly two-day contest is open to inspiring surfers ages three to twelve years old who want a taste of competitive surfing in a fairly mellow setting. The Grom Contest is designed so all entry level surfers are eligible to surf only one division providing more kids a chance to compete. The ever-popular Kokua Division allows parents to assist their keiki and help them catch waves! It gives the youngest of surfers the opportunity to take part in a contest with some extra support from a grown-up.
Duke’s Canoe Club presents this years event as it enters into its twenty fourth year and will take place on June 4-5, 2022. Together, we encourage you to gather your family at Queen’s in Waikiki and join in the competition in this fun surf comp for Hawaii’s keiki. The entry fee is just $30 per competitor and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Boys and Girls Club of Hawaii. Entering is easy… register and submit your payment to enter online.
T&C Surf produces the event each year to introduce young surfers to the world of competitive surfing in a less-intense setting. The general rule of thumb is groms who have participated in NSSA or HASA or any other organized competitive surfing branch are strictly prohibited. “This is the greatest thing we do. It’s our way of giving back,” says T&C Surf Owner/Founder Craig Sugihara. “I am SO excited to bring back our GROM CONTEST in-person on the beach at Waikiki! The contest is usually at full capacity each year.
