Kona HI. Legendary big wave rider Shane Dorian will host his Keiki Surf Classic at Banyan’s on the Kona side of the Big Island of Hawaii February 2nd, 2009. The low-key, down-home style event raises food for charity and provides a free entry for all the local kids to participate in a prestigious competition that is fun for the whole family.

Watch Shane Rip

Past attendees have included Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Taylor Knox, Fred Patacchia, and Benji Weatherley.”A lot of the contests these days are expensive for a local amateur,” says Dorian who covers the costs with his own funds and sponsors like Billabong. “It’s great to have top surfers come and surf with the kids and give them a chance to raise their experience level without breaking their pocketbooks.” The one day event is held annually in January, and is limited to the first 50 entries taken. The two age categories are U13 (for kids under thirteen) and U17 (kids from fourteen to seventeen.)  “Participants must have a 2.5 grade average to enter so there is an incentive to keep up their grades” says Shane. We feed them and invite the whole family -- it’s a lot of fun.  Shane has become one of the most respected all-round surfers in history and the 12 Annual keiki Classic is testimony to the quality of his talent and the generosity of his character.