Ohana Nalu For the Love of Waves Surf Contest 2027

About this event

Surf Academy's Ohana Nalu Surf Contest Series continues with For the Love of Waves at Tower 24 on Santa Monica State Beach on Sunday, February 21, 2027. This is a youth/student surf-team contest for middle- and high-school athletes from Santa Monica and surrounding areas, not a professional open. Heats begin at 8:00 AM PST. The organizer's standard contest-day outline runs from parent-volunteer setup at 6:30 AM through awards around noon and close about 12:20 PM. Heat sheets are normally emailed Friday or Saturday, each heat is 15 minutes, and on-beach timing can shift with conditions and entries. Registration is currently open through Surf Academy's linked Mindbody system. The published prices are $60 for one division, $90 for two divisions and $120 for three divisions. Entry requires both purchasing the matching Mindbody credit package and enrolling the athlete in every intended grade/board division; purchasing credits alone does not place an athlete on the roster. Surf Academy requires signup by 7:00 AM PST on the Thursday three days before a Sunday contest, making the published deadline February 18, 2027 at 7:00 AM PST. No same-day entry, late-registration, waitlist, remaining-capacity or organizer-override path is published. Published divisions are Girls Shortboard and Longboard for middle school grades 6–8 and high school grades 9–12; Boys Shortboard and Longboard for those same grade bands; and Bodyboard with mixed grade and gender. Surf Academy may combine grade or age groups when enrollment is low and says affected families will be notified in the heat sheet or by email. Competitors should check in with their team coach one hour before their heat; for the first 8:00 AM heats that means 7:00 AM, even though the general pre-check and warm-up line is 7:30 AM. Check in again with the beach marshal 15 minutes before the heat and collect the assigned colored rash guard. Two heat areas operate, with posted heat sheets near the center tents between the judging tents. Bring the correct board or bodyboard, wetsuit, towels, wax, a ding-repair kit and a waterproof watch. Judges use each rider's best two waves and reward controlled maneuvers completed with speed in the critical part of the wave, emphasizing speed, power, flow, commitment and variety. The top three point scorers normally advance. A division labeled only as a final has no elimination round, so everyone in that heat receives a final placing. This is an amateur student event designed around progression and fun. The organizer may postpone or cancel for rain, high-surf advisories, high wind, fog, pollution or other unsafe or unfavorable conditions. If Surf Academy or conditions cancel the contest, purchases may transfer to a later contest, become credit toward another purchase, or be refunded by contacting jamie@surfacademy.com. No competitor-initiated withdrawal/refund deadline is published. Spectators do not need an event ticket; stay clear of active heat and judging areas and follow organizer and lifeguard direction.

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