Billy Kemper, one of the best competitors to ever do it at Pe’ahi. Photo: WSL
The WSL’s inconspicuous announcement that there would be no big wave event at Pe’ahi caught many off guard. But according to one big wave surfer, the Maui locals had known for months that the event was axed.
“Back in almost September they started to let people know that they weren’t able to get the use permit from the landowners, which controls if the contest is going to happen or not,” said Daniel Goldberg, a Maui resident, big wave surfer, and commercial fisherman whose company Peahi Hui organizes local water safety. “They went public recently, but we all knew about it two to three months ago.”
Goldberg, 43, who’s been hired by the WSL in the past to captain his boat during the event, explained how Kamehameha Schools, the landowners at Pe’ahi, held a town hall-style meeting with adjacent neighbors and WSL representation in July to gauge community sentiment about granting the WSL rights to use the land.
The private land and road in question are on the east side of the gulch that flows into Peahi, where the judging tower and facilities would be staged. Previously owned by the real estate company Alexander and Baldwin, Kamehameha Schools purchased the land in 2023 and initially honored the existing license agreement with the WSL to run the big wave event. But in 2024 it decided to revisit the agreement due to concerns by residents surrounding the impact and lack of infrastructure to handle the public that gather to watch the event.
“It was a meeting where the community discussed the pros and cons when the contest runs,” said Goldberg. “(To discuss) if there are any benefits at all to the community – if the WSL was willing to provide a specific parking area or police/parking control. But the WSL was refusing to do anything like that. The community was like, ‘Well, we don’t want people parking in our driveways. We don’t want people trespassing and jumping over fences. So if you guys don’t want to work with (us) and not disturb the peace, then we don’t want you guys here.’”
Only one person out of the 20 to 30 at the meeting voted in favor of granting the WSL permission to run the event.
When the WSL was reached to provide its version of the story, they refuted claims that they were being uncooperative. A WSL spokesperson explained that due to the private ownership of the land and liability insurance, they can’t have the event open for public attendance. They pointed out that they had a transport plan previously signed off by local authorities that included private security and police on-site to enforce illegal parking.
The spokesperson added that negotiations never reached a point where they were given demands to meet to retain the land use permits; the landowners weren’t comfortable engaging any further due to the concerns of the outspoken residents. Even so, the WSL says they are willing to re-open discussions next year.
Notably, none of Maui’s premiere big wave riders have taken strong public stances on either side of the issue.
Goldberg thinks it’s an issue that can be resolved if the WSL – or any entity that wants to hold an event at Jaws – approaches the landowners with the right attitude. He says there needs to be some sort of compromise on setting up spectator infrastructure such as gravel-laid parking areas, trash cans, portable restrooms, etc. that would mitigate traffic, parking, and trespassing issues.
Goldberg believes that the WSL isn’t eager to meet those demands. But that’s the purported price if the Pe’ahi event is to return to the tour. For now, Pe’ahi will be ridden strictly in freesurfs. Even so, crowds will still gather along the cliffs to watch.
