Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Begins with
Opening Protocol at Hawaiian Pro 

Haleiwa, Oahu/HAWAII– (Wednesday, November 13, 2019) – The holding window for the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, one of the industry’s longest-running heritage surf series, opened today with a traditional Hawaiian protocol ceremony at Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park, the site of the Hawaiian Pro and first event of the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing.

Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park is revered as the gateway to the North Shore and also the starting point for many professional surfers’ careers. Local athletes such as Ezekiel Lau, Carissa Moore, Makuakai Rothman and John John Florence began competing at this wave during the annual keiki surf contest, the North Shore Menehune Surfing Championships, and consider it a gathering point for family, friends and year-round celebrations.

Today, the opening protocol featured traditional oli (chants) from Hawaiian community members Manu Boyd and Na ‘Ohana Kai, along with offerings of maile lei and mana’o (thoughts, ideas) to the ocean in a show of gratitude. Athletes gathered at Haleiwa Ali’i Beach Park along with Vans Triple Crown staff, World Surf League (WSL), media and community members to take part in the ceremony, which connected the traveling contingent to the local land and residents.

A WSL Men’s Qualifying Series (QS) 10,000 event, the Hawaiian Pro was called OFF today due to small 1-2ft. surf at Haleiwa. With a solid new NW swell forecast to build Thursday, contest organizers will reconvene in the morning to make another call in anticipation of Day 1 of competition.

A morning press alert will be distributed for every ON day of competition, featuring links to photos and newsfeed, which will be updated throughout the day. Stay up-to-date on the call at WorldSurfLeague.com, VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com and the free WSL app.

The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing celebrates the sport’s historic past and redefines where its future is headed. From skaters to surfers, shapers to photographers, artists to industry notables, the Vans Triple Crown is where careers are made, where legends are solidified, and where the next generation tests their talent against the old guard in the mecca of surfing — the North Shore of Oahu.

Fans eager to catch the action can witness the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing LIVE via the world-class broadcast on WorldSurfLeague.com, VansTripleCrownOfSurfing.com, Facebook.com/wsllive and on the free WSL app. Or tune into Spectrum SURF channels 20 and 1020HD, which will televise the action LIVE and in replay across the state of Hawaii.