The **46th Annual Rell Sunn Menehune Surfing Championships** is back! 🌺

**Makaha Beach**
**Easter Weekend – April 19th & 20th, 2025**
**Age Groups:**
– **4-6** Kokua Super Menehune Hammah’s
– **7-9** Wahine & Kane
– **10-12** Wahine & Kane

**Divisions:** Bodyboard, Shortboard, Longboard (*Max
2 divisions per keiki*)

**Calling all Aunty Rell’s Future Legends!**
Come down to the West Side, cheer on the keiki, and soak in the aloha spirit.
**Easter Egg Hunt** on Sunday for 3 different age groups
— fun for the whole ‘ohana!

**Mahalo Nui loa** to Uncle Joshua Paskowitz for donating Mom’s beautiful artwork this year — what a special gift!

Written by Gary Kewley aka GQ in last week’s Midweek Surf column

It’s going down all Easter Weekend April 19 & 20^th.

The Menehunes are praying for surf but not too much (example April 5th-6th with Hi Surf Warnings). 😊

The forecast looks for a declining NNW of 2-3′ for Makaha and pinch smaller on Easter with offshore Easterly Trades! STOKED! Check SNN for updates.

The age groups are 4-6 years for the Kokua Super Menehune Hammah’s!

Then we get 7-9 Wahine & Kane.

Rounding us out, the 10-12 age group for again both Wahine & Kane.

We also have 3 Divisions: Shortboard, Longboard and Bodyboard with a max of 2 divisions per Keiki.

For those of you who may not know Rell Kapolioka’ehukai Sunn.

The Icon was born July 31, 1950 and passed away on January 2, 1998 from cancer.

Rell was an American world surfing champion. Known as “Queen of Makaha” and “Aunty Rell”, she pioneered the world of women’s surfing.

She got an early start at 4 years young…the same age our current Menehune’s can enter her event!

Rell was Hawaii’s 1^st female lifeguard!

She helped cofound the Women’s International Surfing Association in 1975…the 1^st Women’s Pro Circuit (WISA).

The legend even helped form the Women’s Pro Surfing (WPS) in ’79 and in 1982 Rell ranked #1 longboarder in the world!

After her diagnosis at age 32, Sunn did not slow down…becoming a radio DJ and surf reporter on SNN, a physical therapist at a Waianae care home, and a counselor at a cancer research center.

Rell assisted with a pilot program for breast cancer awareness at the Wai’anae Cancer Research Center… for educating local women about the causes and prevention of breast cancer.

Rell was only 47 when she left us on January 2^nd 1998. Over 3000 came to her memorial and paddle out. Her ashes scattered in the ocean of Makaha.

We miss Rell Kapolioka’ehukai ‘the heart of the sea’ Sunn like we did back in ’98.

Rell, Thank You for making such a difference in the world and to so many…still to this very day.

We love you Rell.