Vans World Cup of Surfing coming to Sunset Beach

The waves along Oahu’s North Shore began pounding today and continue to grow overnight, just in time for the world’s best surfers to ride in the Vans World Cup of Surfing at Sunset Beach. One of the North Shore’s premier surf breaks, Sunset is only for the best surfers, and each year serves at the break for one of the big contest in the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing where the world’s elite surfers come together to compete for prize money and prestige. And luckily for them, the surf report is expecting big and perfect waves over the weekend. The competition may or may not be held in the next few days – there’s a waiting period from November 25 to December 6 – and in this time, they can hold the contest whenever the waves are good.

Sunset Beach is home to premier surf contest

For Oahu visitors, this is your chance to catch a rare sight for most people in the world. Check out www.vanstriplecrownofsurfing.com for daily updates about whether the contest is, or isn’t going to be held. If it’s a go and you have time, make sure to make a trip out north and watch the world’s best watermen compete on world class waves. Sitting on fine white sand in the sun, watching surfers carve up perfect waves, could there be a better stadium?

Below are the winners of the Sunset Beach contest. Have fun, and if you want to watch for a while bring food and drinks with you because once you get a parking spot it will be hard to get another if you leave for food.

2010 – Raoni Monteiro, Brazil
2009 – Joel Parkinson, Australia
2008 – C.J. Hobgood, USA

2007 – Makuakai Rothman, Hawaii
2006 – Joel Parkinson, Australia
2005 – Jake Patterson, Australia
2004 – Andy Irons, Hawaii
2003 – Jake Patterson, Australia
2002 – Joel Parkinson, Australia

2001 – Myles Padaca, Hawaii
2000 – Sunny Garcia, Hawaii

1999 – Zane Harrison, Australia

1998 – Shane Dorian, Hawaii
1997 – Michael Rommelse, Australia

1996 – Paul Patterson, Australia
1995 – Shane Powell, Australia

1994 – Sunny Garcia, Hawaii

1993 – John Gomes, Hawaii

1992 – Martin Potter, United Kingdom

1991 – Fabio Gouveia, Brazil
1990 – Derek Ho, Hawaii
1989 – Hans Hedemann, Hawaii

1988 – Tom Carroll, Australia

1987 – Gary Elkerton, Australia

1986 – Hans Hedemann, Hawaii
1985 – Michael Ho, Hawaii

1984 – Michael Ho, Hawaii
1983 – Michael Ho, Hawaii
1982 – Tom Carroll, Australia

1981 – Dane Kealoha, Hawaii
1980 – Ian Cairns, Australia
1979 – Mark Richards, Australia

1978 – Buzzy Kerbox, Hawaii
1977 – Shaun Tomson, South Africa
1976 – Ian Cairns, Australia
1975 – Mark Richards, Australia