Maui Prep Surfers Make Waves at Honua Finals, Claiming Boys' Team Title

HONOLULU — The Maui Preparatory Academy (Maui Prep) surf team made a historic run at the second annual Honua Finals: World Cup of Interscholastic Surfing, with the boys' team claiming the team victory and the girls finishing a respectable fifth. The competition, held at Ala Moana Bowls, brought together top high school surf teams from Hawaii and around the globe, including Japan, New Zealand, California, and Oahu.

The Honua Finals, a groundbreaking competition created by the Kazama family, is designed to elevate high school surfing and showcase talent on a global stage. The event’s mission recently gained a major boost when the Hawaii High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) officially sanctioned surfing as a state championship sport, with Maui hosting the inaugural state championships next May.

Maui Prep’s success was built on a series of strong performances, especially from the boys' team. The competition began with double-overhead waves, which settled into consistent chest-to-head-high surf for the shortboard events on Saturday. Maui Prep’s girls, Sloane Jucker ('26) and Layla Merrill ('26), both advanced to the quarter-finals, competing against a talented field. On the boys' side, Zolten Poulsen ('26) was a standout, winning his quarterfinal heat and advancing directly to the finals. He went on to claim the boys' shortboard title, a critical win for the team.

The second day of the event was dedicated to longboard competition. Poulsen continued his stellar performance, securing a runner-up finish in the finals, which sealed the overall team victory for the Maui Prep boys.

The Maui Prep team, which qualified for the event based on their third-place finishes in the Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) standings, included girls Sloane Jucker, Layla Merrill, and Alyssa Condrey, all from the class of '26. The boys' team featured TJ Hehemann, Zolten Poulsen, both '26, and Makaiah Clark ('27). The athletes were supported by coaches Lyndee Sprenger, Leslie Hainsworth, and Eric Poulsen, who provided coaching between heats. Surfers were efficiently shuttled back and forth from the break behind a waverunner, a testament to the event's professional organization.

The five-day event was more than just a competition. It included an opening ceremony at Wai Kai, a visit and surf session with Olympic Gold Medalist Carissa Moore, and an awards ceremony where surfers were celebrated with prizes and gear. The event not only showcased world-class surfing but also fostered a spirit of camaraderie and cultural connection, reinforcing surfing’s deep roots in Hawaii.