A good omen for Hermosa Beach’s 14th annual Surfers Walk of Fame induction ceremony came last month from an unlikely source: Huntington Beach, Hermosa’s perpetual opponent for the title of “Surf City.”
To a chorus of criticism, the official destination marketer for the city of Huntington Beach last month unveiled “the Soul of SoCal” as the new moniker for the other HB. Combined with a forecast for chest-high surf this Saturday after a two week flat spell, stars and swell seem aligned for Hermosa’s newly revamped induction ceremony.
The ceremony, which begins Saturday at 11 a.m., serves as a moment to recognize those that have elevated Hermosa to such a prominent place in surfing.
“If we didn’t have these surfers, these pioneers, there would be a completely different surf climate in the world,” said Jani Lange, a commissioner with the Parks, Recreation and Community Resources Advisory Commission who worked on the revamped ceremony. “The fact that Hermosa Beach can take ownership of these pioneers, call them our native sons, is so important to our identity.”
About two years ago, the City Council asked the commission to assist in revamping the Walk of Fame ceremony. Officials reached out to past inductees and pro surfers, including former world champion Peter Townend, who attended numerous commission meetings. Townend, who was inducted into Huntington’s Walk of Fame in 1998, offered advice about how the city could better shape its induction process.
The result is a more formal and transparent process that sorts potential inductees into five categories: Pioneer, Champion, South Bay Legend, Female Legend and Cultural Legend. In addition to contributing to the sport of surfing, nominees must be current or former residents of the South Bay, and be at least 40 years old.
There is no requirement that judges induct someone from each category every year. But the creation of new categories expands the universe of potential inductees.
“It really gives the larger surf community a chance to be recognized outside of competition accolades,” Lange said. “There is so much more to surfing than winning contests.”
Also new this year is the Spyder Surf Expo, which will immediately follow the induction ceremony. Spyder Surfboards owner Dennis Jarvis, a donor to the Walk of Fame and a Class of 2015 inductee, said he was driven by a desire to see that the town’s illustrious boardbuilding history receive proper recognition.
“I was frustrated at the prospect of seeing Hap Jacobs, Greg Noll out there in white tents, the crowd would give them a little golf clap, then go have brunch,” Jarvis said. “I stepped up, knowing that we need to celebrate these masters of the craft.”
Jarvis will set up an impromptu shaping bay in the Mermaid parking lot and hew several blanks, answering questions answering questions as he goes with his “Janet Jackson cordless mike.” Joining him will be Steve Albin of Aloha Glass for a live glassing session.
The event is important an important compliment to the walk of fame event because board manufacturing is such an important part of the city’s surfing heritage, Jarvis said. When it comes to shaping and glassing, other cities that lay claim to the citadel of surfing title don’t have Hermosa’s history.
“The goal is to turn this into another Boardroom,” Jarvis said, referring to the noted surfboard manufacturing industry event that brings together the latest innovations in wave-riding technology. “And what better town to have it than the real Surf City?”
Lange agreed that the prominent place of Hermosans among sufing’s innovators makes the Walk of Fame event a way to remind residents of what makes the town so special. In the same way that different generations can connect in the lineup, he is hopeful that generations can come together
“As surfers, we can all remember that moment, when the shredder, that OG guy in the lineup gave you a wave,” Lange said. “This is that moment. This is your wave: take it.”
