Surfing's Greatest Philanthropist, China Uemura

By: Jeff Mull | August 5th, 2010 at 4:41pm

Despite the tragic effect the crashing economy has had on philanthropy, a glimmer of hope remains in the surfing world. For more than two-and-a-half decades, China Uemura has sought to give back to his native Honolulu through his annual longboard classic surf contest in Waikiki. Over the course of the event's life, China has raised more than 200,000 for local charities. And despite seeing a dip in the amount of entries for this year's event, China still managed to cut a check to the Shriner's Hospital for Children.

"Since I started this event 26 years ago, I've been trying to give back to the community. When I was a pro, I was given a lot by a lot of people. And now I'm trying to give back," says Uemura. "Over the years, I've given to a lot of different charities--the Boys and Girls Club and others--but Shriner's has a lot of meaning to me. They help a lot of kids out who really need the help."

As Uemura alluded, Shriner's hospitals are a network of more than 20 nonprofit hospitals across North America that specialize in treating children with severe burns or orthopedic problems. The organization has done a tremendous amount of good and has been labeled as "The World's Greatest Philanthropy."

True to China's eclectic surfing heritage, the event included divisions for longboarding, SUP, as well as amateur and other specialty heats. More than just a contest, this event has become a staple for the people. The fact that it's all for a good cause serves as the icing on the cake.

But this year, with the recession in full swing, a noticeable dip in the number of entries forced Uemura to cut a smaller-than-normal check to the organization.

"Unfortunately, with the economy and all, we didn't have the normal amount of entries that we usually get. But I understand, it's hard for a lot of people right now to spend extra money, but we're still doing it and looking forward to next year. I love putting on this contest every year. Between the good vibes in the water and the charity we support, the event is always refreshing," added Uemura. "And with sponsors Primo Beer and 88 Tees on board this year, we had a great event."

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