Aloha Award in memory of John Shimooka

The Aloha Award in memory of John Shimooka

For building a better community through surfing

In November 2020, Surfing NSW and the global surfing industry was deeply saddened by the premature passing of former tour surfer and Surfing NSW Partnerships General Manager John Shimooka.

John knew more than most the challenges of mental health and was an advocate and co-author of the development of programs Surfing NSW was developing under its Mental Health 360 program.

He was also a contributor more generally to Surfing NSW’s development of other programs to build a better community through surfing, including Her Wave, empowering women through surfing; and Surfers Rescue, teaching surfers formal techniques to save lives.

About the Aloha Award

The award will be both democratic and equitable by design. It will rotate between male and female winners annually, with a committee accepting nominations from all comers in 2021 to choose the first, standout candidate, regardless of gender.

We will open a call for nominations on November 9, 2021 with a request for a maximum of 50 words or less to accompany each nomination to explain how the nominee has contributed to building a better community through surfing. Nominations will close on November 30, 2021.

Nominations are being taken below.

Criteria

A surfer whose passion and community spirit spreads stoke and aloha during the calendar year. Their achievements may be in fields as diverse as performance surfing, coaching, mental health, surf rescue, boardrider clubs, commentating or surfing administration.