CATCH A BIG WAVE: KONA BREWING CO. TAKES ON A SURF-THE-COAST CHALLENGE WITH A MISSION TO CLEAN OUR WAVES

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 28, 2021) – Surfing, just like Kona, was born in Hawaii and the sport wouldn't be possible without the world's greatest venue – the ocean. On July 13 in La Push, Washington, professional surfer Anna Ehrgott and noted surf photographer Sarah Lee will begin a 10-day, 15-stop, 1,200-mile surf trip and community beach clean-up with a mission to leave each beach in a better condition than they found it. The trip culminates on July 22 with one final surf and the adoption of a local SoCal beach.

“Surfing is such a big part of the Kona DNA, and the Catch a Clean Wave journey is our way to give back to local surf communities,” said Vanessa Parker, Brand Manager, Kona Brewing Co. “It's a fun way to spotlight the popularity of surfing across the globe, as well as highlight the important need to keep our oceans clean. We hope everyone, regardless of where they live, will be reminded that we need to be active participants in ocean conservation, and what better place to start than in your own backyard.”

As Ehrgott and Lee travel down the coast, locals at every stop will be able to join them to surf and participate in beach clean-ups. As reported by the Natural Resources Defense Council, an estimated 80 percent of marine litter comes from land-based pollution. These items include single-use shopping bags, water bottles, drinking straws, and so much more manmade debris. Through this initiative, Kona is encouraging individuals to clean-up trash as they see it by proving how incredibly simple it is to protect a key part of the world's ecosystems.

As part of its continued commitment to protecting natural resources for future generations, Kona is partnering with Save The Waves Coalition and committing $50,000 to the organization's efforts. In June, timed with World Oceans Day, the non-profit relaunched its Save The Waves app that empowers surfers, beach-goers and ocean lovers to report and track coastal threats in real-time by tagging the location and alerting the organization.

“Save The Waves is dedicated to protecting surf ecosystems and it is through partnerships with like-minded organizations like Kona that we are able to continue our mission,” said Nik Strong-Cvetich, CEO of Save The Waves Coalition. “We are hopeful that initiatives like Catch a Clean Wave will continue to raise awareness for coastal stewardship so everyone can surf clean waves for years to come.”

Together, Kona and Save The Waves Coalition are ensuring everyone can get involved in protecting surf ecosystems across the globe. Fans are encouraged to post a video of themselves catching a can of Kona Big Wave with the hashtag #CatchABigWave and ‘tagging' their friends to catch their toss in an effort to keep ocean conservation and the work of Save The Waves top of mind.

Catch a Clean Wave Schedule

As part of Catch a Clean Wave, the duo will stop at 15 beaches to catch waves and host clean-ups. Follow the journey at @KonaBrewingCo and #CatchABigWave.

Washington (July 13 – 15)

• La Push, WA
• Westport, WA
• Long Beach, WA

Oregon (July 15 – 16)

• Short Sand Beach, OR
• Oceanside, OR
• Bastendorff Beach, OR

California (July 16 – 22)

• Klamath River, CA
• Point Arena, CA
• Santa Cruz, CA
• Moonstone Beach, CA
• Santa Barbara, CA
• Malibu, CA
• Venice Beach, CA
• Doheny State Beach, CA
• San Diego, CA

About Kona Brewing Company

Since its founding on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1994, Kona Brewing Company has remained deeply rooted in this special place, spreading its foundations of balance, respect for nature, community, and authenticity. Today, Kona brews, distributes, and markets the Kona portfolio outside of the Island of Hawaii to the mainland U.S. and more than 30 countries around the globe. The Kona brand family includes top-selling flagships Big Wave Golden Ale, Longboard Island Lager, and Kona Spiked Island Seltzers. For more information visit www.KonaBrewingCo.com. Talk with us via Facebook and Instagram: @KonaBrewingCo

About Save the Waves Coalition

Save The Waves Coalition is a California-based nonprofit with a mission to protect surf ecosystems across the globe. Their conservation efforts have led to the protection and preservation of surf breaks and coastlines from California to Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Chile and beyond.