With a huge pool of exceptional candidates and a rapidly growing funding — given a swift kick by a new shoe promotion — the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation announced recipients for a record $145,000 in scholarships and grants yesterday.

The athletes and non-profit groups were honored at the annual Mahalo Lunch at Outrigger Canoe Club. All are involved in "Duke" sports — water sports and volleyball.

University of Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan was the guest speaker. The Heisman Trophy candidate explained the presence of a football player at a celebration of aquatics and volleyball by recalling how Hawai'i gave him an opportunity as a walk-on early in his career. "This program is all about giving people opportunities," Brennan said.

ODKF was created in 1986 to "financially support the development of individuals and organizations perpetuating the spirit and legacy" of Kahanamoku. The Duke won six Olympic medals from 1912 to 1932, and is considered the Father of International Surfing.

Inaugural grants were awarded in 1986-87, worth $1,800. The following year, $2,000 in scholarships and $7,000 in grants were given out. The program has grown substantially. The 2007-'08 total is about twice that of two years ago.

Eight ODKF Board-Designated Funds and individual donors sustain the program. This year, Vans contributed a $10,000 scholarship designed to further the education of a surfer who excels academically.

The new scholarship coincides with a limited re-release of "Duke Kahanamoku Surfers," cloth-topped sneakers made of aloha prints. They originally appeared in 1965.

Scott Fong, inaugural winner of the Vans Scholarship, called it a "life-changing experience — I feel like I won a surfing contest." The UH junior is majoring in Hawaiian studies with a focus on Malama 'Aina. He has a 3.89 grade point average and has been a professional longboard surfer for four years, winning the China Uemura Surf Classic in 2005 and 2006.

A total of $81,500 in scholarships was awarded to 47 former Hawai'i high school students. More than 70 percent (33) are women, 31 are from public schools and 30 are from O'ahu, including four water polo players attending UH — Annah-Vaile Blanton, Lauren Cheape, Rebecca Fonoimoana and Emily Morihara.

Grants worth $63,500 were awarded to 31 athletes and 14 organizations that support "water sports and character-building youth programs." They include the Hawai'i Canoe/Kayak Team, going for its sixth national title, and freediver Deron Verbeck, heading to Slovenia for World Championships.

The foundation also supports AccesSurf Hawai'i, created to "share adaptive surfing with everyone who has the desire to enter the ocean and ride waves." The group, which has 175 volunteers, began in March of 2006. There were four athletes at its first monthly outing. That increased to 38 at the last meeting. There are plans to expand to neighbor islands.

The group will have a team entered in the Duke's Ocean Fest, Aug. 18 to 26 at Waikiki. It is being held in conjunction with the 117th anniversary of Duke Kahanamoku's birthday (Aug. 24, 1890).

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.

OUTRIGGER DUKE KAHANAMOKU FOUNDATION

2007-2008 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

WATER SPORTS

Justyn Ah Chong (Kamehameha), USC; Annah-Vaile Blanton (Roosevelt), UH-Manoa; Allison Brown (Kealakehe), San Diego; Jeffrey Casebier (Punahou), Lewis & Clark College; Kandice Chavez (Lahainaluna), Cal State San Marcos; Lauren Cheape (Mililani), UH-Manoa; Shannon Ching (Kahuku), Portland; Kathryn Choo (Kamehameha), Santa Clara; Hillary Chun (Kaiser), Whitworth; Hanalei Crowell (Kamehameha), UC-San Diego; Joshua Cutts (Punahou), Cal Poly; Zachary Cutts (Punahou), Cal Poly; Scott Fong (Kalani), UH-Manoa; Rebecca Fonoimoana (Kahuku), UH-Manoa; Lindsey Fryar (Konawaena), Univ. of San Francisco; Nicole Hagi (Kapolei), Siena; Kimberly Hall (Punahou), Stanford; Ryan Knott (Leilehua), Arizona; Rachael Meisner (Kamehameha), Boise State; Nicole Miyahira (Baldwin), Pacific; Emily Morihara (Leilehua), UH-Manoa; Chelsea Nora (Kealakehe), UC Santa Barbara; Malia Paresa (Kamehameha), USC; Ashley Quintal (Punahou), Chaminade; Jacqueline Reed (Waiakea), UC-Irvine; Wailana Waite (Kula), UH-Manoa; Billy (Troy) Wooten (Kula), UH-Manoa; Gregory Woronovich (Waiakea), Arizona State.

VOLLEYBALL

Jasmine Enos-Amanonce (Waianae), UH-Manoa; Courtney Gaddis (Kalani), Whitworth; Dominic Hart (Hawai'i Baptist), Pepperdine; Louis Hoopai (Hana), Honolulu CC; Courtney Inouye (Sacred Hearts), Creighton; Crystine Ito (Kapa'a), UH-Hilo; Caine Jette (Maui), MIT; Courtney Kandler (Kaiser), Puget Sound; Melissa Ann Lagutan (Waipahu), HPU; Chauntelle Maduli (Kamehameha), Chaminade; Garrett Sakimae (Kaua'i), Seattle; Brandie Vea (Kalani), Central Washington; Krislyn Yano (Moanalua), USC.

WATER SPORTS AND VOLLEYBALL

Carl Adolpho (Moloka'i), Southern Utah; Jessica Au (Kaiser), DePauw; Tri Boume (Academy of the Pacific), USC; Kimberly Kopra (Hawai'i Prep), Northern Arizona; Tina Marie Moger (Kaua'i), Loyola Marymount; Kimberly-Ann Mow (Hawai'i Baptist), Portland.

2007-2008 ATHLETIC GRANT HONOREES

INDIVIDUALS

Jennifer Cahill, Speedo Long Course Western Sectional Championship; Cedric Caires, surf competitions; Bobby-John Campbell, USACK Junior National Team Trials; Jeremy Carter, volleyball Junior Olympics ; Kaihe Chong, Flatwater Sprint Jr. World Championship Team Trials; Brennan Clark, Jammers Volleyball Club; Daniel Coakley, Speedo Junior National Championship; Kanesa Duncan, Hennessey International Paddleboard Championship;

Crystal Dzigas, surf competitions; Kalanikoa Elderts, volleyball Junior Olympics, Haili Men's Tournament; Briana Elliot, Volleyball Festival; John Flanagan, swimming World Cup/nationals/Olympic Trials; Kealohilani Kea, Aloha Region USA Volleyball; Pihanakealoha Kea, Jammers Volleyball Club; Branden Medieros, volleyball Junior Olympics; Kelly Noecker, Newport Water Polo Club; Marc Okimura, Western Region Short Course Section Championship; Ethen Pimental, Onipa'a Volleyball Club; Jonah-Nicholas Kapono Retutal, volleyball Junior Olympics; Jarren Reyes, Onipa'a Volleyball Club; Aaron Robinson, volleyball Junior Olympics; Anthony Robinson, volleyball Junior Olympics; Kahala Rowe, volleyball club tournaments; Christel Simms, swimming Senior and Junior National Championships; Kekoa Taparra, USA Swimming 2007 Speedo Championship Series; Deron Verbeck, AIDA Individual World Championship (diving); Brandy Vergado-Duclayan, Volleyball Festival, Haili Tournament; Kiana White, Janet Evans Invitational; Derek Wong, NSSA Nationals; Sydney Yogi, Volleyball Junior Olympics; Blanche Yoshida and David Kalani Vierra, Ripcurl Girls' Surf Festival Tandem Event.

ORGANIZATIONS

Aulea Swim Club, new starting blocks; Banzai Productions, Women's Pipeline Pro; Boys & Girls Club of Hawai'i, Boys & Girls Club Duke Water Sports Day; Hawai'i Amateur Surfing Association, Quiksilver ISA World Jr. Championship; Hawai'i Canoe & Kayak Team, U.S. Nationals; Hawai'i National Guard Youth Challenge Academy, scholarships and Duke Days; Kailua Volleyball Club, USA Volleyball/Aloha Regions/Haili Tournament; Na Opio Racing Association, A.E. "Toots" Minvielle Invitational Race; Outrigger Canoe Club, Cline Mann Paddleboard Race; Outrigger Canoe Club, MacFarlane Regatta; Rainbow Aquatics Swim Team, coaches to senior/age sectionals, state championship; Swim With Mike, fundraiser; Surfers Healing Foundation, Autistic Children Go Surfing; Team Hawai'i, lifeguard competition.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.