Fred Hemmings

Who is Fred Hemmings?

Fred Hemmings is a world-known surfer who served as a Republican member of the Hawaii Senate from the 25th District. Elected in 2000, he served as Senate Minority Leader from 2002 to 2010. Previously he was a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 1984 through 1990. His retirement from the Senate leaves Sam Slom, a Honolulu attorney from the 8th District, as the only Republican in the 25-member body.

During the 1960s, Hemmings won the Mākaha International Surfing Championships four times. He also won the Peruvian International Surfing Championships in 1964, and then from the surf of Rincon, Puerto Rico, the World Surfing Championship title in 1968. Hemmings was a steersman on four Molokai to Oahu Outrigger Canoe racing Champion teams, and to this day is a pioneer canoe surfing steersman. He attended Punahou School where he is an inductee of the Punahou School Athletic Hall of Fame. In 1991, Hemmings was inducted into the International Surfing Hall of Fame, and in 1999 the Hawaii State Sports Hall of Fame.