Honolulu Star-Bulletin from Honolulu, Hawaii • 52

nadA SPORTS Long BY DANIEL IKAIKA ITO Special to the Star-Bulletin In the last heat yesterday, Greg Long came from behind to win $55,000 and the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big wave invitational. The biggest sets of The Eddie rolled into Waimea Bay during the final hour ranging from 44- to 50- foot wave faces. These mountains of water allowed Long to catch four highscoring rides to overtake nine-time world champion Kelly Slater. Sunny Garcia was third. Long caught a perfectscoring 100-point wave in the final heat.

"There were a couple of big sets that started feathering out the back and you thought they were going to close out, but you had to hold your ground," said Long, 26, from San Clemente, Calif. "I was checking my lineups and where I needed to be," said Long of his 100- point ride. "I turned around, put my head down and there was no way I wasn't going to go. And, it was one of the bigger and better paddle-in waves I got in a while. That heat lent itself to coming from behind." Pardon the pun, but Long was a "long shot" to win The Eddie considering this was his first time invited to this event.

Yet, yesterday was something special. It was exactly 25 years yesterday when this big wave event first ran in 1984 to pay tribute to legendary lifeguard Eddie Aikau. Aikau was one of the most prolific Waimea Bay surfers and was lost at sea while attempting to paddle for help when the Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokule'a capsized off of Oahu. The contest requires truly big waves, and this was the first time the conditions allowed it to be held in five years and just the eighth time overall. This event which drew a crowd of thousands and many more watching on the Internet pays homage to Aikau's enduring legacy of aloha and brings out the best in the sport of surfing, says Long.

"It really is about the wave and celebrating the ocean," Long said. "The respect and camaraderie in the lineup you don't find in STARBULLETIN.COM WEDNESDAY cashes in at Eddie THE QUIKSILVER IN MEMORY AIKAU DATE: HAWAI'1 SHERRY 0020 55,000.00 PAY 70 OF: THE GREG ORDER re paull YEARS CASE ROUND ROUND OR NAME 3 2 3 INTRY 16 30 81 2 ORANGE 39 56 67 52 INS 50 45 17 BRIEN 2 PONS 29 59 28 42 29 31 26 EL RED 43 32 52 (ANDER GREEN 58 32 55 IKER 53 55 26 BLACK MKSILVER 09 89 62 29 URLE PINK ASSOCIATED PRESS Greg Long of San Clemente, hoisted the $55,000 first-place check for winning The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau at Waimea Bay yesterday. "It really is about the wave and celebrating the ocean," Long said. surfing in my life, for sure." Garcia, who won $5,000 yessaid Slater, who won this terday, witnessed Long's 100- event in 2002 and claimed point ride and had the utmost $10,000 yesterday. "I had a respect for the 2009 Quiksilcouple of my most memo- ver Eddie Aikau champ.

rable rides I've ever had. "Greg Long is my hero," That last heat was just puls- Garcia said. "Greg Long is ing with huge sets coming the man! I saw him take that in; it had the biggest sets one wave (the 100-point and Greg won the whole ride) and I didn't want anycontest with one heat." thing to do with it. He Third place finisher and six- turned around and went. time Vans Triple Crown of That guy is crazy.

He deSurfing champion Garcia served to win." echoed Slater's sentiments. Long wasn't the only DECEMBER 8, 2009 too many places in the world, and this event really encapsulates everything that's great about surfing: the friendships you make in the water and looking out for one another." Former champion Slater had nothing but respect for Long's performance and the event yesterday. Despite finishing runner-up Slater was still psyching on the overall vibe of the contest. "One of the best days of competitor to catch a per- "Riding big waves is my fect-scoring wave. Brazil's passion and I've been folRamone Navarro won the lowing The Eddie since I $10,000 Monster Drop knew exactly what it was, I Award and another $2,000 was probably 12 years old for placing fifth overall.

just getting into surfing," Kauai's Bruce Irons, who said Long, who lives out of won The Eddie in 2004, fin- his van in California for ished in fourth place and greater mobility to chase was awarded $3,000. big swells. "I never would For Long, who is a big- have thought that this bewave surfer by nature and ing my first year surfing the profession, this win in his event, to come away with a young career is a childhood victory is really a childhood dream come true. dream become real.".