Greg Long wins The Eddie

The Eddie ran today in glorious blue 25ft Waimea yesterday. Some crazy performances went down. Kelly pulled in to a big one. Several tried connecting the shorey a la Brucey 2004, and basically everyone charged. From 60-year-olds like Clyde Aikau and Keone Downing, 30-somethings like Dorian and Flea to the relative youth of Mark Healey and Hank Gaskell, and many a big wave specialist in between, from RCJ to AI to JOB, to GMac to iBon. (applestore?) The vibes around the hallowed sands was pretty special, as the natural theatre of Waimea Bay rocked to drumming, screaming and hooting as the best swell in years exploded on the North Shore. All the legends of the the sport were there and even though it was kind of hard to see the action and way better in that regard to watch online (its live on TV over here), you wouldn’t miss being there in person for anything. What a day.

It’s early breakfast time, morning of the Eddie. Ready? Photo: Timo

Greg Long pulled Slater’s pants down in the final heat of the day. Slater had lead all day since the morning after pulling in to a stupid barrel, but Long’s late effort scored him a perfect 100 and gave him the crown. Shortly after, Ramon Navarro got an absolutely mental one for another 100. If the waves had been the other way around, as in if Navarro got his first, would the judges have given Long the 100? But they weren’t the other way around.

When all was said and done to emotions and atmosphere of the crowd leaving the beach was crazy. One 28-year-woman told me that she gets so in to it when a set comes, and overcome with excitement watching the spectacle at the Bay on this day that she actually climaxed 12 times during the day. I am not making this up, this actually what an, until then, complete stranger told me at around 17.40pm by the church. I’m not sure if the ASP keeps records on this kind of thing, but twelve in one day could well be a record for modern professional surfing event, I shall have to email Al Hunt.

This may or may not be her the next day at breakfast, holding a papaya in Cafe Haleiwa. Photo: Larry Browningversion

Ibon, Sunny and not sure. Photo: Timo

Photo: Timo

Wipeouts:

Style bandits: Shane Dorian and Kelly Slater have been frequenting the same salon. Photo: Me

RESULTS: Listed in order of 1st through 28th
Greg Long (California)
Kelly Slater (Florida)
Sunny Garcia (Hawaii)
Bruce Irons (Hawaii)
Ramon Navarro (Chile) * Monster Drop Award
Ross Clarke-Jones (Australia)
Jamie O’Brien (Hawaii)
Mark Healey (Hawaii)
Garret McNamara (Hawaii)
Noah Johnson (Hawaii)
Shane Dorian (Hawaii)
Makuakai Rothman (Hawaii)
Reef McIntosh (Hawaii)
Andy Irons (Hawaii)
Grant Baker (Hawaii)
Carlos Burle (Brazil)
Kohl Chrtistensen (Hawaii)
Kala Alexander (Hawaii)
Peter Mel (USA)
Takayuki Wakita (Japan)
Ibon Amatriain (Spain)
Clyde Aikau (Hawaii)
Keone Downing (Hawaii)
Mike Ho (Hawaii)
Darryl ‘Flea’ Virostko (USA)
Brian Keaulana (Hawaii)
Rusty Keaulana (Hawaii)
Pancho Sullivan (Hawaii)