Page 8 - MidWeek West - January 25, 2023

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JANUARY 25, 2023
Aloha surfers and beachgoers,
There’s so much going on in the world of surf, it’s hard to keep up. It’s like a set that never ends.
Actually, the first year was held at Sunset Beach when local North Shore resident Denton Miyamura won just $5,000 in 1984. Ever since, The Eddie was to be held exclusively at Waimea Bay. The next time the contest would “go” was in 1986 when Clyde himself won the first Eddie held at the Bay. What a feeling that must have been. Clyde winning for his legendary brother right out the gates.
HH H
p.m. He first caught what looked like the wave of the day, but the wave closed out and ripped Kala’s helmet off! He tried to duck dive the next beast converging on the shallow inside reef. He was pounded into the reef and knocked out.
As far as the forecast goes, it’s been nearly nonstop for much of the time. On Jan. 11, the iconic Eddie Big Wave Invitational was given the green light on Jan. 9, but then a yellow light (no go) the very next day. I think it’s a first in the contest’s almost 40-year history. There’s a reason.
I’ve never seen a Pipe jet ski rescuer jump off their craft to help someone. The hero is Noland Keaulana who kept Kala’s head above water as much as possible. He required CPR to save his life a few feet from shore. The battered warrior was rushed to the intensive care unit at The Queen’s Medical Center.
It was a tough call as Clyde Aikau, who’s the contest director and Ed- die’s younger brother, said. Indeed, how do you keep up with Mother Nature’s tricks and nuances, especially for a spot like Waimea Bay? I think they’ ve done a pretty darn good job.
Local surfer Kala Grace ended up in the hospital following a life-threatening incident at the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout last week. PHOTO COURTESY @RYAN_CHACHI_CRAIG/FREESURF MAGAZINE/DA HUI BACKDOOR SHOOTOUT
In other surf news, the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout had more drama than 10 Shake- speare plays. They had to wait till the very end of the holding period — but wow did the waves deliver. It finished up early on Jan. 15 in absolutely pristine heavy Pipeline.
He went off the breathing machine on Jan. 16 and has been improving ever since, but not without lots of work and prayer.
There was plenty of size showing on the latest fore- cast, with buoys expecting about 18-foot, 20 seconds of open ocean ground swell. This usually equates to 40-to-45-foot wave fac- es or about 25- to near 30- foot Hawai‘i scale at least somewhere if not Waimea. A 20-second period mag-
nifies swell height by three times and often even more. This prompted the event coordinators to say, “Hey, the size should easily be enough.”
cast. They needed eight sol- id hours of competition. In addition, poor bumpy north- erly winds were expected. Yikes.
Clyde was right. Luckily, he decided “Eddie wouldn’t go” on this day. He held the line and Jan. 11 turned out to be super subpar for this pres- tigious event. Eddie’s high standards continue.
The main story, however, were the injuries — one of which delayed the awards ceremony. Pipe specialist Kala Grace, age 24, was nearly killed around 1:45
His dad, Willy Grace, has updates on his Instagram (@waikikibeachboys).
BY GARY KEWLEY
The Eddie Updates; Dangerous Waves At Pipeline
However, the swell was not expected to peak until near noon, which added a ton of clutter to a clear fore-
This all added up to what I’m guessing was a gut call from Clyde; after so many years one develops an in- tuition. And guess what?
gary@surfnewsnetwork.com
There’s a reason the con- test has only gone nine times in almost 40 years.
God speed for your con- tinued and full healing, Kala.
GQ, droppin’ in 4 U!
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