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Luke Shepardson has taken out The Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational at Waimea Bay in Hawaii.
The North Shore of Oahu has a new hero.
Shepardson, a local on-duty lifeguard, claimed one of the most prestigious surfing competitions in the world in front of 50,000 spectators.
The morning rose with a rising swell hitting the buoy at 29 feet and 19 seconds and quickly invading the iconic North Shore bay. And despite the occasional closeout sets, the event got underway with the minimum conditions set for running the show – 30 feet.
The stakes were high, and the local contingent of big-wave riders soon took over the event featuring 40 male and female competitors.
Ultimately, Luke Shepardson ended up scoring a near-perfect 89.1 out of a possible 90 points, with three waves counting to the final result, and each scored out of 30. Actually, the Honolulu City Council lifeguard had to get permission from his supervisor to compete, as he and his colleagues were busy and reporting over 60 rescues during the day.
“I told myself, ‘I’m in it because I can win it.'” revealed the unexpected hero. “It was super scary. The waves were huge, and it was a dream come true just to be part of The Eddie, just to be on the alternate list. I can’t believe it – it’s crazy. I’ve got to get back to the tower to make sure everyone’s OK until the end of the day.”
The outcome kept John John Florence from becoming the first-ever athlete to win The Eddie Aikau Invitational twice. Florence won the event last time it ran in 2015/2016.
Clyde Aikau, brother of the legendary waterman and organizer of the contest, said he was expecting waves to reach 50 to 60 feet wave faces today.
The contest was expected to attract more than 20,000 spectators, but the crowd estimates for the 2016 tournament were as high as 50,000.
Before dawn today, Waimea Bay was already packed with hundreds of fans and traffic was slow-moving for miles in either direction. Honolulu Ocean Safety and Emergency Medical Services personnel were kept busy this morning with multiple rescues including saving a baby swept underneath a home by a wave.
Results
1st – Luke Shepardson
2nd – John Florence
3rd – Mark Healey
4th – Billy Kemper
5th – Kai Lenny
6th – Zeke Lau
7th – Landon Mcnamara
8th – Keali’i Mamala