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Hawaiian waterman wins big-wave SUP event
by George Mojo
15/02/2008:// Revered Hawaiian waterman Aaron Napoleon has won the world's first big-wave stand-up paddle surfing event.
Forty-one-year-old Napoleon surfed through a total of five rounds to win the all-Hawaiian QuikSilverEdition Ku Ikaika Challenge, final, charging hard through every round and posting one of the event's two perfect 10-point rides for a huge barrel.
Second place went to 24-year-old Keoni Keaulana, who was the top-performing member of the highly represented and respected Keaulana family of Makaha.
Big-wave specialist Ikaika Kalama was third with Kamu Auwae, fourth.
The surf at Makaha Beach, on Oahu's West Side, ranged from six to 15ft.
Of the field of 32 surfers, 24 were from the Hawaiian Islands, four were from California: Scott Bass, Kyle Mochizuki, Chris Mauro and Chuck Patterson; two were from Tahiti: Raimana Van Bastolaer and Arsene Harehoe; and two were from Australia: Jamie Mitchell and Liam Wilmott. There was also one woman in the event: Maui's Tiare Lawrence.
The top-performing non-Hawaii surfer was fifth-placed Californian Chuck Patterson, who lost in the semi-finals to Napoleon and Kalama.
Patterson posted the other perfect 10-point ride of the contest in round one of the main event. Like Napoleon, he surfed all the way from the trials.
As the oldest competitor in the final, Napoleon had a wealth of ocean knowledge to draw from, both from his own lifetime of experience and as the product of one of Hawaii's best known ocean-going families.
A top-performer over the years in every salt-water sport on offer, Napoleon attributed his success to good genes and just wanting to have fun.
"If you could have been out there and seen how the water and the waves looked from where I was, it was so beautiful, man, I was in heaven," said Napoleon. "It wasn't super big, but it was fun. My first heat in the trials I kinda really bonked. I told myself that if I get another chance I'm going for it."
On his perfect 10-scoring, 12-foot wave: "I set it up, pulled in there, had some travel time. I could see the jet-skis in the channel and even though I didn't make it out, when I came up it seemed like the crowd was in awe. To get the respect, I'm on cloud nine."
Chuck Patterson followed an identical path to Napoleon through the event, unfortunately falling one heat short of the glory, but not an ounce short on respect earned.
Like Napoleon, he only made it out of the trials by virtue of being one of the highest placed thirds (technically only first and second in each heat were advancing, but a couple of vacancies in the seeded main round allowed a couple of top thirds a second shot).
Where Napoleon capitalised on the biggest, most critical waves and a high, racing line, Patterson opted for large open-faced waves and a top-to-bottom sequence of power carves that totally utilised the paddle.
Like Napoleon, Patterson is also an exponent of multiple sports - kite-surfing, big-wave tow-in surfing, snowboarding and skiing. Stand up paddle surfing is his latest passion.
"I'm addicted!" said Patterson, who runs a construction company and cross-trains young athletes when not pursing his own sporting goals. "This new sport is so exciting. It's as much fun as anything I've ever done and it's the most humbling. It has its glorified moments that leaving you feeling amazing, but then you can turn straight around and fall on a small little bump on the water. It's a humanizing experience - you've just got to get back on your feet and start over. You're always learning and it's never boring."
[Carissa Moore (in yellow) receiving the winner's prize]
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Hawaiian Carissa Moore won the Roxy Pro Junior surfing in her first ever contest in France
ASP International has announce the inception of their fourth regional branch, ASP Australasia
Twenty-six-year-old Pablo Guitierrez took top honours in the Superbock Pro in Portugal after defeating fellow Portugeuse surfer Eduardo Fernandes in the final
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