HONOLULU (AP) — Luke Shepherdson was declared the winner for the first time in seven years in one of the world’s most famous and prestigious surfing contests in Hawaii over the weekend.
Shepardson was declared Sunday’s winner of the Eddie Aikau Big Wave Invitational, with John John Florence — winner of the previous 2016 event — named runner-up. Honolulu Ocean Safety lifeguard Shepherdson scored 89.1 out of 90, beating out defending champion Florence, his star and his advertiser. report.
Mark Healy was 3rd and Billy Kemper was 4th.
The event also included six female surfers for the first time in its 39-year history.
Andrea Moller made history as the first woman to ride a competitive wave with “The Eddie,” the paper reported.
Held at Waimea Bay on Oahu’s North Shore, the one-day competition only runs when the waves are consistently big enough during the winter big wave surfing season from mid-December to mid-March.
Since the first tournament in 1984, it has been held only nine times until this year.
This contest honors the selflessness, courage and sacrifice of legendary Native Hawaiian waterman Eddie Aikau.