So there we are- two heats of the first round done and Kelly's knocked out a 290... Out of a possible 400. When most guys are scoring mid range 100s. The event is judged on your best four waves over two surfs, 4 waves allowed in each heat. So KS can only go up further and the rest of the field have the bar set pretty high. No worries 2004 winner Brucey (above) is up next as is Shane Dorian who has been the man in the two warm up sessions this week.
It wasn't to be, the surf got lully and no real monsters came in,Bruce knocked out a 227 (who along with RCJ were the only guys to post 200+ tallies in Rd1) that's him above with 1990 champ Keone Downing going for a back-spin in the pit...
Garret McNamara got one bomb...
And one beating, he's deepest, Brian Keaulana is in the prime enema position...
There was still the occasional chunky set but Huey was saving himself for after lunch... (L-R: Brian K, Brucey, Ramon Navarro)
Most of Hawaii was there to watch the show...
Anyhoose, at lunchtime I figured I'd go shoot some other angles and get some lunch, this is the normally empty Kam Hwy going down to Foodland...
I got some other angles but Foodland was such a scene I had a lunch of one whole gingerbread latte...
Then went for a sweaty hike up the hill to get away from the noise, smell and chaos...
Peaceful as Waimea Bay is normally when the Eddie is on it's bedlam. Shooting from the road either side is like smoking 40 a day. You're choked by fumes from the grid-locked traffic, the noise is incessant with circling choppers, planes, jetskis and the cars and lorries right behind you. Not too mention the chatter of a few thousand excited surf fans... On the beach itself is lovely, as long you don't want to shoot!
