Massive Puena Point Delivers for North Shore Tow-In Championships

Would you risk your life for $5,000?

1st place: Garret McNamara and Kealii Mamala Hartvigsen

Well that is what the 18 tow-in surfing teams did on Super Tow Sunday as they competed in the second annual Phelony North Shore Tow-In Championships that took place Feb. 6th, 2006 in 15-20 foot top-to-bottom spitting offshore surf at Haleiwa’s Puena Point.

The day started with some giant sketchy conditions and the Eddie Aikau big wave Invitational at Waimea Bay was put on hold. But the tow-in boys voted to go for it and it was a good call as the surf cleaned up by the start of the event and became epic by the third heat. Haleiwa’s outer reefs were rocking under sunny skies with brisk offshore winds that made for some incredible rides. The longest I’ve ever seen in Hawaii.

Several 9.5 tube rides occurred. The best in the first round was Brazil’s Edison Depaula and Joao Jabouy and Hawaii’s Dan Moore and Mark Anderson. Followed closely by Garrett McNamara and Kealii Mamala.

By noon the waves peaked at 20 foot Hawaiian with a huge whirlpool in the harbor channel. The press boat screaming over the radio, “We gotta get out of here!” Plenty teams went home exhausted and battered. Last year’s winner, Eric Fisher and his partner as well as “team pickle fork”, the Brothers Kamasugi, stand-outs last year, among the many beaten down hard this year.

Living legend Marvin Foster recently took-up tow surfing and was the underdog local favorite until a long backside tube ride ended in a wipeout and beating so severe the judges almost stopped the competition. Carvin’ Marvin was rescued and brought to the beach in real bad shape; Lifeguards tried to clear him of many gallons of sea water and administered oxygen. It was very quite in Haleiwa for what seemed like 10 minutes. But by the time the paramedics came to cart Marvin away the bull stood up and with some help and the cheers and claps from the crowd got his own ride to the hospital were he is reported to be recovering after a full night of tests and treatment.

One wave runner was lost to Puena Point’s lava ledges and several leashes and boards broken in the live or die conditions. But in the end local boys Garrett McNamara and Kealii Mamala netted the $5,000 for first place by riding waves from up the point at Police Beach all the way down the reef to inside Puena Point. No easy task with double-up 20 yard sections, stiff offshores and 30+ foot wave faces. “

All I did was drive”, explained Garrett McNamara as he gave his tow partner, Kealii Mamala all the credit for his surfing that was both graceful yet extreme. Second place went to John Gangini and Yuri Soledad who came over from Maui.

Kealii Mamala. The surfers kicked out near the Haleiwa harbor marker. Hartvigsen

All 18 teams entered from Hawaii, Brazil, California, Florida and beyond had the DLNR Tow-In Surf License or equivilant and all safety equipment was checked prior to the 9:30AM start of the event. The winner’s checks were written and handed out by Ace Cool before sunset. The event was dedicated to Hawaii’s Mark Foo who passed away December 23, 1994 surfing Mavericks, a big wave spot in California.

Check Highsurfwarning.com, Haleiwa-Tow-In.com, TowSurfer.com and ProTowSurfers.org for more information.