Joe Surf: Bethany Hamilton’s story a true inspiration

There are many legends in the surfing world who have had a major impact on the sport, but I honestly cannot think of a surfer who is more of inspiration in and out of the water than Bethany Hamilton.

By now you’ve heard her story. She was 13 when she had her entire left arm bitten off by a Tiger shark surfing the North Shore of Kauai.

She not only got back in the water as soon as she was physically able, but she resumed winning contests, even though essentially she had to learn a new way to surf. (Next time you get in the water, try paddling and surfing with one arm tied behind your back).

As difficult as the physical aspects of surfing with one arm would seem, imagine how you would feel every time there’s a ripple in the water near you.

Hamilton, 26, will be in Huntington Beach from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Jack’s Surfboards on PCH and Main Street to help promote Cobian Footwear, a line of sandals and casual footwear for which Hamilton’s serves as an “ambassador.”

The event is the first stop on Cobian’s “Every Step Matters” tour with stops along both coasts. The first 200 customers who buy a pair Cobian sandals will receive a VIP wristband that will grant them access to a meet-and-greet line for an autograph and photo.

And it’s purely coincidental that Hamilton’s visit comes at a time when there have been an unusually high number of shark sightings in Huntington. We had another beach closure on Sunday, when a shark reportedly bumped a surfer at Tower 16 in Bolsa Chica.

But don’t expect that to stop Hamilton from getting in the water this weekend, so keep an eye out for her. She still surfs when she can — she recently dropped in at Jaws in Hawaii, getting out even though she’s a new mom with husband Adam Dirks (son Tobias is 1) and has full schedule as an inspirational speaker and spokeswoman.

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Keeping up with Kanoa

Huntington’s Kanoa Igarashi is making waves competing in his first World Championship Tour event, the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast currently taking place at Snapper Rocks in Australia. It’s the first contest in the 10-event season that will culminate in December when a world champion is crowned.

Igarashi, 18, went up against two Aussies, Taj Burrow and Josh Kerr, in his first heat. Igarashi got the first decent wave to take an early lead in the heat, but ultimately, Burrow, a 37-year-old veteran of the tour, won the heat.

Igarashi’s two-wave total was an 11.40, placing him third in the heat and forcing him into the elimination Round 2 heat, where he faced Hawaii’s Keanu Asing. Igarashi scored a 7.17 early in the heat and he needed every bit of it, edging out Asing by one-hundredth of a point, 12.27-12.26.

Igarashi’s first WCT heat victory moved him into Round 3 against France’s Jeremy Flores, and Igarashi won again, outpointing Flores, 13.30-12.83. With the heat win, Igarashi advanced to non-elimination Round 4 against Hawaii’s John John Florence and Australia’s Stuart Kennedy.

Florence won the heat with a 6.37 late in the heat while Kennedy was second and Igarashi third. The win allowed Florence to advance to the quarters, while Kennedy and Igarashi went to elimination Round 5. Igarashi was slated to go up against Australia’s Adrian Buchan with a quarterfinal berth on the line.

Igarashi is one of four Californians on the WCT, and three of them reached the final 12 at Snapper Rocks, Igarashi joining San Clemente’s Kolohe Andino and fellow rookie Conner Coffin of Santa Barbara. The fourth Californian on tour — Santa Cruz’s Nat Young — was eliminated in Round 3 by Andino.

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Court is in session

Santa Ana’s Courtney Conlogue is coming off her No. 2 finish in the world last year and, as of Monday, had reached the quarterfinals in the women’s first WCT event of the year, the Roxy Pro Gold Coast at Snapper Rocks.

Conlogue started slowly, finishing third in her three-person Round 1 heat, but followed it up with heat victories in Rounds 2 and 3 to reach the quarters. In the three-person Round 3 heat, she scored a 7.67 on her second scoring wave in the final 30 seconds of the heat to pull out the win.

“In those final minutes you really have to be careful with priority,” Conlogue said. “When you take a wave in that situation it has to be a good one. Luckily that one I got was a good one. I feel like the last few heats I’ve been manufacturing scores so I hope the next heat I can flair a bit more and put on a show.”

JOE HAAKENSON is a Huntington Beach-based sports writer and editor. He may be reached at joe@juvecreative.com.