Kala Grace In Dramatic Rescue While Competing In Backdoor Shootout
Yesterday, Pipeline again showed how dangerous it can be, but also how deceiving it can be.
At 1:45, 24-year old Kala Grace who caught the wave of the day two days back, pulled into a closeout at Pipeline. That wave, however, wasn't the one that injured Grace, though it did rip his helmet off. Still, Grace surfaced quickly afterwards, reeled in his board, and went to duckdive the rest of the set.
Facing the whitewash without a helmet, the next wave, already broken, drove Grace into the bottom.
Video footage shows events unfolding though it's hard to follow as three surfers left the beach to paddle out just before Grace took off, then Grace himself appeared to be OK, while his helmet floats loosely giving the impression of another surfer stricken in the whitewash.
Water patrol, however, acted immediately. Replay footage begins at 5:44:30.
Grace was brought to shore unconcious where lifeguards performed at least one round of cardio pulmonary resuscitation. After this, he began to breathe before being placed on advanced life support and transported to Queens Medical Center, Waikiki.
Grace's father, Willie Grace, told Hawaii News Now: ' [Kala] probably bounced off the reef, he had a big scar right above his eye and right below. He was kind of purple when they brought him in.”
"Kala's helmet came off on a big wave, and the next wave slammed him under cracking his head open above his left eye."
Billy Kemper was one of Grace's first responders and was thanked by Willie Grace. Kemper also injured himself at the Backdoor Shootout. Makua Rothman went to hospital with a torn MCL.
Comments
That’s brutal.. hopefully they are ok
So hectic. Amazing work by the water patrol. Was pretty rattling watching live. I don't think he's out of the woods yet. Sending best energy his way.
That's a big thick lip to get on the head. Hope he's OK.
It was actually the wave before the one in the insta post, after his closeout that got him.
Let's hope he makes a full recovery.
Rescue footage…
https://m.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222096019889434&set=a.3604343707159
Thats goodish news. Cheers Jono
So he’s tried to do the right thing by wearing a helmet, the wave he caught has ripped the helmet off, then the next wave that smashed his head into the reef happens when he’s lost his helmet?
How unlucky can you get.
Although not sure if a helmet would of helped in this situation if he was hit in the eye area.
That's the thing, hey. So deceptive. He'd just pulled into an 8ft closeout, and you'd think that's where the injury might happen, except it was while duckdiving the next wave.
Happened right in front of cameras, drones, commentators, spectators, but I don't think anyone suspected anything at the time.
That was a hectic set - he was stuck in the awful spot where you are not sure if you should scratch to get under the next one or stick where you are and hope it bounces over you.
Exactly, it was right in that horrible spot where it rolls at it's heaviest. You get surprise floggings like that on 3ft beachies, I can't imagine what it's like at Pipe!
Oh man! If you look closely you can see some ledge sucking dry after the 2nd wave. He then paddles over towards it and looks to dive right on it. Hope he pulls through ok.
It’s hard to watch that footage. He was under for a long time
Anyone on here surfed pipe when it’s like that? I’d love to know how shallow it would’ve been where he duck dived the wave that ko’d him.
Zero, you can see reef with water draining off it in the overhead footage.
Awful stuff.
Can't really fathom what it's like to surf a wave of that intensity all the time, with such a high risk factor. I wonder how many decide the risk just isn't worth it for them anymore.
The inside at Pipe looks so hectic. Well done to the rescue crew.
Cheers Jono for the update .. fingers crossed for him
such a heavy wave to be wearing a helmet, have it ripped off and straight away get knocked unconscious
brutal, hope he makes a full recovery
Same here. What type of helmet was it? Pretty rare to have the clasp or chinstrap break but ....were are talking Pipeline
It happened a bunch of times that day too, perhaps not on tight enough?
not sure man, could only speculate, the speed of the water draining off the reef + the power of the wave makes a pretty intense impact zone
.....
Yes, pipeline is next level, photos and videos really don't do it justice. I travelled there around 2017, mid February. Consistent 6-10ft swells from the north mainly, favouring OTW and Backdoor. What was absolutely amazing was the inside of pipe, right off the beach- it was like a river, straight into thick 6ft stationarys at Gums. Seeing crew tackle big thick days OTW was mind blowing. I've spent plenty of time in the ocean, over 35 years, and I wanted nothing to do with the Pipe-Keiki stretch, it's for the elite. Big highlight was scoring relatively uncrowded Velzys, staying on Sunset Point we noticed a subtle wind change late arvo, flew down on the pushies, paddled out super quite and slowly got some crackers. The whole place has a different aura/feeling. Speedy recovery for Kala hopefully, and props to the crew that paddle out there..
Not what you want to see happen. Here's to a good outcome.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/kokuaforkalagrace
Positive signs there!
Really good to hear he is breathing fine now.
Must have been a lot of saltwater in those lungs.
And Sand.
How do they get that out? Vacuum I guess. Wonder what that feels like before during and after?
Saline then suction - Saline then suction
Under GA I guess
The boys on jet skis are incredible
Great news... Here's to a speedy recovery.
Man that's insane news. Was seriously touch and go for a while there by the sound of it. Great interview with Mike and Mason Ho on Aint That Swell a day or so after the accident. Some pretty real emotions spilling out of them. Can only imagine how much it rattled the surf community over there. Well worth a listen.
...Pipe. What a wave.
Thanks for sharing BD, great to hear Mike Ho talk about it...wow 65!
Rest up kala.
Pipe heat Draws announced for start of CT in 10 days.
Wonder if that day and the injuries will influence calls to run.
Lots of young rookies in Womens draw and not many competitors with a full, experienced skill set.
Most notably current and 8 time World Champion Steph Gilmore.
Will they send Steph out in full throttle 8-10ft Pipe?
Thanks for sharing that, Udo.
Lucky fella, and he obviously knows it. Go well, young man!
And the gofundme has another $65k or so.
Glad to hear he is ok .. very grateful for the rescue team .. one lucky boy
Glad to hear he is ok .. very grateful for the rescue team .. one lucky boy
Here's a great perspective of a first timer's time in Hawaii.
My good mate Seb being interviewed by his bro Sam after his trip to Hawaii. Seb got an invite to compete in the Vans triple crown and then got put up right at Pipe in the Vans house. Straight outta the middle of a freezing winter in England where he hadn't surfed for 6 weeks. Crazy.
This is one of the more refreshing and real perspectives of what it's like to arrive on the North Shore and be thrust into the craziness that is Pipeline. He was there right through the whole Backdoor shootout, Kala Grace/Billy Kemper stuff.
Highly recommended watch for those interested.