With a lineup stacked with current and recent world champions, the 32 invited participants demonstrated the skills and experience it takes to ride a surfboard that is as long as the waves are high.

For the largely uneducated winter tourists who flocked to a sun-drenched Haleiwa Ali`i Beach Park, the action on the waves exceeded their imagination. Hanging five and ten 'toes on the noseı of the board as they carved down the face of the wave, then tube-riding, floating and even surfing upside down, there wasnıt a move left undone by the dayıs end. It was a perfect display of exactly what can be accomplished when longboards, longboardingıs best, and big waves come together at the one location.

Extreme waterman Dave Kalama, from Maui, demonstrated his diversity today and posted some of the highest scores in the process. More easily identified as the maniac riding 40-foot waves at Jaws on a windsurfer, Kalama was a picture of style and master of control this morning as he posted a win in his heat against three-time world longboard champ Rusty Keaulana (Makaha), Seb Wilson (Australia), and George Fujisawa (Japan).

"I felt quite at home even though this was only my second time surfing at Haleiwa," Kalama said. "The strong winds we had that seemed to be bothering some of the other surfers actually played to my favor. I surf the north shore of Maui a lot, and I do a lot of windsurfing and big-wave tow-in surfing, so Iım used to the wind factor."

Kalamaıs win came as a double bonus after only gaining a start in the event at the last minute this morning, entering as a replacement for Danny Kalahiki.

The first round elimination of world champion elect Beau Young (Australia) came as a real shock to those in the longboarding know. The son of one of the sportıs founders, Nat Young, Beau found himself struggling with positioning and wave selection. Current Australian champion Wayne Deane won the heat, with Young finishing in third.

Small wave specialist and defending Bear Hawaiian Pro Longboard champion Joel Tudor (California) was another big name to fall, overwhelmed by the larger conditions. Local favorite Kanoa Dahlinıs elimination came as the biggest upset to the Haleiwa home crowd.

Advancing to the quarter finals of the Bear Hawaiian Pro Longboard Invitational were Deane, Devon Howard (USA), Josh Baxter (USA), Mikey Gordon (Hawaii), Grant Thomas (Australia), Cody Simpkins (USA), Rusty Keaulana (Hawaii), Duane De Soto (Hawaii), Kapono Nahina (Hawaii), Lance Hookano (Hawaii), Kevin Connelly (USA), Bonga Perkins (Hawaii), Phil Razjman (Brazil), Amaro Matos (Brazil), and Dino Miranda (Hawaii).

It was a full slate of surfing disciplines today, with heats held in all three divisions ­ menıs womenıs and longboarding. Round one of the womenıs was completed, paving the way to the entrance of the top seeds in round two. Menıs round was completed with 32 surfers now left in the running for the G-Shock Hawaiian Pro title. They include: world champion Sunny Garcia (Hawaii), Shane Dorian (Haw), Taylor Knox (USA), Kaipo Jaquias (Haw), Renan Rocha (Brz), Mark Bannister (Aus), Toby Martin (Aus).

The Vans G-Shock Triple Crown of Surfing is made possible through the proud support of Vans, Mountain Dew, G-Shock, PlayStation, Ford Ranger, Right Guard Xtreme Sport, Rolling Stone, ESPN, Rip Curl, Quiksilver Roxy, Billabong, Surfrider Foundation, the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, and the ASP.

Check out all the latest on http://www.swell.com ­ offering live stream feeds of the dayıs events, along with all the scores, results and images of the events.