Puerto Rico stond gisteren 3 november 2010 in het teken van het overlijden van Andy Irons, drievoudig wereldkampioen surfen. Deelnemers en omstanders peddelde gezamenlijk uit in Puerto Rico om samen een laatste eerbetoon aan Andy Irons te geven.

Andy Irons, die op 32 jarige leeftijd overleed op weg naar zijn huis in Hawaii, werd op een bijzondere manier herdacht door surfers van over de hele wereld door een gezamenlijk paddle out. Kelly Slater, Stephanie Gilmore, Mick Fanning en vele andere namen hieraan deel en spraken mooie woorden over deze fantastische surfer. In samenspraak met de organisatoren van het Rip Curl Pro evenement in Puerto Rico, de ASP organisatie en alle deelnemende surfers, werd er besloten het evenement twee dagen te staken. De sterke band tussen alle surfers die deelnemen aan de ASP Tour werd met de paddle out weer eens bevestigd.

9x Wereldkampioen, Kelly Slater

"Everyone had their own connection with Andy on so many different levels. He was a classic guy. Although he and I butted heads a lot years ago, I have a million good memories of Andy and we have become pretty good friends since."

"There aren't words to describe this. Unfortunately, I've been through this with friends and there's nothing that can make it better. You just have to feel it and process all those memories."

2x Wereldkampioen, Mick Fanning

"It was good having the paddle-out and getting everyone together. We're a surfing family. We all look out for each other. So just for us to paddle out and show our respects to Andy, to his family, to all his friends on Kaui and Hawaii - it means a lot. We're all hurting right now and we're just wanting to pay our respects today."

"Andy was incredible. I think he was a person that always wore his heart on his sleeve. He didn't try to impress anyone. He was just all about what he wanted to do. He was an amazing competitor and an amazing friend. But I haven't just lost a friend here, I've lost my brother. It's hard to take."

4X Wereldkampioen, Stephanie Gilmore

"Andy in particular was an amazing guy. He was one of the most beautiful human-beings. Such an incredible competitor, but always so gentle and so kind. He always gave you the time of day. No matter where you were or how busy he was, he'd stop and say hi and ask how you were going. He's going to be really, really missed by everyone. I think everybody admires him so much and he'll never be forgotten."

De paddle out is terug te zien op de website van Rip Curl.