Soul Surfer Page #7

That's okay. You'll get another one!

Stay in there, stay in there, Bethany.

Take a look at this.

We've got four competitors scratching

for this wave.

And surfer in black takes control of the peak.

Birch on the nice take off.

She sprays Bethany!

Great off the top!

Birch snaps under the lip.

Banks it off the white water one more time.

Man, she is on fire today.

One away. Malina Birch has scored

a 9.25 according to the judges,

and that is a high score.

Now she is in the lead, Blanchard in second.

Melamed in third, Leila Hurst in fourth,

Bethany Hamilton is in fifth,

and in sixth right now is Moniz.

Hamilton with a stall and goes over the falls.

Is she going to be all right?

It's okay. Everybody gets caught

every once in a while. She can handle it.

Precious time on the clock right now, Dave.

And it looks like Alana is paddling into

a big wave on the outside.

And Alana Blanchard takes a spill there, too.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Malina Birch is up and riding again.

This girl's a wave magnet today, Bo.

She certainly is in rhythm with the ocean.

Way above the pack here

in today's competition.

Malina Birch has just scored

a 9.5 on her last wave.

That is the highest wave of the contest.

She's going to need two nine-plus waves

to even come close to catching Malina.

She's got less than five minutes.

With time winding down and no waves

on the horizon,

our surfers are anxious to get a final score.

Look for the girls to scramble

for any solid wave before the hooter blows.

Check this out, ladies and gentlemen.

There's some energy out in back.

Looks like the girls have spotted something

on the horizon.

Paddle, Bethany. Paddle hard.

Bo, take a look at this.

Birch and Hamilton

paddle-battle out the back.

And Hamilton really needs

to beat her to the inside.

- Lf she's got a chance here today.

- Come on, Bethany, stay ahead of her!

Don't let up! You got her!

Unbelievable, Bo, all Malina's got to do

is block Bethany Hamilton

from getting to the inside

and she's got this contest in the bag.

Paddle hard!

Birch is still blocking Hamilton

from the inside.

I don't know how

she's going to catch this wave, Bo.

Paddle!

Dave, we've got a paddle-battle

to the outside.

It's Birch. It's Hamilton.

She's got her on the ropes.

Can Bethany catch the wave?

This is her last chance.

- Yes!

- Yes!

She's got the wave, David!

This is the one she's been waiting for

all contest long.

Absolutely unbelievable.

Bethany Hamilton duck dives

under Malina Birch

while Birch is still out there

looking for another ride.

Sick one, Bethany!

That was an unbelievable ride

by Bethany Hamilton.

The judges give her a 9. 7.

It's the highest score of the heat!

- But she's still fifth!

- All right, guys,

she needs one more, one more.

Bethany Hamilton is paddling

outside the lineup.

What does she see?

I don't know, Dave,

but no one's been paddling out

in that area all during the contest.

Why is she so far out?

What, is she giving up?

I don't know.

She feels something.

What are you doing?

Dave, there's only one minute remaining

on the clock.

It is dead flat.

The contest may be already over.

Why is she stopping?

- There's nothing out there.

- Not yet.

Only 45 seconds on the clock

and no set waves on the horizon.

This contest may be over, Bo.

We are counting down to end this final.

Just 30 seconds left on the clock.

Big bomb on the outside.

Fifteen seconds remaining.

Everybody else is too far inside.

The Rip Curl Nationals, 10 seconds to go!

And there is Bethany Hamilton

with an amazing wave out the back.

Will this be enough?

She is paddling and here comes the wave.

She's taken the drop!

An amazing barrel for Bethany Hamilton.

Perfect positioning.

Was she up before the horn?

They have to count it.

Way to go, Bethany!

Yeah!

Unbelievable. Bethany Hamilton's

amazing wave at the end does not count.

- She stood up after the horn.

- What?

So she gets no score.

Malina Birch, your new National Champion.

No!

It's okay, Dad. It's okay.

But it didn't count.

It counted.

It totally counted.

Yes, it did.

I'm still checking that video. Noah!

Hey. You okay?

- Very. Are you?

- Yeah.

Yeah, I think so.

What am I supposed to do now?

You're supposed to enjoy it. All of it.

For the rest of your life.

- In fifth place, Bethany Hamilton!

- Good job.

Yeah! Bethany!

And in fourth place, Leila Hurst.

Third place, Nag Melamed.

- Second place, Alana Blanchard.

- Way to go, baby!

And in first place, Malina Birch.

Hey.

Hey, Malina. Great job.

You're a tough opponent.

Bethany Hamilton,

nobody is as tough as you.

Get up here. Come on. Come on.

I'd like to share this win

with Bethany Hamilton.

Because the judges

may not have counted that last wave,

but I did.

Bethany.

- Bethany! Bethany!

- Whoa, whoa, whoa. Just back off, okay.

- It's okay.

- Are you sure?

You don't have to talk to them.

Yeah, but what about

Dylan or Logan or Stephanie?

What if they're watching?

Bethany, I'm from Transworld Surf magazine.

Are you upset you didn't win today?

I didn't come to win. I came to surf.

Bethany, I just wanted to ask you

if you could go back to that day

and not have gone surfing, would you do it?

I wouldn't change what happened to me,

because then I wouldn't have this chance

in front of all of you.

This chance to embrace more people

than I ever could have with two arms.

I was born to surf.

This is why I wake up

at the crack of dawn every day.

This is why I endure belly rashes, reef cuts,

muscles so tired they feel like noodles.

And I've learned that life is a lot like surfing.

When you get caught in the impact zone,

you need to get right back up

because you never know

what's over the next wave.

And if you have faith, anything is possible.

Anything at all.

Yeah, it was so much fun just seeing him

get better and better on every wave

and get up and ride all the way to the beach.

It was awesome.

Throwing out the ceremonial first pitch

of the 2004 season is Bethany Hamilton.

Strike.

Thank you, Bethany!

I think I got my courage from Jesus Christ.

He says, "Be strong. "

You think you're going to surf again?

I think?

I know I'm going to surf again.

bSubtitle Rip; TheHeLL/b

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