Pancho Sullivan and Kekoa Uemura took top honors at the Macy's E-Series season opener last week in 3- to 5-foot waves at Kewalo Basin.

The North Shore's Sullivan beat several younger surfers to win the shortboard division.

"It's awesome to see the level of surfing from Hawai'i's youth this high," said Sullivan, 32. "I am trying to stay busy and focused for the events coming up, and being able to surf against these young guys and win is a huge confidence booster."

Sullivan scored a near-perfect 9.6 early in the final and never relinquished the lead.

Maui's Hank Gaskell placed second, followed by O'ahu surfers Kekoa Bacalso and Dustin Cuizon.

In the longboard division, Uemura caught a wave in the closing minutes of the final to clinch the victory.

Ned Snow placed second, Kai Sallas was third, and Scotty Fong Jr. fourth.

It was the first of five events on the 2005-06 Macy's E-Series. The series is designed to help groom Hawai'i surfers for larger international competitions.

The next event is scheduled for Oct. 8 and 9 at Pinetrees on Kaua'i.

BIG ISLAND SURF SHOP WINS NATIONAL TITLE

The Pacific Vibrations shop of Kailua, Kona, won the Quiksilver Surf Shop Challenge National Championship last week at San Clemente, Calif.

Surf shops from five different regions of the United States had to qualify to surf in last week's final. Pacific Vibrations won the Hawai'i region last month.

Members of the winning team were Casey Brown, Mikey Bruneau, Makai McMichael and Ty McMillan.

Brown posted the best scores of the contest, including a 9.17 in the final.

The shop was awarded $10,000 for the victory.Bethany Hamilton visits Thailand kids

Bethany Hamilton continues to inspire with her remarkable comeback.

Hamilton, a 15-year-old surfing champion who lost an arm in a shark attack nearly two years ago, encouraged children in Thailand, many of them orphans because of the tsunami that hit last year, to enjoy the ocean again.

With surfboard in tow, she slowly walked one trembling 8-year-old boy into the breaking waves off the village of Phuket after telling him of her own catastrophe. The boy had lost his parents and two brothers in the tsunami, which engulfed Thailand's shores last year and killed thousands.

After a few moments, she helped the youngster onto the board and his fear dissolved into a broad smile.

"I think God wants me to do this for Him, to care for people," Hamilton said Wednesday following an announcement by Subway restaurants that the teen will be starring in "Be a Champion" commercials to encourage children to eat healthy food and stay active.

Hamilton, of Princeville, Kaua'i, says "so much good" has come out of the shark attack, which severed her left arm just below the shoulder. She says she has raised funds for Hurricane Katrina victims, entertained children with cancer and visited soldiers and Iraqi amputees at three U.S. military hospitals in Germany.

Her father, Tom Hamilton, said she gave pep talks to the children she visited.

"She was like a light bulb when she walked into their rooms," he recalled.