Lihu'e, Kaua'i, may not be New York City, but a good wave is a good wave in both places.

David Hubbard proved it last weekend by winning two first-place checks at the New York Bodyboarding Pro at Long Beach, N.Y.

"When you think of New York, you don't think of the surf, but it was actually decent," Hubbard said. "It was definitely good enough to do some good moves."

Hubbard defeated his older brother, Jeff, in the pro final. The Hubbard brothers are from Lihu'e. Wai'anae's Josh Wills placed third.

"I think we were the only three Hawaiians in the contest, so we represented," David Hubbard said. "I'm glad we weren't placed together in a previous heat. I'm stoked we all made it to the final."

David Hubbard was doubly-stoked after winning the drop-knee division. In the open pro final, most of the competitors ride lying prone on the bodyboard. In the drop-knee final, all the competitors had to ride with a one-knee stance.

David Hubbard is the defending world champion of drop-knee bodyboarding.

"There's pressure anytime I'm in a final, but I guess I'm more comfortable drop-knee," he said.

The finals of both the professional division and the drop-knee division were held on Sunday. David Hubbard received $2,800 for the two division wins.

"It was heat after heat after heat," David Hubbard said. "Pretty tiring, but worth it."

But the trip was not all business for the Hubbard brothers. David said they played tourists for a few days in New York City when the waves were down.

"Coming from Kaua'i, New York is a totally different world," he said. "There's so many people walking around. It was great to see that."

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.