When it comes to winning big-wave surfing contests, Greg Long is no longer a long shot.

A victory in the world's most revered big-wave contest proved it yesterday.

Long capped a near-perfect day with a perfect ride that led him to victory in the Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau big-wave surfing contest.

The unique one-day event was run in wave-face heights that ranged from 35 to 50 feet at Waimea Bay. It was the first time in five years that conditions were suitable to run the contest.

"I'm still standing here in awe, and I want to go check the scores to make sure someone isn't going to come here and take this away," said Long, 26.

Long, who is from San Clemente, Calif., has established himself as a premier big-wave surfer in recent years. He won a big-wave contest at Mavericks, Calif., last year, and then took the top prize at the Billabong XXL Awards earlier this year.

But until yesterday, he hadn't quite established himself at the ultimate big-wave proving ground — Waimea Bay.

"It's hard to put into words what this actually means," he said. "Everybody knows this is a world class big wave, and some of the rides will go down in history as some of the biggest paddle waves ever."

Long clinched the victory with one of the best rides ever.

He scored a perfect 100 midway through his afternoon heat after surviving a steep drop down a 50-foot face, and then emerging from the exploding whitewash behind him.

"Amazing wave," Long said. "I saw that set feathering out the back, threatening to close out. I just started to paddle for the horizon and you really had to hold your ground and wait for it."

Long received $55,000 for the victory.

The Eddie Aikau contest runs only on a day when wave-face heights are consistently in the 40-foot range at Waimea Bay. Because of the strict standards, it has been completed just eight times in its 25-year history.

Long is the first California surfer to take the title.

Fortunately for him, the contest uses a no-elimination format. Each of the 28 invited surfers got to surf in two separate one-hour heats — one in the morning, then one in the afternoon.

After his morning heat, Long was in 24th place.

"The way the Eddie contest runs, your heat might be stacked with waves or it might not," Long said. "My first heat, we weren't catching waves, but we were laughing and still stoked. We looked around the beach and the energy was amazing."

Contest officials estimated the crowd to be between 20,000 and 25,000, with the shoehorn shape of the beach creating an arena-like atmosphere.

"Everybody is just screaming on the beach and you can hear it," Long said. "It's an amazing sensation."

In the last heat of the day, Long gave them reason to scream.

In addition to his 100-point wave, he had rides that received scores of 77, 75 and 71. In effect, his morning heat did not even count toward his victory (the top four waves from either the morning or afternoon heat counted toward each surfer's final score).

"I knew I had to get four good waves, so I kind of waited for the waves I knew would lend itself to getting those good scores," Long said. "It was one of the best hours of surfing in my life."

Long's late-afternoon rally overtook a near-historic victory by Kelly Slater of Florida.

Slater had a commanding lead after the morning session, and wound up in a close second place. Long's best four waves scored a total of 323 points to Slater's 313.

Slater was attempting to become the first two-time winner of the Eddie Aikau contest. He won it in 2002.

"It was epic," Slater said. "There's no one more deserving than (Long)."

Long and his big-wave surfing partner, Grant Baker, are renowned for chasing swells around the world, according to Slater.

"For paddle-in surfing, they're the two most dedicated guys on earth," Slater said.

Wai'anae's Sunny Garcia placed third and was the top Hawai'i finisher.

Like Long, Garcia had a slow morning heat, but made up for it in the afternoon. Garcia had scores of 95 and 85 in his second heat.

"It was a beautiful day, we had good waves," he said. "I got nothing to complain about."

Kaua'i's Bruce Irons placed fourth. He won the event the last time it was run in 2004.

Ramon Navarro of Chile placed fifth. He also scored a perfect 100 for making it down a giant wave in the afternoon heat. He received a $10,000 bonus for the "Monster Drop" award.

Virtually every surfer in the contest caught at least one memorable wave.

Kaua'i's Andy Irons, for example, received a rousing ovation for riding a wave all the way to the treacherous shorebreak section.

"I felt like I caught a Hail Mary pass for a Super Bowl touchdown," he said. "I'm just glad I didn't break my neck."

Shane Dorian of the Big Island scored a 92 for making a steep drop, but he also endured several scary wipeouts.

"I saw all my friends charging and I just wanted to out there and get pounded and I achieved that," he said. "But I think I got half the ocean up my nose."

A live Web cast on quiksilver.com received more than 1 million hits yesterday, according to contest officials. Also, a grant from the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl went toward an international satellite feed that created highlights around the world.

FINAL RESULTS

1, Greg Long (California), 323 points, $55,000. 2, Kelly Slater (Florida), 313, $10,000. 3, Sunny Garcia (Hawai'i), 292, $5,000. 4, Bruce Irons (Hawai'i), 275, $3,000. 5, Ramon Navarro (Chile), 267, $2,000. 6, Ross Clarke-Jones (Australia), 257, $1,000. 7, Jamie O'Brien (Hawai'i), 252, $1,000. 8, Mark Healey (Hawai'i), 246, $1,000. 9, Garrett McNamara (Hawai'i), 243, $1,000. 10, Noah Johnson (Hawai'i), 241, $1,000. 11, Shane Dorian (Hawai'i), 229, $1,000. 12, Makuakai Rothman (Hawai'i), 226, $1,000. 13, Reef McIntosh (Hawai'i), $1,000. 14, Andy Irons (Hawai'i), 221, $1,000. 15, Grant Baker (South Africa), 215, $1,000. 16, Carlos Burle (Brazil), 202, $1,000. 17, Kohl Christensen (Hawai'i), 201, $1,000. 18, Kala Alexander (Hawai'i), 200, $1,000. 19, Peter Mel (California), 195, $1,000. 20, Takayuki Wakita (Japan), 187, $1,000. 21, Ibon Amatrian (Basque), 187, $1,000. 22, Clyde Aikau (Hawai'i), 168, $1,000. 23, Keone Downing (Hawai'i), 167, $1,000. 24, Michael Ho (Hawai'i), 160, $1,000. 25, Darryl Virostko (California), 155, $1,000. 26, Brian Keaulana (Hawai'i), 148, $1,000. 27, Rusty Keaulana (Hawai'i), 122, $1,000. 28, Pancho Sullivan (Hawai'i), 70, $1,000.