HONOLULU — Derek Ho, the first men’s professional surfing champion to hail from Hawaii, died Friday. He was 55.
Ho died after suffering a heart attack, KHON reported.
Ho won the Triple Crown four times, winning his first title in 1984 when he was 20, the Star-Advertiser reported.
In 1993, Ho became the first Hawaiian native to claim a world championship under the banner of the Association of Surfing Professionals, now known as the World Surf League, KHON reported.
“It’s not like I got big and fat and can’t surf anymore,” Ho told the Honolulu Advertiser in 2007. “I guess it’s just a love for the ocean. I love being out there and I still feel like I have a drive to compete.”
Ho and his older brother, Michael Ho, were dominant forces on the North Shore of Hawaii during the 1980s and 1990s, the Star-Advertiser reported.
Pro surfer and musician Landon McNamara shared an Instagram video, writing, “I love you Uncle D thank you for paving the way and being an inspiration for a GoofyFooter. The NorthShore, The surfing world, and Pipeline will never be the same again.”