Duke Kahanamoku was born 115 years ago on this date. Aaron Peirsol turned 22 last month. That yawning gap has been bridged by water.

From 1912 to 1932, Kahanamoku won five Olympic medals, including three golds in swimming. He is also revered around the world as the Father of Surfing. Kahanamoku was the first to be inducted into both the Swimming (1965) and Surfing (1966) halls of fame.

Peirsol has four Olympic medals. He swept all three backstroke golds in Athens. And, the Southern California native insists, he "grew up in the ocean" — usually body surfing Newport Beach's "Wedge" — and "with Kahanamoku."

"He's part of history, Olympic and U.S. history," Peirsol says. "He was a U.S. hero and still is. He's an icon. There's only one like him. He's like John Wayne. One of our original heroes."

Peirsol insists that anyone who grew up near a beach knows of Kahanamoku. He won't get an argument this week.

Peirsol is here for Duke's Ho'olaule'a, which benefits the Outrigger Duke Kahanamoku Foundation's college scholarship and community grants program. He worked a keiki clinic yesterday and will be in the Hawaiian Airlines Duke's Legends Surf Classic and Duke's Ocean Mile Swim on Friday and Saturday.

Peirsol's passion for the Duke goes deep.

"I give him the utmost respect for giving us such a really nice sport (surfing)," Peirsol says. "He was a great swimmer, too. ... I think he is better than any swimmer, at his time, relative to any other time. He was breaking records by like five seconds. You would think that was impossible. He defined revolutionary."

Peirsol is the world-record holder in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke, and claimed those events yet again at last month's World Championships. He spent his collegiate pool time, between Olympics, in Austin, Texas.

He loved the city, but hated the distance from the ocean. He lives with his fins and board in his car in California and the first thing he wanted to do here was "find some waves."

He calls surfing his "meditation time," far from the goal-oriented sport of swimming, which offers a much different rush. He is elated when he wins a medal or sets a record. In contrast, he calls surfing "therapeutic."

"I love the water so much," Peirsol says. "I don't know how many NBA players say they want to be on the court every day. I want to be on the water every day."

One of his goals at the keiki clinic was to try and convince kids that the better they swim, the heavier surf they can handle. A balance of both sports, admittedly at a high level, can create someone like Kahanamoku. Or, at least, someone who shares Peirsol's passion for the Duke.

DUKE'S HO'OLAULE'A SCHEDULE

Friday: Converse Hawaiian Open semifinals (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at Waikiki; Hawaiian Airlines Duke's Legends Surf Classic preliminaries (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.), five-person teams compete; Waikiki Beach Boys Legends Celebration at Duke's Waikiki (3 to 5 p.m.).

Saturday: Converse Hawaiian Open finals (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at Waikiki; Hawaiian Airlines Duke's Legends Surf Classic finals (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.); Duke's Ocean Mile Swim at Duke's Waikiki (8 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. swim); Bud Light Surf Polo Tournament at Kapahulu Groin (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.); Bishop Museum's Duke's Historical Display and Lei Making at Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.); Waikiki Community Lei Making to decorate Kahanamoku's statue, at Sheraton Moana Surfrider (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.); Lei Draping (5 p.m.); Sunset on the Beach (7:30 p.m.).

Sunday: Brunch on the Beach (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.); Bishop Museum's Duke's Historical Display at Hyatt Regency Waikiki (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.); Waterman Challenge at Waikiki Beach (10 a.m.); Sunset on the Beach (7:30 p.m.).

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.